Makeda®, The Queen of Sheba Doll with Doll Stand
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EthiDolls, co-founded by two Ethiopian born women now living in the New York City area, tells the stories of African Women Leaders from history and designs the authentic dolls that represent them.
The storied dolls, books and audio books are fun and educational as well as a gateway to self-discovery, unique expression and self-esteem.
EthiDolls’ products embody the emotional components of tradition, cultural origins and heritage. Makeda,® The Queen of Sheba Doll (who represents the first woman ruler of Ethiopia) is the first offering in its African Heritage Signature Collection.
Queen Mother Yaa Asantewaa, a formidable woman of distinction and celebrated icon, is the second offering and comes from what is now modern day Ghana.
Salome Yilma is a co-founder of Ghenet Enterprises, Ltd. (EthiDolls®). She has assembled the management team and developed the business plan for EthiDolls, the premier offering in a line of products planned for Ghenet Enterprises, Ltd. Ms. Yilma is a seasoned executive with professional experience in the publishing industry. She has broad experience in developing successful business strategies, launching targeted businesses and leading high performance sales and marketing teams that consistently met or exceeded revenue expectations. Ms. Yilma has worked for major publishing companies such as Essence Magazine, The New York Times, CMP, Miller Freeman, and VNU.
Born in Ethiopia, she spent her early years in Washington, D.C. and New York, where her father served as Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States and also to the United Nations. She was educated in Addis Ababa in her early years, and in the U.S. where she earned a bachelor degree from Adelphi University. Her education and professional career in corporate America, combined with extensive travel for business and leisure, have given her a unique ability to bridge her rich heritage with the diverse cultural traditions of America.
Yeworkwoha Ephrem is Co-Founder/Executive Vice President of EthiDolls. She was also born in Ethiopia and for the past ten years has been the owner/operator of the highly successful Ethiopian restaurant, Ghenet, located in the SoHo neighborhood in New York City. Ms. Ephrem is a culinary pioneer and entrepreneur. Her first restaurant opened in 1979 in TriBeCa. Her background includes certification in macrobiotic cooking from the Kushi Institute in Massachusetts, conducting cooking classes at Macy’s, and has also participated in the James Beard Foundation as well as The Tasters’ Choice event at the Jacob Javits Center.
Ms. Ephrem has worked at Ethiopian Airlines in the Commercial Planning & Marketing Division, the United Nations Development Program in New York, and the United Nations Peace Keeping Missions in Israel and Lebanon. She has traveled extensively throughout Ethiopia, as well as the Middle East. Ms. Ephrem has been featured with famous chefs such as Martha Stewart and received enthusiastic praise for Ghenet Restaurant in numerous publications including The New York Times, Gourmet Magazine, Zagat Survey, and Time-Out New York.