When Anna Suoheimo moved from Finland with her family to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, she was heartbroken by the plight of persons with disabilities and the situation of single mothers. Mostly, they are outcast from society with little opportunity. Anna wanted to do her part to change their lives for the better. She set out to start a business that could change the world one rug at a time and worked together with Finnish and Ethiopian Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) to create a product chain that would benefit people with disabilities of Ethiopia.
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The goal is to create hundreds of new job opportunities for vulnerable groups by creating a local economy from employing the traditional weaving methods of Ethiopia with the supply of wool raised by local shepherds utilizing traditional sheep herding in the countryside. Each rug is unique and tells a story about our shared humanity and the land it came from. When you order a Sera Helsinki Rug you will receive a video of when it begins its life on the loom, and a card signed by the artisans.