Meet The Amazing Tsehay Getachew

Interview conducted by Emebet, our Community Development Head

Tsehay Getachew is one of our most successful loan recipients. She owns a beverage business, and has grown exponentially since her first Seeds of Africa loan. We sat down with her to ask about her work, and the role that Seeds has played in both hers and her children's lives.

1. What is your business?

I sell local beverages such as Tella and Arake.  I sell beer as well.

2. What inspired you to start this particular business?

The market access is the major reason I was inspired to start the business. Most elders around my village want to spend their time drinking local drinks. I had been running the same business while I was in other regions before I came to Adama, so I knew the business very well.

3. How has your seeds of Africa loan helped your business grow?

The loan helped me expand my business. I used to buy 5-10 liters of Arake, but now I buy 30 liters and it sells out within two days! Before the loan, I was only using 30kg of maize flour for preparing Tella. Now, I use 100kg of it because we tripled the amount we need. The loan really assisted me in expanding my business, and in turn I increased my savings as well.

4. What plans do you have for your business in the future?

I am planning to expand so that more customers come to visit my business, and get the service they deserve. I am going to build comfortable shaded areas where they can sit and chat. I also wants to hire assistants to help me expand even more.

5. What do you want your children to learn through your work, and work ethics?

I hope my kids follow in my footsteps so that they don’t struggle with poverty. I want them to be hard working, and to have passion and drive to be successful in their education. I also want to be a good example for my kids, and be the best mother in taking care of my family.

6. What hopes do you have for your family?

My hope is for my family to be economically strong and healthy. I would like my children to be successful in their education, to help their family, and to make valuable contributions to their country.

7. What is your favorite thing you have learnt through your classes at Seeds Of Africa Foundation?

My most favorite thing I have learned is the importance of entrepreneurship business development. This has assisted me to make my  business more professional and successful. I also learned a lot from the health trainings, such as, how to keep personal, family and environmental hygiene as I had no idea how to deal with those issues before.

8. Why do you think it is important to educate both children and their family?

It is important to educate family, because, if I hadn’t educated my family I would not live the life I do now.

9. What advice do you have for others who want to start their own business?

Women must make sure that they are financially independent. I also believe that women should have the access and skills to engage them in small businesses like making coffee on the street, making injera, selling local drinks, selling vegetables and fruits, etc. This way they can feed their children and their whole family. If we are not working to generate our own income, life would be a real nightmare. We have to be strong enough to show our children what it is like to be brave.

10. Anything you want to add?

I want to thank Seeds of Africa for everything that has been provided for my child and myself as well. I am also happy for the quality education my child, Kalkidan Abebe, gets in class.Last but not least, I strongly advise women to be self-reliant, self-sufficient and confident financially so that they can be the best mothers for their kids.