While Ethiopia is home to one of Africa’s strongest economies, 25% of its 120 million population lives in poverty. Young adults (15-29) comprise most of the workforce and are often underpaid, underemployed or unemployed due to low literacy rates, limited financial means, and restrictive gender norms. Young women are at a distinct disadvantage in this patriarchal society, which expects them to be caregivers and wives. Nearly half of all girls are married by the age of 18, with limited control over financial assets and other resources, and unintended pregnancies are common. These factors prevent women from starting or expanding their own businesses, which could lead to economic independence.

In 2020, the LEEP Academies pilot was launched in three districts in the Sidama Region of southwest Ethiopia. The primary objectives being to provide female entrepreneurs with the resources, training, and mentorship needed to grow their businesses, support their families, and become role models in their community. The first cohort of LEEP participants were women ages 18-34 with at least 6-9 months of experience running their businesses. Enrollment surpassed initial expectations with 711 female entrepreneurs participating. All 711 program participants completed Save’s proprietary Life Skills for Success curriculum that builds critical foundational and social skills—such as time management, team building, conflict resolution and goal setting—through classroom learning and practical hands-on training. In Boricha district, 218 completed the curriculum; in Yirgalem town, 210; In Cheffe town, 185; and in Addis Ketema, 98. In the outcome survey conducted by an external evaluator, LEEP participants reported that the most important trainings were those on creating a YESG (99%), business development (73%), and leadership (71%). Most of the respondents (90%) said that the newly developed skills have helped them develop a culture of saving, improved their ability to work with and negotiate with customers, and built their self-confidence.

The most common challenge to growing a business is lack of financing due to onerous collateral requirements, higher interest rates and unrealistic repayment periods of 3 months to two years. To help young women entrepreneurs access capital, LEEP has created social lending groups, facilitated linkages with micro-finance institutions (MFIs), and established a matching fund.

Access to SRH information and services remains limited in Ethiopia, and young people do not feel welcome at government health facilities or even know that they can go to these facilities. According to an assessment of SRH service utilization that Save conducted in 2022, a majority of the 368 respondents believed that young women seeking SRH services were negatively perceived, and more than two thirds (68.5%) said that parents could condemn young boys or girls found using SRH services. To fill this gap, LEEP has worked to improve access and utilization of SRH and FP services by training health extension workers, supporting dialogues and providing training in menstrual hygiene management, distributing SRH-related materials, increasing community awareness, and providing counseling and information services at SRH corners in YES Centers. According to the assessment of SRH service utilization, these efforts are succeeding. The percentage of young women with general knowledge of SRH issues is now 70% among project participants, compared to just 43% among non-project participants.

LEEP’s success goes even deeper, reaching young women’s families, communities and other stakeholders, building their awareness of gender equality and understanding of their role in influencing positive gender norms and reducing related barriers. LEEP supports a communal shift toward positive social norms by engaging men (in particular, spouses or other male family members) as agents of change. Over the past three years, 519 men have attended two-day Husband Schools, where they learned basic childcare, cleaning and cooking skills so young women have more time to run their businesses. 74% of male family members who participated in the husband schools reported that they now perform household chores sometimes and 24% report that they do so regularly. 

Building on the success of the LEEP pilot, the next phase of LEEP is a $5M expansion funded by a leadership grant from EPSCF. Launched in February 2023, the Academies are expanding into two new regions in Ethiopia (SNNPR and Addis Ababa) and plan to reach 8,900 young women by 2026. Save the Children will also work with 8,900 men – husbands, fathers, or brothers of the participants – to encourage shared household responsibilities and support for the women as they complete the program.

Small business owner Bethlehem, age 20, said her participation in LEEP 1 gave her to the skillset to grow and expand her coffee and tea shop and support her family.

Young women engaged in shoe making business in Hawassa 

LEEP helps women explore market-relevant businesses that may be untraditional for women in Ethiopia. Gemma now runs a successful tire and auto part business. This would not have been possible without the empowerment and support of LEEP.