Ethiopia – Habesha Yellow Pages

Woman empowers girls in her home country of Ethiopia

Native Ethiopian Lily Yoseph founded Tangible Hope Foundation, a nonprofit that empowers young girls living in poverty in rural Ethiopia by giving them access to education, medical care and nutrition. By Colleen Bidwill (Marin Independent Journal) | MILL VALLEY, Cal.―Lily Yoseph considers herself lucky. Growing up in Ethiopia, she had a privileged life. She came from a middle-class family, got an education and was encouraged to follow her dreams. While on a trip back to her childhood hometown of Kofele in 2008, the Mill Valley, CA resident realized not all women in Ethiopia were as lucky. From the trip came Tangible Hope Foundation, her nonprofit that empowers young girls living in poverty in rural Ethiopia by giving them access to education, medical care and nutrition. Lily Yoseph started the nonprofit out of her then one-bedroom apartment in Sausalito, while working various odd jobs to make ends meet. Today, it supports 100 young girls in Ethiopia and continues to…

Ethiopia human rights lawyer Henok Aklilu and friend Michael Melak arrested for receiving training at Palestine consulate

Amnesty International requests Ethiopian authorities, in a press statement, to release immediately and unconditionally human rights defender Henok Aklilu who was arrested for exercising freedom of expression (Amnesty International)―The Ethiopian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release a human rights defender and his friend who were arrested and charged for advocating for a more autonomous capital – Addis Ababa, with self-governance similar to other regional states, and for “receiving training from the Palestine Consulate” in Ethiopia, said Amnesty International. Henok Aklilu – a lawyer renowned for representing people accused of terrorism-related offenses – was arrested at his office in Addis Ababa together with a friend, Michael Melak, with whom he intends to form an association of Addis-born Ethiopians. “The arrest of Henok and Michael highlight the difficulties human rights defenders continue to face despite the Ethiopian government’s stated commitm…

Ethiopia moves to combat Forex trading on black market

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has initiated processes to better regulate foreign exchange transactions and by that weaken the black market. According to a new directive, importers are obliged to request for foreign currency from the NBE based on the international prices of their imports. The central bank’s chief economist and its vice governor Yohanes Ayalew, confirmed that the directive had been circulated to commercial banks and was already being enforced. Ethiopia’s economy continues to get good reviews from international lenders like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF chief, Christine Lagarde recently visited Ethiopia and urged the government to work at alternative drivers of growth. In November 2017, custom authorities said they continued to record increasing incidence of forex smuggling especially via its main airport, Bole International Airport in the capital Addis Ababa. They said, they had intercepted an audacious a…

Traveling Ethiopia Taught Me to Appreciate Its Heritage

“How reconnecting with my roots gave me a greater sense of purpose,” writes English-Ethiopian singer-songwriter Izzy Bizu for the Huffington Post.

By Izzy Bizu (HuffPost) | Ethiopia, my beautiful chaos. Walking through colourful markets, I smell leather, brilliant white cotton, coffee and a sea of vibrant beads inspired by tribes that made our country what it is today. There is nothing like the gift of the human touch, derived from a history that boasts pure workmanship and artistry made on the side of our cobbled streets. I smile to myself when I see that our coffee has made it half way around the world, but sometimes I wonder how much our farmers are really appreciated. Do they know how much it is all worth? And do their living standards correspond to that? I find it interesting how we can enjoy such things as we were lucky enough to be born in the right place at the right time. We reap and thrive off the labor of others. It’s …

Ethiopia: AAU’s Technology Institute to Management Coal Phosphate Fertilizer Complex Project

The state-owned Chemical Industry Corporation awarded management and administration consultancy service contract of the coal phosphate fertilizer complex project to Addis Ababa University's Technology Institute, Ethiopian Press Agency reported.

Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony on Monday, at Addis Ababa Hilton, The Corporation's Acting Director General Mekonnen Zergaw said, the execution of mega projects by indigenous contractors and consultants greatly contributes to building the nation's technology capacity and development, particularly in areas such as citizens' capacity building and promoting technology transfer.

Addis Ababa University's Academic Vice-President Dr. Jyissu Omer on his part said, “ The AAU is ready to implement the new consultancy service contract agreement responsibly.”

In addition to conducting research and study, teaching-learning process and community service programs, the Inst…

Ethiopia: Modjo-Hawassa Highway Project to Launch Soon

Preparations are underway to launch the construction work on the 4-lane dual carriageway Modjo-Hawassa highway project, Walta Information Center reported citing the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA).

The 210-km highway project will be implemented in four phases.

The first phase consists of the construction of Modjo-Meki new asphalt road and the second phase includes the construction of asphalt road between Meki-Zeway, according to the Ethiopian Roads Authority.

The third and fourth phases of the project consist of the construction of new asphalt road between Zeway-Arsi Negele and Arsi Negele-Hawassa.

The construction of the 56-km Modjo-Meki new asphalt road will be financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the government of Ethiopia.

Financing agreement in underway between the government of Ethiopia and the Korean Exim Bank for the construction of the 37-km Meki-Zeway road, the Authority's …

Ethiopia: Nation Set to Increase Agricultural Productivity by 15%

The Ministry of Agriculture said activities are being carried out to increase agricultural productivity by 15 percent during the current production year, Ethiopian News Agency reported.

In a press conference held on last Wednesday, public relation head with the Ministry Tarekegn Tsige said the Ministry has set target to achieve the goal by increasing use of irrigation, utilization of fertilizers, compost and improved seed by farmers.

The Ministry envisaging to enable 70 percent of households to get access to water banks, a system which helps each household have a reservoir, according to Ethiopian News Agency.

Over 920,000 hectares land has so far has been covered with fruits, spices and root seed, Tarekegn said.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Allanasons Ltd. to Build Meat Processing Plant in Ethiopia

Allanasons Ltd, India's largest exporter of processed food products, signed an agreement with the Ministry of Industry establish a meat processing plant, Walta Information Center reported.

The agreement was signed in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, January 1, 2014 by Meberatu Melese, Industry State Minister, and Aman R. Kahan, representative of Allanasons Ltd.

Meberatu on the occasion said, the establishment of the plant would help to improve Ethiopia’s meat export.

It would also enable the pastoral community to benefit from its animal resources as well as the leather industry, he said.

In addition to promoting technology transfer, the plant to be built on 75 hectares of land around Zeway, Oromia Regional State at a cost of 371 million birr will create employment opportunities for residents of the locality, he added.

Allana chooses to build the plant in Ethiopia taking into consideration the country’s li…

Oromia International Bank Introduced Interest-Free Banking

Oromia International Bank (OIB), a private financial institution, become the first to implement interest-free banking [Islamic banking] in Ethiopia.

A recent National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) directive allowed banks to provide interest-free banking service using a separate window along with their other banking services.

On Thursday, September 16 2013, the NBE granted the first interest-free banking service license to Oromia International Bank.

“We have been the first bank to send our application to NBE to commence the service since NBE issued detailed directives a year ago,” Abi Sano, President of Oromia International Bank, told Capital

“Since our application, we have been carrying out preparations to commence operations, which we will start within three weeks,” he added.

Oromia International Bank was established October 25, 2008 and has 68 branches in Addis and all over the country and has set a target …

Shoe Exporter Huajian Planning a Huge Expansion in Ethiopia

Huajian, one of the largest shoe exporters in China, is planning a multi-million-dollar factory expansion in Ethiopia to benefit from preferential trade tariffs and lower labor costs.

The company, which makes women shoes for global brands such as, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, Naturalizer, Clarkes and others opened its factory at a purpose-built industrial zone on the outskirts of Addis Ababa a year ago.

The company has launched new line of injection-molded shoes several hundred more workers to the 1,750 Huajian already employs in Ethiopia, where the leather industry is well established, but unemployment is rife.

Huajian has also signed an agreement with the China Africa Development Fund, a private equity fund owned by China Development Bank, to invest jointly USD 2 billion over 10 years in developing manufacturing clusters focused on shoe-making in Ethiopia, Helen Hai, manager who runs the company's plant in Ethiopi…