As part of the collaborative efforts to implement the Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa (COYWA) Programme, the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI), in partnership with the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB), conducted a field visit to women-owned leather product manufacturing enterprises on 9th December 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The delegation, led by Mr. Ghebregziabher Ghebremedhin, Program Coordinator at ALLPI, visited three women-owned leather enterprises to assess their production capacities, product quality, and market competitiveness. The enterprises visited included ABKA Leather, LINU Leather, and Kabana Leather—all recognized for their innovative and export-ready product designs.
The COYWA Programme, jointly implemented by COMESA, COMFWB, and AUDA-NEPAD, is a successor to the highly successful Business Incubation for African Women Entrepreneurs (BIAWE) initiative. Funded by the Government of Spain through AUDA-NEPAD, COYWA aims to empower women- and youth-owned SMEs in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe by providing advanced incubation, technical support, and capacity-building solutions.
In its role as a specialized continental institution supporting the leather value chain, ALLPI facilitated this visit to help identify key intervention areas that align with COYWA’s objectives. During the engagements, the team held discussions with the entrepreneurs on challenges related to production efficiency, quality enhancement, export readiness, and competitiveness in both regional and global markets.
The delegation also visited the Leather and Leather Products Industry Research and Development Centre (LLPIRDC) to assess its preparedness to provide training, technical support, and product certification services required under the program. The facility demonstrated strong potential to deliver targeted training and quality assurance support for the selected beneficiaries.
The field assessment confirmed that the visited enterprises are producing high-quality, well-designed leather products with strong potential in international markets. The insights gathered during the visit will play a crucial role in shaping the next steps of the COYWA Programme.
Following the mission, ALLPI and COMFWB agreed to consolidate the findings and jointly develop the subsequent action plan to ensure effective and impactful implementation of the programme.
