Celebrating Women's History Month with Demekech, a skilled businesswoman and artisan

Demekech's pottery is sought after for it's beauty, durability, and craftsmanship. [Image description: an Ethiopian woman is holding her jebena, an Ethiopian coffee pot.]

March is Women’s History Month- we celebrate women in the communities we serve who play a pivotal role in shaping the future- from nurturing families to driving positive change in their communities. Women like Demekech, a 28-year-old married mother of three who has transformed her pottery business and improved her family’s well-being.

 Last fall, Demekech, along with 39 other women, participated in extensive pottery training. Since then, she’s worked hard to improve her handmade products. She shared:

“...since the training, the quality and demand for my pottery has improved dramatically. I’m much more confident now. Customers come from out of town to my home every week to purchase my pottery. They appreciate the quality and durability and no longer drive to Addis Ababa (an 8-hour drive). I now have a thriving business and savings.”

Demekech displayed her beautiful pottery when we visited her community last fall. [Image description: an Ethiopian woman is crouched by her pottery ware. There are 16 jebenas, Ethiopian coffee pots.]

Demekech and other women from the Potter community received chickens, poultry farming training, and their children received school materials.  Demekech’s children are now enrolled in school. She raised her chickens and sold them to purchase a goat for her family. Her Women's Self-Help Group has been a source of support with small business training, savings, and health and wellness education. 

The community greeted us with songs of praise and flowers. [Image description: a large group of Ethiopian women are singing and waving yellow flowers.]

Potters in Ethiopia are traditionally women. Their communities have faced deep-rooted discrimination for generations, resulting in extreme poverty, limited education, and little hope for a better future. Recently, we identified 40 additional women (two new groups) in neighboring Potter communities to participate in the project to expand our footprint in the communities we serve.

The community gathers together at a workspace to work together. [Image description: handmade pottery is lined up for display, including incense burners, Shiro pots, jebenas, candle holders, and small animal sculptures.]