When his parents could no longer afford to support him and his six younger siblings, Frew Wube decided to leave his native village of Godjam in northern Ethiopia in search of a better life in the capital city Addis Ababa.  That was more than ten years ago, and like many other young children in his country, Frew – then only 14 years old – learned quickly to survive on the streets on his own.  He landed his first job cleaning tables in a restaurant, working hard to make just enough money to eat one meal a day and pay for the bed he rented for ten cents a night in the slum area of town.  Whenever possible, he would also try to send money to help support his family in Godjam.

“One day I was talking with a co-worker at the restaurant, who mentioned that the kebele [the local government administration] was giving business loans to people in the area,” Frew says.  However, when he inquired about the program, he was told that he was too poor to qualify for loans.  Instead, he was directed to a Trickle Up partner agency, and was selected to receive a Trickle Up seed capital grant to start his first business.  Frew used the capital to purchase a small stock of clothes to resell for a profit and saw his income increase progressively. 

“There are tricks you learn,” Frew explains, “such as when are the best days to sell and the first days of the months when people generally receive their paychecks.” 

As his economic situation improved, Frew was able to leave the bed he rented for ten cents a night and pay for a small room for $15 a month.  He continued to send money home to support his family.  Two years ago, he sent for his two younger sisters, Haimanot and Melkan, to join him in the city.

“I thought they would have more opportunities here.  They could work and maybe go to school,” he says. 

Haimanot and Melkan quickly learned the ropes of the job and started working with their brother in the business.  Soon, the two girls managed the clothing business on their own, and Frew began to think about other income-generating opportunities. 

“I also save every month,” says Frew, who has over $40 stored in a cooperative savings fund.  The capital he has saved with other people in his group is used to provide loans to group members at a low interest rate.  Frew, now able to access credit thanks to his Trickle Up clothing business, has taken progressively larger loans from the group, including his latest loan of $300 to start a candle business.

“Church is an important part of people’s lives here in Addis,” Frew explains.  “Some people go to Church two or three times a week and purchase candles to burn for their prayer.  I thought making candles could be a good business since people consume them in such large quantity and regularly.” 

Frew used his loan and the profits he earned from his Trickle Up business to purchase a charcoal stove, utensils, wax, and thread to launch a candle business.  At first, he and his siblings sold a small quantity of candles directly to individuals.  Frew soon learned that they could sell larger quantities to wholesalers, which would require less time spent on the market and larger sales. 

“There are days when we get large orders and produce several hundred candles,” he says.

The family now earns an income of about $30 per week, which in their local context allows them to pay rent for the room they share, eat sufficient meals, and continue to send money to their family in Godjam. 

“We used to eat one meal a day that we had to buy outside our home...Now we can afford to buy our own cooking materials, like grain, and make our own injera [bread]here at home for our meals,” they say. The siblings were even able to buy a radio-cassette player and a mattress – two luxuries they couldn’t enjoy before.
 
Frew’s ambition grows.  “Eventually, I’d like to open a small shop in the market where I can sell my products,” he says determinedly.  “When you’re not selling on the streets, that means you have succeeded.”