From factory floors to future dreams: Asefu’s journey
When the war closed the doors of her garment factory, Asefu Diriba faced devastating uncertainty. With resilience, support from the ILO and Swedfund, and a spark of solidarity, she launched her own home-based tailoring business. Her journey from factory supervisor to small business owner is a story of hope, hustle, and transformation.
30 June 2025
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ILO NEWS) – Before the conflict, Asefu had worked her way up from operator to supervisor at DBL Industries in Mekelle, a major garment factory employing over 1,700 workers, mostly women. When fighting erupted in Tigray, the factory was forced to shut down, leaving Asefu and thousands of others without income or direction.
I made it a mission to master multiple machines and broaden my skills. But with no job and few opportunities, survival became a daily struggle.
In response to the crisis, the International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with Swedfund, launched a one-time cash transfer programme to support the displaced workers. Nearly 99% of eligible DBL employees received direct payments to help meet essential needs. Asefu used her grant and a microloan to purchase sewing machines and convert a room in her home into a small workshop. Former colleagues helped her set it up, an act of solidarity that renewed her hope.
Thanks to that support, I was able to dream again.
Today, Asefu designs and sells children’s clothing, supporting a household of six. Her goal: to grow her business and create decent jobs for others in her community.
Her story is one of resilience, resourcefulness, and recovery. From factory supervisor to entrepreneur, Asefu now stitches not just clothes, but a new future.
This is how dignity and decent work are restored, one thread at a time.
About the DBL Cash Transfer Project
The DBL Cash Transfer Project was launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with financial support from Swedfund to assist workers affected by the closure of DBL Industries PLC in Mekelle, Ethiopia. Implemented in collaboration with the Tigray Bureau of Industry, the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU), DBL management and union representatives, and financial institutions including the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and Wogagen Bank, the initiative provided a one-time cash transfer to 1,765 former DBL employees, 70 to 80 percent of whom were women. The project aimed to offer immediate relief, preserve livelihoods, and promote resilience in the aftermath of conflict. It has since been recognized for its efficient delivery, strong coordination, and meaningful impact on economic recovery and worker dignity.