Raised in Addis Ababa, Tsehaye speaks with the ease of someone who knows that healing takes many forms. Sometimes it’s found in traditions, recipes and oils passed down by grandmothers. She learned about plants and herbs from her own grandmother – and now, she’s scaling those indigenous traditions.

Chakka Origins takes its name from the Amharic word for “forest.” But it’s more than a poetic nod – it’s a blueprint for how Ethiopia, and the continent, might build a different kind of future.

“As soon as I am in a forest, by a body of water, it grounds me. It brings me back to myself, and I think that’s been a big part of why I think it’s important to create things that we’re proud of and feel connected to,” she explains.

And what felt right? Building a women-powered, plant-based business that connects the scent of African basil to a global fight for climate justice. It’s a business that reclaims the value chain from root to ritual – and capitalises on the country’s growing brain gain. Chakka benefits from Tsehaye’s extensive experience working in social impact investment in agriculture and healthcare across Africa for the Gates Foundation, and her graduate studies on micro-finance trends for rural migrants in Southern Ethiopia.

The world Tsehaye is building is one anchored in joy and rooted in an Ethiopian approach to community. She finds strength in connection, especially through a vibrant network of female entrepreneurs. These relationships offer support, shared learning and a collective vision for more inclusive, just and imaginative futures. Like the rest of Africa, Ethiopia is young – and full of potential.

“Agriculture doesn’t have to be about survival. It can be about beauty, prosperity, and legacy. Production doesn’t have to be extractive – we’ve always known that. Through indigenous practices and careful attention to ecological impact, we can prioritise a way of being that centres the whole, rather than just the sum of its parts,” she says.

Her model brings women to the centre – because they’ve always been there, even when the market pretended otherwise. From cultivation to packaging, the entire supply chain is being rebuilt to uplift female farmers, support community ownership and promote environmental regeneration. Her goal is not only economic justice, but narrative justice: reclaiming the story of Africa’s plants, people and power.

“I remember the first time I had a stomach ailment – I must have been like six or seven – my grandma squeezed all the juice out of a plant from the garden. It tasted really, really horrible, but it definitely got the job done in terms of curing the stomach aches that I was having,” she explains. That day was the beginning of a journey that would not only impress upon her just how much her grandmother knew, but also later help Tsehaye understand how disconnected much of modern life had become from its environment. 

Tsehaye has seen the disconnect up close – between what’s grown in rural Ethiopia and what ends up in Addis supermarkets or Western boutiques, sold at inflated prices with no trace of its origins.

Chakka Origins became a kind of quiet rebellion against extractive economies. A reminder that wellness, when rooted in equity, smells like eucalyptus, coffee blossom and just a hint of fire. It’s not just about the end product – it’s about how that product gets made, who benefits, who’s honoured and whose dignity is preserved in the process.

Tsehaye’s episode of Dreaming in Color stands out not just for its entrepreneurial insight, but also for its emotional resonance. It’s equal parts business case, spiritual practice and tribute to a country too often reduced to headlines and hardship.

Through breathwork, forest walks and feminist supply chains, Tsehaye is sketching a future that feels deeply African and boldly global. A world where farmers are valued and women lead and create products that carry memory.

Listen to Tsehaye’s full story on the Dreaming in Color podcast – now streaming on your favourite platform.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Bridgespan