the Africa they Never show You

kilele:

Priests celebrate Easter in Lalibela, Ethiopia

Photo by Anthony Pappone

(via dynamicafrica)

prepaidafrica:

Tadesse Tessema, founder of Ethiopian auto manufacturer Holland Car

 Over the past year, How we made it in Africa interviewed numerous entrepreneurs and business people running successful ventures on the continent. It is interesting to note that two out of the five most-read articles were about entrepreneurs in Ethiopia.

Here are the five entrepreneur articles that were the most popular.

1. Made in Ethiopia: The story of Holland Car How we made it in Africa looks at the story behind Holland Car, Ethiopia’s first car assembly firm. Read more

2. Young entrepreneur behind Eat Out, Kenya’s dining revolution Mikul Shah, the co-founder and chief executive of online restaurant guide Eat Out (eatout.co.ke), talks to Regina Ekiru on how he introduced the concept to the Kenyan market. Read more

3. Ethiopian fruit company’s vision is more than a quick buck We talk to Irish businessman David O’Halloran about his company’s groundbreaking passion fruit business in Ethiopia’s Upper Awash valley. Read more

4. Made in Madagascar: US chocolate company defying the status quo Although Africa has abundant resources, most of these are exported for processing abroad. A US chocolate manufacturer is, however, following a different path. Read more

5. M-Farm: Boosting Kenya’s agricultural sector, one SMS at a time Regina Ekiru speaks to the founders of M-Farm, one of Kenya’s most well-known mobile phone based solutions for the agricultural sector.

Read more (via Our top 5 entrepreneur stories of the year)

tembonzuri:

Falasha Black Jews of Ethiopia 

(via theblackmoth)

afrikanwomen:

ShiBire Desalegn was an Ethiopian activist and a student.

She was the first person to be killed when Meles Zenawi unleashed his forces following a peaceful protest by Addis Ababa University (AAU) students on June 6, 2006. She was shot and killed by troops as she and her friends tried to block the road that leads to a torture camp.

She helped several AAU students escape from torture by helping them jump from the trucks that were taking them to Sendafa. She didn’t have any weapon. But that didn’t stop the EPRDF troops from shooting her to death. A high caliber bullet pierced through her neck.

Because of ShiBire’s actions, some AAU students escaped torture. But because of the action and inaction of others, thousands went through unspeakable brutality in the hands of the EPRDF security forces under the direct orders of Meles Zenawi. 

She stood up for the students who only demanded respect for the people’s vote. She paid the ultimate sacrifice trying to save others.

—source

(via )

fuckyeahethiopia:

afrikanwomen:

Amsale Aberra is an Ethiopian fashion designer and entrepreneur. She is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) and a Trustee of the Fashion Institute of Technology.2]

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Amsale Aberra journeyed to the United States to study commercial art. Political upheaval in her native Ethiopia forced Amsale to stay in the United States and to support herself through her undergraduate years. As financial resources were limited, Amsale began to design and sew her own clothing. For the first time Amsale considered the possibility of a career in fashion design.

After receiving her degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amsale left Boston and enrolled in New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology.

In 1985, while planning her wedding, Aberra scoured the stores to find a simple, refined wedding dress. She found little in the way of clean, sophisticated gowns, and discovered an untapped niche in the bridal market. Aberra placed an advertisement for custom-made gowns and started her business out of her New York City loft apartment.

In 2003, Aberra created the Kenneth Pool label and began designing a line of dresses featuring dramatic ball gowns, luxurious fabrics and intricate beadwork. In 2005, Amsale acquired the 30 year old Christos company.

we’ve featured her work in past posts.

afrikanwomen:

Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia

Empress Zewditu was the daughter of Emperor Menelik II, by Woizero Abechi, a woman of mid-level nobility, born shortly after Menelik returned to Shewa following his captivity at Magdalla. Woizero Abechi died while Zewditu was still a very young child, so Zewditu was raised by her father, in the care of nannies, and was closer to him than any other person.

Zewditu also had a half sister, Woizero Shewaregga Menelik, the mother of Lij Eyasu, and a half brother, Prince Asfaw Wossen Menelik, who died in 1888 while still a child. She was often refered to by her close relatives by the nickname of “Mamite” which translates to “Baby”.

Unlike most of the rest of the Shewan aristocracy, Zewditu had very good relations with Empress Taitu. Although Taitu was brusque, and a stern mistress of Menelik’s household, Zewditu had deep affection for her step-mother. Taitu returned Zewditu’s affection, although often dispairing of her behavior. She believed that Zewditu was overly familiar with the palace serving maids saying “It’s imposible to separate Mamite from the servants”.

She often scolded her for not maintaining the dignity of a daughter of the House of Solomon. Zewditu had earned a reputation of kindness and completely lacked the haughty and imperious attitude of her step-mother and other female relatives. Zewditu treated everyone with the same sweet friendliness whether they were royalty or simple servants.

Underlying these traits was a truely innocent naivete that endeared her to many, but would perhaps be a drawback to her eventually.

Zewditu was married in 1882 at the age of 9 to Ras Araya Selassie Yohannis, son and heir of Emperor Yohannis IV, in order to cement the agreement between her father and the emperor when Menelik (then king of Shewa) submitted to Yohannis. However, Ras Araya Selassie died in 1888, and Zewditu, who had not produced any children returned to Shewa.

Ras Araya had fathered a son, Gugsa, by another woman. Zewditu maintaied very warm relations with her father-in-law who was very fond of Zewditu. Yohannis IV was very angered when Zewditu’s father rebled against him shortly after the death of Ras Araya Selassie.

Zewditu, upon recieving news that her father had rebled agains the emperor, is said to have wept bitterly, saying “My father and the Emperor would never have quarelled if only my husband had lived.” When the Emperor’s informants told Yohannis IV of Zewditu’s comments, he was much moved, and had her summoned, and the two of them wept over the cruel fate of Ras Araya together.

The Emperor then returned Zewditu to Shewa, eventhough her father was still defying him, along with a huge gift of cattle and property in 1889. Emperor Yohannis IV continued to hold Zewditu in deep affection until his death.

Zewditu did not stay a widow for long. In 1891, Zewditu married Dejazmatch Gwangul Zegeye. The marriage was short lived, not more than a few months, but Zewditu did have a daughter by him, who died in 1895 at the age of 4. Zewditu then married Wube Atnaf Seged, an unhappy marriage that ended in divorce after two and a half years.

In 1900, at the suggestion of her step-mother, Zewditu married Ras Gugsa Welle, son of Ras Welle Bitul and nephew of Taitu. Ras Welle was ruler of Simien and Yejju and younger brother of Empress Taitu Bitul. This marriage bound the princess even more closely to her stepmother, and the marriage proved to be a generaly happy one. Zewditu had no children who survived to adulthood.

(via fuckyeahethiopia)

afrikanwomen:

Her Imperial Highness Princess Sara Gizaw, Duchess of Harrar

Princess Sara Gizaw Duchess of Harrar is the widow of Prince Makonnen,Duke of Harrar and second son of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. She is the mother of five sons. In her day, Princess Sara was renowned as one of the most beautiful women at the Court of the Emperor of Ethiopia. She was widowed in 1957 when her husband, the Duke of Harrar, was killed in a car accident. She often accompanied the Emperor on foreign visits, and acted as one of his official hostesses along with Princess Tenagnework after the death of Empress Menen.

Princess Sara was imprisoned with the other women of the Imperial Family of Ethiopia in 1974, and was released from prison in 1988. She currently resides in Addis Abeba.

(via b-sama)

fuckyeahethiopia:

addismusikainmyheart:

Debre Damo, Ethiopia

Note: Dude is mountain climbing in DRESS PANTS AND A BLAZER!