Hamere Eleni Demissie is the founder of Actuel Urban Living which makes contemporary furniture in Ethiopia.
BY Eliza Anyangwe
January 12, 2016
With the headquarters of the African Union located in Ethiopia’s capital city, as well as an award-winning airline and a rapidly-growing economy, Addis Ababa is increasingly recognized as a political and economic hub in Africa.
Now, with its rich cultural and artistic heritage, a new generation of Ethiopians are trying to put Addis on the world’s retail map.
Luxury brands and boutiques
Abai Schulze is one of these entrepreneurs. Her brand, Zaaf, sells a delectable range of handmade leather handbags and accessories. With an online store and stockists in Europe and the US, it’s hard to believe that the business was started just over two years ago, or that Schulze — who is 27– grew up in an orphanage.
Born in remote Gishen in northeastern Ethiopia, Schulze’s life took a very different turn when she was adopted by an American family at age 11. That hard start would give her the desire to make change happen in her native Ethiopia. “I grew up in Texas but always had the desire to come back and start a business,” Schulze says. “I knew I wanted to be in the creative space and create jobs in Ethiopia so Zaaf was a combination of passion and opportunity.”
Today, Zaaf which means tree in Amharic, employs 17 people — 10 of which are artisans — but the team often swells to many times its size. “We outsource when we have large orders,” Schulze explains.
Abai Shculze, founder of Ethiopian accessories brand Zaaf (Photo: CNN)
Amelsa Yazew, (L) founder of baby boutique Little Gabies poses with Tensae who works in the shop. (CNN)
Read more and view photos at CNN.com »
—
Related:
Meet Abai Schulze: Owner of Zaaf Collection, a Luxury Handbag Brand from Ethiopia (TADIAS)
Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
