Meaza Almaz

Pioneer of women's entrepreneurship in Ethiopia

Meaza Almaz is a visionary entrepreneur who founded the Keren Group, Africa's first women-led conglomerate. Starting in 1997 with a small textile business, she expanded into construction, real estate, and financial services. Her most impactful initiative is the Women's Entrepreneurship Development Project, which has trained over 100,000 Ethiopian women in business skills through partnerships with UN Women and the World Bank.

Almaz's advocacy led to Ethiopia's 2019 policy requiring 30% of government contracts to go to women-owned businesses. She was awarded the African Union's Gender Award in 2018 and featured in the Forbes Africa list. Discover her story in the documentary Breaking Barriers: Meaza Almaz's Journey.