In this episode, host Amira Jehia (co-founder of Drip by Drip) speaks with Tsion Bahru, social entrepreneur, fashion designer and founder of MISS.T.CAL Apparel Design and Lily Pads Ethiopia. Together, they explore the complexities of Ethiopia’s fashion and textile sector—from sustainability and water management, to the impact of political instability, the stigma around menstruation, and the everyday challenges faced by women and girls in rural areas. While sharing a positive outlook on the fashion sector, she offers a candid look into the double-edged impact of growth through BRICS and foreign investments – warning that mass production without cultural preservation, fair wages, and ethical safeguards could harm Ethiopia’s rich textile heritage and environmental future. Tsion also shares the story behind the inception of Lily Pads Ethiopia, created after realizing that many women can’t afford disposable pads and that MHM remains a critical challenge in rural regions. Herself and team carefully tailor distribution to areas with WASH infrastructure, ensuring their solution supports—not burdens—the communities they serve.

💧 Key topics discussed:

• 42% of Ethiopia’s population has access to clean drinking water despite abundant natural resources

• 80% of diseases in Ethiopia are linked to unsafe water sources

• The gendered burden of water collection in rural areas and its link to school absenteeism

• How Ethiopia’s removal from AGOA and political shifts have affected its fashion economy

• The creation and impact of Lily Pads: affordable, reusable menstrual pads made from safe, certified materials and distributed through education-focused donation campaigns

Host: 🗣️ Amira Jehia – Co-Founder & Managing Director of Drip by Drip
LinkedIn

Guest: 🗣️ Tsion Bahru – Founder & CEO, MISS.T.CAL Apparel & Lily Pads Ethiopia

Tsion is a social entrepreneur and fashion designer based in Addis Abeba. Her work bridges sustainable fashion, menstrual health, and gender equality. Through MISS.T.CAL, she promotes handmade, ethical Ethiopian textiles, and with with Lily Pads Ethiopia, she tackles menstrual health inequality by providing reusable pads.
LinkedIN | IG: @miss.t.cal | @lillypads.et

🎬 Creative Production: Yared Abraham
🎧 Audio: Philipp Blömeke (Wardrobe Voices)

Supported by:

Drip by Drip: Unveiling Fashion’s Thirsty Truth wird gefördert von Engagement Global, mit Mitteln des Bundesministeriums für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) und der Berliner Landesstelle für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit.

Drip By Drip: 

🌍 dripbydrip.org | @dripbydripngo | YouTube | LinkedIn