Ethiopian
eco-entrepreneur Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu has created the world’s first
certified-fair-trade footwear company, founded on the vision of creating jobs
and sustainable prosperity in her country.
Alemu was born and raised in a small impoverished community
in Addis-Ababa, and completed a diploma in accountancy at Ethiopia’s Unity
University. “SoleRebels began in 2004 as an idea: to bring jobs to our
community, where there literally were none,” she tells
seeafricadifferently.com. “We grew up watching our families and neighbours,
people we knew had great talent and aspirations, struggling. So we decided to
create the ‘better life’ we were all waiting for by harnessing our community’s
incredible artisan skills and channelling them into a sustainable business.”
SoleRebels manufactures hand-crafted
shoes from recycled tyres and locally-sourced natural fibres, based on ancient
traditional styles with subtle undertones of modern Western design influences.
“Our sandals and shoes are lined with fabric produced from organic cotton, which
we hand-spin and loom. I really love sharing Ethiopia’s artisan heritages with
the world and combining our cultural products with modern design
sensibilities,” Alemu tells howwemadeitinafrica.com. “Our business model
centres on eco-sensibility and community empowerment, maximising local
development by creating a vibrant local supply chain while producing
world-class footwear.”
The innovative range of shoes, boots, and sandals is sold through the
soleRebels website and other e-commerce sites like Amazon, as well as in retail
outlets in fifty-five countries around the world. A soleRebels signature store
opened in central Addis Ababa in 2012, and the second retail outlet in Taiwan
is set to open this year. Alemu aims to open thirty more franchise stores by 2016,
in the US, Australia, Italy, and Japan. Annual revenue is expected to reach
twenty million dollars by 2015.
“We have created world-class jobs, a world-class company and brand, while
empowering our community and country,” says Alemu. “We have done this while
simultaneously presenting a galvanised, dynamic face of African creativity to
the global market. These actions, I believe, have forever shifted the discourse
on African development from one of poverty-alleviation orchestrated by external
factors, to one about prosperity-creation driven by local Africans maximising
their talents and resources. I am passionate that our model should not simply
forever end aid dependency but will allow Africa to compete in the global
marketplace of ideas on our own terms, and at full value for those ideas. Once
we do that, the images associated with Africa will be forever changed in a way
that is real and meaningful and tangible.”
Given her own success in bringing her dream to reality, what advice would she
give to fellow entrepreneurs? “Have a clear vision of what you want to achieve
and the path to get there. Then work hard, and then work extra hard. Seek
advice and counsel from diverse places – don’t just stick to one ‘voice’ or
source for input,” Alemu says. “And never ever be deterred, no matter the
obstacle or the setback. Setbacks and obstacles are a natural part of life.
It’s how you overcome them that will make you a great person no matter what
endeavour you choose to devote yourself to.”
At the end of the day, says this proudly-African entrepreneur, the best route
to success is performance. Her own is certainly notable.
Culled from Emerging Stars
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