Almaz
“I learned to make injera (an Ethiopian flatbread) at a very young age. I remember very well. I was around 9 years old. My mom used to hold my hand and show me how to pour the injera paste onto the pan,” Almaz shared with us when we visited her injera business in Nairobi, Kenya.
Almaz, a loving mother and grandmother, transformed her passion for making injera into a successful business through which she is now able to support her family. In 2004, when civil unrest broke out in her home country of Ethiopia, Almaz’s husband was killed and she was forced to flee with her two children. The family sought refuge in Nairobi, where they encountered a new set of challenges—including language barriers and the struggle of finding employment with limited skills. Almaz worked casual jobs to make ends meet, and eventually started a coffee business in Eastleigh (a neighborhood of Nairobi), where she brewed authentic Ethiopian coffee for the community. Almaz expanded this business and began cooking injera using a firewood-powered pan. As more customers discovered Almaz’s delicious injera, she was unable to meet the growing demand with her one firewood-powered pan.
In 2012, Almaz and her family were referred to RefugePoint. RefugePoint provided Almaz and her family with rent assistance, food support, and a business grant so that Almaz could expand her injera business. After Almaz invested in a new electric pan and increased flour stock, the business flourished. Her injera business has now grown in terms of clients and reputation.
Each morning, Almaz’s son delivers freshly cooked injera to popular restaurants in their neighborhood, ensuring a steady income stream for the family. With this financial stability, Almaz can provide for her loved ones, ensuring they enjoy three meals daily and receive the support they need, including education for her grandchildren. Almaz enjoys spending time with her three grandkids and takes time off when necessary to care for them. “Now, I can do what I love. If I am tired, I can rest because it is my business,” Almaz shared.
This World Refugee Day, join RefugePoint in standing with refugees like Almaz, honoring their full stories, and making a tangible impact by participating in our 5K or by giving a gift today.
