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Portada  News World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick makes historic visit to WFTO member in Ethiopia
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World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick makes historic visit to WFTO member in Ethiopia |
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21 April 2010 |
World Bank President Robert Zoellick congratulated soleRebels founder Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu on her achievements in creating an exemplary community based Fair Trade export company in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, recently last month.
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| Bethlehem with WB President Zoellick |
This remark was made during a four-day visit by the WB chief in Ethiopia last month and soleRebels was one of two organizations he visited.
World Bank Africa Region Vice-President Obiageli Ezekwesili, who traveled with Zoellick also lauded the company: “It is great to see such creativity in action… We are very proud of this work of excellence.”
soleRebels, Ethiopia’s first WFTO member, hosted a visit by World Bank president Robert Zoellick and his team last February at their worksite near Zenabwork, located on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.
Bethlehem, the young founder of SoleRebels, personally facilitated the tour of Zoellick to the company’s facilities explaining about their unique production methods and commitments to Fair Trade.
soleRebels began in 2004 as an idea to create livelihood opportunities for Zenabwork, a small village in Addis Ababa with little employment and income sources. Having grown up watching their neighbours struggling to make ends meet, Bethlehem and her family decided to set up a footwear making venture for the villagers to help them earn a living by tapping the skills of local artisans.
Exporting footwear products in the US and Europe, soleRebels footwear produced an array of shoes, sandals and slippers made of recycled car tires and organic hand spun and hand loomed fabrics and natural fibres. The company’s Hope Creations features apparel and accessories from hand loomed creations from eucalyptus crafted in the traditional artisan manner.
“We have done that and more and we are proud to say that the soleRebels brand is being sold around the world,” said the proud founder Bethlehem.
Visit the website of soleRebels http://solerebelsfootwear.weebly.com/ to learn more of the organization.
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