Ethiopian supermodel Liya Kebede

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Ethiopian supermodel Liya Kebede is a Vogue cover girl turning heads around the globe. In 2003, she became the first black model to serve as the face of Estée Lauder.

Liya first captured the world's attention when former Gucci designer Tom Ford discovered her. Now she's the famous face for designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Dolce & Gabbana and Louis Vuitton.

When Liya's not commanding the catwalk, this wife and mother is a crusader working passionately with the World Health Organization to improve the lives of women and children around the world. She became involved with the Fistula Hospital to help women with fistula, a problem she wasn't aware of while she lived in Ethiopia.

"You don't talk about it because obviously the women are shunned or isolated. It's a shameful thing to talk about," she says.
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