Top 40 Liya Kebede Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “Helping others isn’t a chore; it is one of the greatest gifts there is.”

— Liya Kebede

2. “I don’t listen to people who say my dreams are impossible; I just work to prove them wrong.”

— Liya Kebede

3. “Take good care of your skin and hydrate. If you have good skin, everything else will fall into place.”

— Liya Kebede

4. “Prenatal care is one of the most effective ways to reduce maternal mortality because it identifies complications or high risks before emergency situations.”

— Liya Kebede

5. “Theres a saying in Africa: To find out you are pregnant is to have one foot in the grave.”

— Liya Kebede

6. “Investing in women’s lives is an investment in sustainable development, in human rights, in future generations – and consequently in our own long-term national interests.”

— Liya Kebede

7. “If you don’t have a dream in life, I don’t know what you have. You have to want something beyond your reach; it’s exciting when it works out.”

— Liya Kebede

8. “Creative new health strategies like micro-insurance for poor people or Kangaroo care for pre-term babies are transforming health outcomes in even the most low-resource settings. Dedication and innovation are transforming health care worldwide.”

— Liya Kebede

9. “A small gold plain cross was passed down from my grandma to my mom, then to me, and now to my daughter. It is always nice to own something that connects you to the women who made it possible for you to exist.”

— Liya Kebede

10. “In 1967, the world health community launched a global effort to eradicate smallpox. It took a coordinated, worldwide effort, required the commitment of every government, and cost $130 million dollars. By 1977, smallpox had disappeared.”

— Liya Kebede

11. “What I love most about Mother’s Day is that I am acknowledged and honored for being a mother.”

— Liya Kebede

12. “I’m Christian. Growing up in Ethiopia, it’s half-Christian and half-Muslim. You grow up with Muslim kids. I’m very much aware of their religion.”

— Liya Kebede

13. “The most inspiring piece of advice I’ve gotten is simply to persevere. My mom taught me to always keep going no matter what from an early age. When it feels too difficult to push forward, I always remind myself, ‘This too shall pass,’ and then I redouble my efforts.”

— Liya Kebede

14. “The desert loves me. I love the desert. It’s nice to be in the heat in Africa. I love it.”

— Liya Kebede

15. “Miriam Were has made outstanding contributions to public health in the developing world. She brings basic medical services to women and children in East Africa.”

— Liya Kebede

16. “Doing designs on a loom takes a lot of talent and experience, and, trust me, I won’t be able to do that.”

— Liya Kebede

17. “I want to do action, romantic comedy, and I love drama.”

— Liya Kebede

18. “One thing modeling taught me is that the spotlight can change everything.”

— Liya Kebede

19. “We can’t end poverty if we fail to save the lives of our world’s mothers.”

— Liya Kebede

20. “For my diet, I choose mostly organic. But in general, I am a big believer in trying to strike a balance with everything.”

— Liya Kebede

21. “Children with healthy mothers are much more likely to survive childhood, attend school and live healthy, productive lives.”

— Liya Kebede

22. “I tend to gravitate toward Proenza Schouler and Alexander Wang. Their designs are accessible and easy.”

— Liya Kebede

23. “Every day we hear about the dangers of cancer, heart disease and AIDS. But how many of us realize that, in much of the world, the act of giving life to a child is still the biggest killer of women of child-bearing age?”

— Liya Kebede

24. “I am always touched when friends make contributions to my foundation on my behalf.”

— Liya Kebede

25. “When a woman has her first child in places like Africa, they’re really young. They can be 12, 13,14, so their frames are really small, and they’re usually malnourished.”

— Liya Kebede

26. “When countries commit to protecting vulnerable lives, they should receive support from those who can provide it in order to make their programs a success.”

— Liya Kebede

27. “I don’t think we should judge celebrities for doing charity work. Period. Whatever their reasons for doing it, they are shedding light on issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.”

— Liya Kebede

28. “It is important for me that I represent a brand that reflects my personality.”

— Liya Kebede

29. “If nothing else, I want women to understand that they are powerful. If you look back at history, in almost every big moment, in every leap forward, you find ordinary women at the core. We have more ability to make changes in the world than we can imagine if we have the courage to try.”

— Liya Kebede

30. “I actually started modeling in Ethiopia, because that’s where I grew up, and I started out by just doing little fashion shows for school, and I liked it so much that I started pursuing it.”

— Liya Kebede

31. “In a hundred years, how do you want the world to be? Everybody should get together to make the world a better place.”

— Liya Kebede

32. “Midwives and doctors play a crucial role preventing unnecessary maternal deaths. They educate women about nutrition, health and family planning. And they step in when complications arise.”

— Liya Kebede

33. “I never thought modeling would become my career. I thought it was something I’d do to pay my way through college.”

— Liya Kebede

34. “It’s always a tricky thing, trying to make aid sustainable.”

— Liya Kebede

35. “I think, first of all, every time you want to play somebody who is real is always challenging and always scary, because you are given a responsibility of someone’s real life.”

— Liya Kebede

36. “I always loved having the chance to disappear in a story. I always was kind of obsessed with that.”

— Liya Kebede

37. “We should work to guarantee that there is a midwife or health worker by every woman’s side during childbirth.”

— Liya Kebede

38. “I want to spend as much time as possible with my children, so I always like to keep my beauty and fashion routines effortless but still chic!”

— Liya Kebede

39. “I really don’t think there should be a movie about me. That’s for sure!”

— Liya Kebede

40. “It’s one thing to donate money. It’s a whole other thing to give an opportunity for someone to make his own money.”

— Liya Kebede

41. “I can contribute, be valuable, and grow in many ways, since my interests are so varied. That is very satisfying.”

— Liya Kebede

42. “While I was pregnant, I had dozens of checkups. They covered everything from blood tests to ultrasounds, and I even had the option of attending birthing classes with my husband.”

— Liya Kebede

43. “Traveling around Ethiopia, I saw dozens of abandoned textile factories. People kept asking me to help them find work. So I thought I could make use of my experience in fashion to commercialize their products outside of Ethiopia.”

— Liya Kebede

44. “No other health disparity is so stark; virtually every woman who dies giving birth lives in a poor country.”

— Liya Kebede

45. “I grew up watching films. Film has been part of my life since I was a child.”

— Liya Kebede

46. “For my wardrobe, I like to invest in classic pieces and pair them with more trendy new pieces and accessories each season.”

— Liya Kebede