Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), held a graduation ceremony today for 63 women who received technical and business skills development training. The training provided them with the skillsets needed to become successful owners and operators of dairy, meat and live animal businesses.

The training was organized in order to address gaps identified during an analysis conducted in 2012, which showed that women working in the dairy and livestock sectors lacked the leadership knowledge, access to and control of business resources, decision-making powers and business plan preparation skills necessary to become successful entrepreneurs.

Based on these identified gaps, USAID, through its Agricultural Growth Program-Livestock Market Development (LMD) and Graduation with Resilience to Achieve Sustainable Development (GRAD) activities, conducted management and leadership training from February to May 2015 for women entrepreneurs identified and selected for demonstrating entrepreneurial potential. The women were taught entrepreneurial and leadership skills, and were provided with the technical knowledge needed to develop efficient business plans necessary to make companies more productive.

The 63 graduates, from food insecure woredas in the Amhara, SNNP and Tigray regions, have been encouraged to take what they learned and become champions who can mentor additional women in their respective communities.

Addressing the women graduates, USAID representative Cullen Hughes said, “Increasing the role of women in the management of livestock and livestock products is crucial both for the family and for the country overall. This training on business management and leadership targeted potential women leaders engaged in livestock businesses, because we believe acquiring these skills empowers the women to become leaders in business and to become role models and mentors for women in their communities.”

Under the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative, USAID improves the productivity and competitiveness of the dairy and livestock sectors by identifying women who have the potential to become entrepreneurs and role models, and by providing training and coaching.

See also

Press Release Women Graduation 6-19-15 [PDF, 84 kb]

Press Release Women Graduation 6-19-15 - Amharic [PDF, 262 kb]

USAID Ethiopia Feed the Future

USAID Ethiopia Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment