At the beginning of her career, she specialized in the track running and cross-country running. Her first international appearances came in 2000, when she was seventh in the junior race at the 2000 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and achieved the same placing over 5000 metres at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Athletics. She made her senior debut the following year at the 2001 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, coming 23rd in the long race and helping Ethiopia to the team silver medal. Kuma made her first impact the year after, as her fifth place in the long race at the 2002 IAAF World Cross Country Championships headed her country to the team title and she claimed the bronze medal over 10,000 metres at the 2002 African Championships in Athletics (behind Kenyan duo Susan Chepkemei and Leah Malot).