The General Manager of Masinko - Melkamsira Asmare Kassa - comes from a very poor community in Bahir Dar. She was selected in 2007 to be part of the social entrepreneurship training of Alchemy World Projects, a local NGO headquartered in Addis Ababa with branches in the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada and the US. Alchemy World strives to eradicate poverty in Ethiopia through the creation of entrepreneurship, employment and ultimately a - so far non-existent - mid market. (Please see also www.alchemyworld.org)
Melkamsira Asmare Kassa has undergone an 18 months training course in the Alchemy World school in Bahir Dar and was instructed in business skills, IT and the English language. She then chose to become a tour operator for her home region Amhara. At the end of the training, Melkamsira went to Addis Ababa to learn everything about tourism in Ethiopia as a trainee in the biggest Ethiopian travel agencies. After that, business experts helped Melkamsira to set up her travel agency and to find the first customers.
As all Alchemy World students, Melkamsiras ultimate goal is to be able to support her family and her community with the money she earns with her company.
Booking a tour with Masinko means helping Ethiopia to become a wealthy country where hunger and poverty are words form the past.
