OUR STORY
Carry 117 exists to empower at-risk women in Korah, Ethiopia and to preserve families in the process.
Hear directly from two of our employees!
OUR BELIEF
WE BELIEVE economic empowerment is the foundation for sustainable development. Rather than charity, our model offers a hand up—a chance for dignity, stability and hope. When women are empowered, their families find strength, the community is renewed, and a hopeful future is possible in Ethiopia and beyond.
OUR PROCESS
Hire → Equip → Sustain
We hire at-risk women in the Korah community and train them in craftsmanship — measuring, cutting, sewing high-quality leather goods.
Each woman earns a paycheck, enabling her to care for herself, her children, and her family’s future.
We sell the products globally — through boutiques, fairs, online, and wholesale — turning your purchase into real impact.
OUR IMPACT
We see dignity restored, confidence growing, families stabilized, children educated, and hope ignited for the long haul. In Korah — where generational cycles of poverty and stigma dominate — we’re standing with women and children to write a new narrative.
BACKGROUND
Korah traces its roots to an 80-year-old leprosy hospital outside Addis Ababa. Over time, the city grew around a massive trash dump — now home to more than 250,000+ men, women, and children. Many still face the burdens of leprosy, HIV, extreme poverty, and the daily hazards of the dump. Our work is anchored here, offering a chance for meaningful change in a place few dare to go.
Here is the full 16 minute documentary!
WHY “CARRY 117”?
Carry 117 was born from the call of Isaiah 1:17 — “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of the orphan. Fight for the rights of the widow.”
This verse is the heartbeat of everything we do
Every product we create has something worth carrying — a story, a purpose, a pathway forward. And just as our bags carry what matters, we want the women of Korah to carry themselves from where they are to the future they dream of.
The number 117 reminds us daily that what you carry can help carry someone else’s hope.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
When you carry a Carry 117 product, you’re not just investing in premium leather goods — you’re investing in a woman’s future, a family’s survival, and a community’s transformation.