Behranu, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

“ 30 years old, is the age when you decide what you want to be, because you’re wiser”

Name :   Berhanu Abebe

Gender :   Male

DoB :   19.04.1984

City of Birth :   Lalibela, Ethiopia

Status :   Married

Family :   2 boys of 2 and 5 yo

Hometown :   Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

Education :  Tourism degree

Job :   Entrepreneur since 2014

Religion :   Protestant

Politics :   Liberal

As a child… How would you picture yourself at 30?

JOB – How did you decide to do this job? As a kid, I have always wanted to be a doctor. Unfortunately, it was too expensive for me and my family to finance medicine studies. After graduation, I decided to study tourism – I took advantage of my english skills and became a touristic guide. During my last year of university, I knew that I would want to start my own company one day, so I started to document myself and save some money. Over the past years, I have also worked in the coffee business in order to get some complementary revenue.

I knew that I would want to start my own company one day.

HOME / PLACE OF LIVING – Where you thought you would be living by now? When I was a child, I was not aware of big cities except the one I was born in (Lalibela, North Ethiopia). When I became a young adult, I dreamt about living in a European country such as Austria.

Striking and memorable events…

IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE – What are the most memorable event of your personal life? Striking events that I remember in my life are mainly moments I share with my family during holy days such as Epiphanie and Christmas.

IN THE WORLD – What are the main events that stroke the world you are living in? In the world, the tsunami in Japan stroke me in a way that it showed that life was nothing. Thousand of people lost their lives and other saw their homes devasted.

In my country, a few years ago, I was chocked by a sudden draught that caused starvation and the death of 100 000 people.

BEST MEMORY – What is your best memory? Definitively, the day I met my wife when I was 21.

GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT – I am so happy of having a such wonderful family. Most of all, I am proud to be able to build a bright future for my 2 kids. It is difficult today in Ethiopia to raise a family, and to be able to answer children needs… Especially because purchasing power of most households is quite low in a city like Addis Abeba (prices of commodities soared over the last few years).

Looking back / Reviewing expectations

10 YEARS AGO – At the time, I pictured myself as a successful entrepreneur, head of a big company, maybe involved in humanitarian work. I did not really see myself as a husband and father. But still, I think everyone projects himself from what surrounds him/her… at that time none of my friends were builiding a family.
TODAY – On a professional ground, I am still on the way to build my own company, Benjamin Tour and Trekking. On my personal life, I am really grateful for the family I have.

30 years old, a turning point?

WHAT’S NEW? – Did you notice some changes since you are 30 YO? I am a wiser man than before, I am more mature than ever. I am now able to look back and understand my behaviors of the past 10 years. I am not anymore in a hurry, I take time to go step by step on each project I begin.

I am not anymore in a hurry, I take time to go step by step on each project I begin.

OLD OR YOUNG? – Do you feel « old » or « still young »? I am still young because I am healthy and in good shape. I still can do the same things I used to do 10 years ago.

CHANGES OR REGRETS? What are the things you would like to change? I  wish I would have had a great career as a football player playing for the Ethiopian team (laughing…).

My Values

My Typical day

And tomorrow?

YOUR STORY IN 10 YEARS – What is the story you want to tell within 10 years? I want people to be able to say that I am a successful business man, a good father of 3 children (1 more compared to now) and a good husband.

THE WORLD IN 10 YEARS – How do you imagine the world you will be living in within 10 years? I guess the situation in the world will be more complicated with more natural disasters and conflicts between countries. All countries will develop – which, in my opinion is a good thing – but toward a worldwide globalization with some drawbacks such as the loss of people’s identity, culture and values.

Fears and Dreams…

FEARS – What are you afraid of? As I drive a long way for my work during excursions with my clients, I am afraid to have one day an accident, that might prevent me from working. As a result, I won’t be able to support my family needs.

ACHIEVEMENTS – What are the things you want to achieve? In a near future, I want to own the best tour operator in the country. I also want to start again the coffee treat I was in before, in order to gather money to invest more in my company (Tour operators require many cars and those are quite quite expensive in Ethiopia due to high taxes).

DREAMS – What is your craziest dreams? I  wish I was prime minister in order to change some things in the country: introduce an equal and fair wealth shared by people, create unity and patriotism (« be proud of being Ethiopian »), and keep identity and culture of our nation.