2009 Ethiopia: Promoting Women Entrepreneurs in Ethiopia
Host Country & Organisation: Ethiopia, Ethiopian Women Exporters Association (EWEA)
Participant: Maari Ross
GLEN Member Organisation: AKÜ, Estonia
Time Frame: July – October 2009
GLEN participant Maari Ross worked during July-October 2009 in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa in Ethiopian Women Exporters Association with the aim to promote Ethiopian products.
Ethiopian society is characterized by an overwhelming domination of men over women in most political, economic and social aspects. There are various obstacles for women as entrepreneurs, such as less access to credit, land, and international markets, it is more challenging for women to establish effective informal networks with other business people and, finally, women also often lack education, business skills and business development services. Due to these constraints, most women-run businesses are micro enterprises, only few women are represented in the medium or large business category.
The internship partner in the host country was Ethiopian Women Exporters Association, hereafter EWEA. It was founded in January 2000 and currently has 36 members, all of them women-run companies from 5 different sectors: flowers, coffee, textile, leather, and jewellery. EWEA has established a computerized information center for export-oriented female entrepreneurs in Addis Ababa and offers consulting, trainings and participation in international trade fairs. EWEA also facilitates networking and experience sharing among Ethiopian businesswomen.
The internship tandem partners were a photographer and a graphic designer, and during the internship they produced professional promotional materials for Ethiopian women entrepreneurs who are members of the association. Interns visited individual members, proposed a design startegy or took into account existing materials, then photographed products for both websites and printing materials, designed flyers, postcards, product catalogues.
Read the full report here: GLEN FINAL REPORT Maari ETH 2009
