Could you imagine starting a business with just one cow and a dream? That's exactly what Beletech did — and now she's transforming her family's future with SHE.

In rural Ethiopia, where women often walk over 2 hours to market and face significant barriers to earning income, Beletech stands tall as a testament to what determination, paired with the right support, can achieve.

Picking coffee in her garden to sell in the market.

From Coffee Farmer to Multi-Business Entrepreneur

With four children and a baby about to arrive, Beletech could have been overwhelmed by the consecutive drought years that threatened her coffee crop. Instead, she saw opportunity where others might see only challenges.

"When the coffee struggled, I knew I needed to think differently," Beletech shares, remembering her concern. "My children's future couldn't wait for the rain to come."

That's when Beletech joined LALO, one of Roots Ethiopia's Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) groups. These weekly gatherings became her lifeline—a place for business training, personal savings, and perhaps most importantly, a community of women who understood her struggles.

Cows! Cheese and butter are great products in the local market.

Turning $20 into a future

Unlike many women in rural Ethiopia who can't access even $20 in capital, Beletech secured a small loan through her SHE group. Her first investment? A cow.

"I bought a cow with a loan from LALO. I worked hard to make butter and cheese from the milk," she explains, her eyes bright with pride. "I knew people would buy my cheese and butter. I am good at this job". She added proudly, "I paid off my loan so other women in LALO will have a chance to get the loan and succeed... Now, I bought my second cow. Saving and reinvesting has made me a true business woman!"

Beletech collects rainwater in these hand-hewn pots.

Innovation Beyond the Market

But Beletech's ingenuity doesn't stop at livestock. Visiting her home, you'll notice handmade clay vessels positioned strategically to collect rainwater from her roof—a solution to water scarcity that nourishes her animals, crops, and family.

She's also added chickens to her growing enterprise, creating yet another stream of income while improving her family's nutrition.

"Each morning when I collect eggs or milk my cows, I think about what else I can build," Beletech says. "Before LALO, I only thought about surviving today. Now I plan for tomorrow."

The Power of Women Supporting Women

For Beletech, the SHE group is "ALL the things"—training, education, community, and opportunity rolled into one.

"In our meetings, we share more than business ideas," she explains. "We share courage. When one woman succeeds, she shows the others what's possible."

This sisterhood is exactly what makes the SHE program so powerful. Women gain not just financial security, but confidence and strategies that give them a voice at home and in their communities.

As Beletech puts it: "Our LALO group savings gave me this chance. My success is their success too."