Entrepreneurship Knows No Borders: The Award-Winning Journey of Abdulaziz Mahmood

Commemorating international migrants day For many, a border is a barrier, but for Abdulaziz Mahmood, AKA (Aziz Hazizi) a border has always been a beginning. Born in Saudi Arabia to a family of Yemeni immigrants, Aziz spent years anchoring his life in the construction sector. For fifteen years, he built structures of steel and stone, yet he remained a third-generation immigrant who had never once stepped foot in his ancestral homeland of Yemen.

In 2018, when life in Saudi Arabia reached a crossroads, Aziz found himself unable to return to a nation affected by war. This realization sparked a multi-continental journey that took him from Malaysia to Ethiopia in 2021.

Upon arriving in Addis Ababa, Aziz looked past the challenges of displacement and saw a profound opportunity to build a different kind of structure: one made of human connection and social dignity. Inspired by the experiences of his sister, he traded blueprints for business plans, launching a social enterprise dedicated to turning culture, language, and creativity into practical pathways for income and inclusion.

His work focuses on bridging the gap between refugee and host communities through inclusive education and specialized training. By championing multilingual eLearning platforms and digital empowerment for the Deaf and hard of hearing community through sign language resources, he has transformed into a celebrated asset of cultural exchange.

Aziz’s leadership has done more than just create jobs. He made history by establishing a company in Ethiopia that is owned and led by a refugee. Through his institute, he manages cultural hubs and training centers that treat inclusion as a market-driven solution, proving that when refugees are empowered with the right tools, they become vital contributors to their host nation’s economy.

In recognition of this extraordinary resilience and vision, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) is proud to spotlight Aziz’s contribution to Ethiopia’s economic fabric on this International Migrants Day. His impact was officially celebrated on the national stage on November 27, 2025, during the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW 2025) celebration at the Sheraton Addis, where he was honored as the Promising Refugee Entrepreneur of the Year.

Aziz’s journey from an online tutor to a pioneering CEO serves as living proof of his core belief: that when we break down barriers, we build a more prosperous society.

Entrepreneurship is for all.