Ethiopia: 100 Kiosks to Launch 200+ Small Businesses

A new collaboration between Safaricom Ethiopia, UN-Habitat, and Addis Ababa city agencies is creating real economic opportunity for people who need it most.

The Addis Tesfa Phase One Kiosk Project will construct 100 small business spaces across Ethiopia's capital, providing affordable storefronts for vulnerable community members including returnees and unemployed residents. The initiative brings together $200,000 from Safaricom Ethiopia Telecommunications and $100,000 from UN-Habitat to make entrepreneurship accessible to those often locked out of economic opportunity.

More than 200 people will directly benefit from the project, gaining structured spaces to launch and run their own micro-businesses. Instead of facing barriers to entry, these aspiring entrepreneurs will have ready-made kiosks designed specifically for small-scale commerce.

The partnership signed its formal agreement in June 2026, bringing together Bethlehem Tameru from Safaricom Ethiopia Foundation, Million Mathewos who serves as Deputy Mayor and Head of Labor & Skills, Aida Awel from the Working Premises Development & Administration Agency, and Omar Sylla representing UN-Habitat's Africa office. Their collaboration demonstrates what happens when private companies, international organizations, and local government align around a common goal.

The Ripple Effect spreads beyond the 200 direct beneficiaries. Each new kiosk owner will serve their local community, creating neighborhood commerce that keeps money circulating locally. Customers gain convenient access to goods and services. Families gain financial stability. The city gains vibrant street-level economic activity that makes neighborhoods safer and more connected.

The project also sets a template for addressing unemployment through practical intervention rather than just aid. By providing infrastructure instead of handouts, the partnership empowers people to build their own sustainable futures. Skills development and entrepreneurship replace dependency with dignity.

Ethiopia faces significant unemployment challenges, particularly in urban centers like Addis Ababa where people migrate seeking opportunity. This initiative tackles that reality head-on with solutions scaled to actually make a difference in hundreds of lives.

When opportunity meets ambition, communities transform one entrepreneur at a time.