Name: Mulusew Simachew
Academic Rank: Ph.D in Business Administration,
Specialization: Sustainable Fishery Management,
MA
International Business at Greenwich University,
BA in Business Administration at New Generation University College.
Till I completed my secondary education I had good records in my educational pursuit. My intension by that time was joining the medical field. I failed to score the minimum required point to join the field. Due to this reason, I distanced myself from education for 14 years and started looking for other jobs. I found it hard to start a job and life became hard to me.
Eventually, I decided to start a new business which I found crucial by that time. I joined the business almost from scratch except strong commitment for change. I realized that the most difficult thing in winning over challenges is to convince one’s own mind. This is due to the fact that once decision lies in between winning and losing. However, I had a firm belief that the bridge between these two opposites in human life is usually broken-down by taking decisions. When a right decision takes place, everything starts to change.
By that time, what I hate was investing too much of my time in searching for jobs in both public and the private sectors. I learned this from peers who had been working employed in various organizations. They had been paying big role to change their lifestyles. Therefore, I was forced to look in to other ways. I started thinking about starting my business. I was looking at the business market. However, I had no seed money to do that as well. That was the second obstacle I found erected on my road before I went in to operation. It took me too much time to decide that I must engage in the fish sector. Finally, I managed it through decisive decisions and hard commitment.
Again, after I joined the fishery development sector, I found it hard to manage the sector without professional advanced knowledge. Side-by-side, I continued my education in the department of business administration, the program that I believe it would help me turn out successful in the sector. I did so unlike others that pursue education to secure employment-offering jobs. I studied hard so as to promote my business. I found the filed very much encouraging to develop my business. I also got interested to change the fishery sector in the country as well. I undertook various researches and presented them in several forums attended by high governmental and non-governmental officials inside and outside the country that would develop the infant but lucrative sector in Ethiopia. My specialization in the international business and sustainable fishery management helped me towards this end besides shaping my personality in the sector. Starting from equipping me with professional knowledge vital in my engagements in the fishery business, there was no stone I left unturned to change my life for the better. Education for me is the installation of a new prism via which to view the opportunities around me.
Literally, I used to import fish from abroad. I expanded the business to fish production at home. In addition to fish production, I have my fish restaurant in Arbaminch, Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples’ State. I have created great impact in the fishery-business value chain in Ethiopia. I took it to the level that it is right now from subsistence to a bit advanced one and operated by modern technological inputs.
Under the name of JEBM Fishery, I own my own fish production and processing factory that stretches over 1 hectare plot of land in the town of Arbaminch. People across the country come to visit and share experience from this factory. We are the largest fish producer and providers in Ethiopia. The sources of production to this factory are Abaya and Shalla lakes.
Furthermore, due to this fact fish production from the natural lakes and rivers is making a nosedive. I am constructing 15 hectares of land fish pond expected to be completed its construction very soon. I am also working to develop state of the art aquaculture a first of its kind in the country and to the sector as well.
I want to take the business to a new stage. I am looking forward to penetrating the international business. To this end, I have created several networks in the fishery development business.
Ethiopian Herald Sunday December 8/2019
BY HAFTU GEBREZGABIHER
