My Story

My name is Manne, I was born in Ethiopia and I came to the United States in my late teens. I live in Hackensack, NJ, and I have 3 children. Since an early age, I have been passionate about fashion and helping others look good.

"Because, when we look good, we feel good."

Growing up, my mother – a business owner – was my inspiration. I used to help her at the store, counting money and giving exact change back. There were no calculators, and I did the math mentally. I worked at a hospital for many years until COVID hit. That is when I began to assess where I was in my life, and I decided to pursue what mattered most: becoming a business owner and connecting others to Ethiopia’s rich culture.

Along with Abay Belayneh, my partner in Ethiopia, we built Worku Tezera from scratch. We have grown to offer traditional Ethiopian clothes, spices, honey and much more.

Serving the Community

I am also passionate about serving the community. To this end, I serve as a proud Ambassador of the following organizations:

• BHATT Foundation, Inc., a non-profit helping to implement Healthcare & Education around the world. 
• Abay Gidib Abroa Adeg Edir, an organization created to collect funds to help communities rebuild houses that were damaged, pay for medicine, and buy school supplies, including buying prizes for students that get good grades to incentivize them.

 

I also raise funds for medical equipment benefitting Gondar University Hospital and am actively involved in my church. These are just some of the ways I give back. Overtime, I have noticed that being a positive change in my community fuels my soul and gives me the tenacity to keep going.

"I urge everyone to play their part in spreading good in this world."