UNESCO and the Belgium Embassy organized a pop up event to support Ethiopian female entrepreneurs at the Belgium Embassy compound on March 6, 2022.
The event features different women entrepreneurs from different walks of life. These include;
Pottery
The Kechene Women Potters is a female cooperative formed over thirty years ago in the Kechene neighborhood of Addis Ababa. In the ensuing years they have made a name for themselves as the go-to place for all sorts of pottery; beyond functional pieces such as vases and pots of every shape & size imaginable, and their popular paint-dotted ceramic hens, they also produce a healthy ever-growing repertoire of modem and artisanal pieces, while continuing to preserve customary Ethiopian standards and styles such as the Ethiopian coffee pot, the Jebena. An Artisan Bazaar favorite for their varied offerings, and their solid social impact on female entrepreneurship and empowerment, their pottery continues to grace many galleries, hotel lobbies as well as living rooms.
Leather Bags
SAMRA Luxury Leather: Born and raised in Addis Abeba, Samrawit Mersiehazen’s passion for design started with her combining scraps of fabric and plastic to make school bags for her younger brothers. This passion eventually evolved into SAMRA Luxury Leather, with the mission to produce high-end luxurious leather products. SAMRA has gone on to participate in international fashion shows and trade fairs. As a single mother she fiercely believes in empowering other women, and incorporates an eco-friendly system and zero wastage strategy in her workplace.
Textile
Lulit Handmade: Lulit’s is an Ethiopian hand- woven textile manufacturer which provides high quality, authentic and unique fashion and home accessory products.
Jewelry
ORBIT gems: Salsawit is committed to make premium quality cut and polished gemstones that inspire jewelers, gem dealers and collectors. She says, “Our commitment to the ethical sourcing of our stones is unwavering as we strongly believe that the beauty of our gemstones not only lies in their appearance but also in the stories they tell”.
Fashion Design
Africa Mozaique is primarily a high-end-fashion and clothing production enterprise created by
Anna Getaheh. AM designs, manufactures, and markets value-added garments, with fabrics and other raw materials sourced primarily from Ethiopian and other African textiles mills. The company employs mostly women, many of whom are young trainees from low-income families. The company also provides mentorship and collaborates with up-and-coming young designers and entrepreneurs in the fashion and apparel industry. It serves as a platform for emerging and established Ethiopian and other African designers.
Shoes
soleRebels: Bethlehem Tilahun is a globally acclaimed serial entrepreneur. Bethlehem’s driving passions are sharing Ethiopian cultures with the world, finding exciting ways to keep these cultures vibrant and fully relevant by building exciting brands around these unique cultures, brands that become as ubiquitous and impactful as APPLE. She has done that and more. In early 2005 Bethlehem founded the trailblazing footwear company soleRebels in her community ofZenabwork. Her goal was to provide solid community-based jobs that tapped into her community’s and the nation’s rich artisan wealth and heritages. Over the next decade she built soleRebels into the world’s fastest-growing and most valuable African footwear brand.
Baked Goods
Brownie Time is run by talented Elham AbdulMenan. She bakes cakes, brownies, chocolate brownies and sugar-free and gluten free products. Currently she sells online, but is planning to open her first shop in CMC/Summit area in March 2022.
Flowers
Yetekemt Abeba Gift and Flower Shop: After Mekdes Shume completed a BA in Management and worked for private sector and NGOs for ten years, she decided to pursue her passion for the flower business. She started her business with limited capital (USD600) supplemented by loans from friends and family members. She sold flower arrangements and greeting cards and repaid all her loans. She now runs a flower shop and is a commission agent for DHL Express worldwide with three employees.
Coffee
YA COFFEE started as an artisan coffee roasting company and evolved into a business solution for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. This evolution came about while learning and observing coffee market dynamics in Ethiopia and the world. It is a coffee passion story of Sara Virga and Dagmawi Iyasu, a wife-and- husband team with background in management, biochemistry, coffee economics and design.
Vegetable and fruits
Betty’s Organic is a vegetable and fruits delivery business. Betty says, “we strive to get the fresh, healthy, clean and organic vegetables from small farmers at the outskirt of Addis Ababa, some from different places in Ethiopia. All our products are free of pesticide and fertilizer. We are aiming to help the farmer by adding value and getting a fair price for both farmers and clients.”
