Bright Side of Business: Building an Ethiopian business from Ottawa

Owner of men’s fashion brand Barcon Getta, Russom Haile Woldemichael, has always had an eye for style — and now, he’s determined to combine it with social impact, creating employment opportunities in Ethiopia.

Born and raised in Ethiopia, Woldemichael and his family left the country following the 1998 war. He and his brother, Fikre, went to Kenya before travelling to South Africa, where they began to sell clothing and accessories. After just three years of working as street vendors, they opened their own clothing store.

Currently, Barcon Getta’s laptop bags are the only item fully-made in Ethiopia — but bit by bit, Woldemichael and his brother are buying new machinery to create a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant. “By the end of five years, my goal is to have all products made 100% in Africa,” Woldemichael says.

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