When it comes to the shoe industry at global market, one is most likely to point out Adidas, Nike or Puma. All these are of American and Western origin and make. They bear a foreign identity which somehow lacks an African flavour. This is what Bethelhem Tilahum Alemu sought to address in the year 2005 through the advent of SoleRebels, a shoe apparel for Africa and the world by an African.
Who is Bethelhem Tilahun Alemu
Bethelhem Tilahun Alemu is an Ethiopian entrepreneur and the Chief Executive Officer of soleRebels. At 42 years of age, Amelu broke into entrepreneurship in 2005 when she first introduced a shoe make that resonates with the African culture and history. In an interview with Ndani.tv, Bethelhem proudly noted that “There is nothing left for me out there, that is why I was born here”. She referred to the rich cultural diversity of Africa and how it can be tapped into to come up with brilliant creations.
For Alemu, Africa is her motivation for the creativity that she is endowed with. As opposed to looking to the West in order to design and create brands like what is commonly done by most African business people, she chose to be different. Bethelhem commits to redefine the face of Africa through innovation that bears a Pan-African tag.
SoleRebels
Alemu’s brand, soleRebels was founded in 2005 soon after Bethelhem graduated from College. The shoes represent the African struggle for liberation as the African soldiers wore these kinds of shoes a very long time ago. The shoes are an artistic recapture of the life and the stints of the freedom fighters in the freedom battlefields. The shoes are made of recycled tyres. hence they bear an ecological benefit while fitting the needs of the global market-shoes that last and proffer value for money.
The company employs over 1000 employees plying their trade in the manufacturing, production and marketing sectors. It is resultantly the fastest growing African indigenous footwear company with a highly profitable global market outlook. Consequently, the company is the world’s first and only World Fair Trade Federation certified footwear company. It is the very 1st global footwear brand to ever emerge from a developing nation.
African women can also make it!
Bethelhem possesses a firm conviction that being female was also a driving force in lightening the creative instincts inside her. She was ranked by the CNN as one of the most influential women in business around the globe, a feat which she co-owns with fellow African iron ladies Arielle Tsamo and Tarneem Saeed. For Alemu, there is no competency disparity between men and women.
She has a staunch belief that an equal footing can only be realised through hard work, focus and a positive mentality. Therefore, Bethelhem places a firm challenge on African women to step up. Amelu advocates for a vibrant work ethic amongst African women and she places herself as a trendsetter to all the African women that want to venture into business. To become a successful entrepreneur, Alemu believes in the notion of finding African solutions for African problems
A lesson for young people
The soleRebels founder holds a firm belief that a young Africa can bring in the creativity that the universe is in dire need of. For her, Africa can own a huge stake in the global market though forging tapestries of synergies; culture, history and innovation. She believes that Africa is a colourful continent with huge potential for young people. She does not emulate transiting to a new environment as she eagerly commits to assist young people from Africa to realise their goals. Now hailed as the Nike of Africa, Bethlehem is proud that soleRebels stands as living proof that creating innovative world-class brands is the best road to greater shared prosperity for developing nations like Ethiopia. Her story stands as a classic leaf for young people to take notes from.
