Semhal Guesh Berhe is the founder and chief executive officer of Kabana Leather, a start-up that produces handmade leather products. Semhal uses her training as an architect to enhance her designs in the leather fashion industry. She also leads a consortium of 12 small and medium enterprises that have repurposed their factories to manufacture personal protective equipment in the fight against COVID-19, thereby saving jobs. Semhal is driven to empower women economically, recruiting and training women from her community and refugees as employees of Kabana Leather, with the goal of transforming their livelihoods and families. In addition, she coaches and mentors other women who own start-ups. She was named 2018 Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year by the United Nations Development Programme and Global Entrepreneurship Week. Semhal is also a member of the Association of Women in Boldness and has served on its board. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, she hopes to contribute to the growth of the leather industry by building a factory and a training facility, which will create jobs and contribute significantly to Ethiopia's gross domestic product.