The "Mother’s Touch" in Business, Letebrhan Hayelom’s Journey

Letebrhan Hayelom was born and raised in Wukro, Tigray, in a neighborhood called Tsigereda. Growing up as one of seven siblings, she learned the value of hard work early. She watched her mother balance farming with small-scale trade, always believing that education would give her children a better future.

Letebrhan took that belief to heart. She earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Mekelle University and later a Master’s in Construction Technology and Management from Addis Ababa University. For years, she shared her knowledge as a lecturer at Wukro and Tigray Polytechnic Colleges. But even while teaching, Letebrhan felt she had more to give. She wanted to build something of her own something that could create jobs and help her community directly.

The shift happened in April 2024. Letebrhan joined an Entrepreneurship Training Workshop (ETW) through the SEED program, led-by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

On the fifth day of the workshop, Letebrhan did something extraordinary: she brought 25 kg of teff, a mitad (stove), and an assistant into the classroom to launch her first venture right then and there. That bold move birthed Dadewaye Enjera, named in Tigrigna to mean "Like Mother's Enjera." Today, this business has scaled, creating 21 jobs and supplying fresh enjera to hotels, universities, and major institutions.

Letebrhan didn't stop there. She used her passion for education to open a kindergarten that now employs six teachers. More recently, she started a honey production venture. Beginning with just 10 beehives, she has already grown to 18, with a goal to manage 200 hives within the next two years.

At 30 years old, Letebrhan has moved from the classroom to managing three distinct businesses. She now employs 30 people in total and has built a capital of 2.5 million Birr. Her reach is even beginning to cross borders; she recently exported 30 kg of honey to Dubai, earning her first foreign currency.

"The training, mentorship, and networking from the SEED program changed my mindset," Letebrhan says. "It turned me into an entrepreneur."

In December 2025, her progress was showcased on a national level. She was invited to showcase her climate-resilient honey products at the Mastercard Foundation Young Africa Works Summit in Addis Ababa, presenting her work to international partners and key stakeholders.

From the classrooms of Wukro to the markets of the Middle East, Letebrhan’s story shows what happens when the right support meets a mother’s touch, a teacher’s discipline, and an entrepreneur’s courage.