She is a woman whose indomitable spirit shines even in the face of adversity. She never allows letting problems overwhelm her or ruin her future. Instead, with determination, she confronts challenges unwaveringly, follows her heart, and transforms obstacles into opportunities.
Her life is a testament to resilience. Regardless of the difficulties she encounters, she firmly believes that hard work is the guiding light that leads to success. As a result, this mindset has enabled her to establish her own business, manufacturing a variety of leather products, including bags and shoes.
Berhan Kenea was born in Wolliso, a town in the Southwest Shewa Zone of Oromia State. However, at a young age, she moved to Addis Ababa, where she grew up with her siblings.
“I attended my high school education at Menelik II Secondary School. However, despite my best efforts, I could not score the grades required for university admission, so I decided to enroll in a technical and vocational college. Actually, some people had advised me to pursue other courses, but I followed my passion and chose a technical and vocational program,” she reflected.
According to her, it was during this time that she discovered her passion for leather work, and she began carving out her own path to success, prioritizing her own dreams.
At first, Berhan was unaware that the school was providing courses in the leather field, however, when she learned that the college offers the course during registration, she chose the leather department over management and accounting, despite her academic performance in those fields.
However, considering their advice, she completed her diploma in accounting through an extension program, alongside her vocational studies at technical and vocational at level four in a regular program.
Attending two different areas of fields at one time- vocational and accounting- has proven invaluable. It gave her the financial knowledge, enabling her to manage her business confidently.
While she is talking about how she established her own business, Berhan said: “After graduation, I entered the job market, but the salary I earned was too low. It was too discouraging for me. So, I decided to start my own business.
Berhan KeneaDeveloping my business plan, I applied to government bodies to secure a workspace.”
Luckily, because she passed the practical exam and her academic performance was good, her inquiry was approved. The other challenge she faced was the issue of securing startup capital. Determining not to succumb to despair, she sought loans from financial institutions, which enabled her to purchase essential equipment such as sewing machines, leather cutting blades, and raw materials.
As chance would have it, her efforts bore fruit and purchased the necessary equipment such as sewing machines leather cutting blades, and raw materials.
“The institution that granted me the loan was governmental, and since I followed all the necessary procedures, my application was approved,” she explained.
According to her, before fully engaging in her business, she worked at a manufacturing company that manufactures various types of leather products. This has provided her with a good learning opportunity allowing her to gain valuable knowledge in shoe and bag production.
“My experience at the company was very beneficial. It has helped me to develop my knowledge and skills. For instance, if I see a product that entices my interest, I don’t imitate the design as it is, but, I adapt it to create something new with different design and style. If I copy that same design and supply it to the market, it gets me no benefits because it doesn’t make me competitive in the marketplace; it only create a crowded market,” she added.
Thus, she always strives to learn new things, upgrade her knowledge and skills, and remain creative.
“Hard work is the only path to a brighter future,” she highlighted, embodying the essence of perseverance.
Currently, by participating in various bazaars, she showcases her unique products to a broader audience and supplying her products to wholesalers.
Berhan is the symbol of resilience, determination, and innovation. Her story is a powerful reminder that with hard work, passion, and unwavering vision, any obstacle can be turned into a stepping stone toward success.
This is also reflected in every stitch of her leather products. One can see Berhan’s strong spirit and commitment to turning dreams into reality in her creative products.
When Berhan first entered into the leather industry, there was skepticism surrounding her. However, believing that passion, determination and a proactive mindset can overcome any obstacle, she commenced the business. Today, she advises others to trust their instincts and follow their passions and work relentlessly to achieve their ambitions.
Berhan aspires to expand her business; and in the long run export leather products to different countries. She also envisions a bright future for the Ethiopian leather industry, recognizing the country’s potential in the area.
According to her, the country needs to put more effort into developing the industry and maximizing the economic returns from leather products. She emphasized that increasing support and collaboration are essential to unlocking the industry’s full potential.
The journey Berhan has traveled so far has not been a bed of roses, but one filled with numerous hurdles. Despite the challenges she has encountered along the way, Berhan remains undeterred.
As a child, she suffered a lot from a severe injury that occurred on her leg accidentally. Although she underwent surgery, even these days, she feels persistent pain whenever she walks long distances. However, instead of letting her pain and physical limitations define her, she embraced them as part of her journey to success. Her mantra, “I can make it” further strengthened her to adopt a positive mindset and overcome the challenges with confidence. It did not lead her to hopelessness because she is not the type of woman discouraged by problems.
Her resilience, hard work, and unwavering vision, being the driving forces, led her to success, and to the point where she
now.
Despite facing numerous obstacles, Berhan has consistently pushed forward, demonstrating that determination and a clear sense of purpose can overcome even the toughest challenges. Every step of her journey reflects a deep commitment to her goals, showcasing her ability to transform adversity into opportunity.
However, the challenges she currently faces, such as financial constraints and the availability of raw materials, must be addressed, not only to help her realize her dreams but also to inspire many others who aspire to follow their passion and achieve their own ambitions
BY ELIZABETH MENGISTU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 5 DECEMBER 2024
