Giving Tuesday: Alemush Dreams of Opening Up a Coffee Shop… And You Can Help Her!

Nov 22, 2021

Meet Alemush, one of the 50 mothers in our Family Empowerment Program (FEP). She is a single mom of one child.

Before coming to Addis Jemari, Alemush used to make money by sporadically working as a cook in people’s houses and making beds. She also used to earn some income from selling roasted corn on the roadside, which is a traditional street food in Ethiopia.

Alemush told us, on a good day, she used to make only 40 Birr (less than $1.00 USD). As a result, she was highly dependent on the handouts of generous community members who would give her occasional support to help cover her daily food costs.

Alemush has gone through the financial literacy curriculum and income generation and business plan training through Addis Jemari, and she is now ready with her income generating activity (IGA) business plan. She is excited and is looking forward to starting a tea and coffee shop in her neighborhood. She identified her potential customers as workers who are engaged in construction work in her neighborhood.

The Income Generating Activity is a key component of our Family Empowerment Program and includes training, resources, and interventions we provide to help families increase their household income — with the ultimate goal of becoming self-reliant.

Alemush is adept at making delicious Ethiopian coffee. Our AJ staff worked closely with Alemush and helped her come up with IGA plan as a means to independently support her family. She is now in need of financial support for purchasing materials to start the coffee shop and cover one-time rent for workplace.

Would you join us on this Giving Tuesday by investing in this woman entrepreneur? Our goal is to raise $15,000 today to help her and our other 49 FEP mothers receive the startup funding they need to get their business off the ground.

Your donation will make a difference in the lives of Alemush and her wonderful daughter! Please visit https://addisjemari.org/yearend2021 and make your life-changing donation today!