Every journey into a craft starts somewhere, and for Grace Selasie, it started with doubt. Not the kind of doubt that stops you, but the kind that makes the eventual progress mean so much more.
Believing in Herself, With a Little Help
“I’m not sure if I’m gonna be able to do it.” That’s how Grace describes where she started. Life at home wasn’t always steady. Her brother was in and out, but through it all, her sister was the one who empowered her to keep going, to function, to believe she could actually do this.
That encouragement became the push she needed.
Finding Duapa Werkspace
Grace heard about Duapa Werkspace and what it stood for: a space built to motivate people, empower them to function, and help them become a model in whatever they choose to do. That was enough to bring her in. “That’s why I came here to start,” she says.
Why Fashion
For Grace, the choice to pursue fashion wasn’t random. She sees it happening all around her, in Africa and across the world: new styles emerging constantly, for both women and men, every single day. It’s a field that never stands still, and she wanted to be part of shaping it rather than just watching it happen.
Her expectation for herself is simple and clear: to come out the other side of this training a true professional.
Gratitude for the Opportunity
Grace is quick to credit the people who made this possible, thanking Duapa Werkspace for empowering youth and giving young people like her the chance to grow into professionals in their chosen craft.
Her story is still being written, but it already carries a message worth holding onto: self-doubt doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Sometimes it’s just the beginning, especially with the right people believing in you.
This story is shared as part of Skills for a Shared Future, celebrating the young people turning practical training into real, sustainable livelihoods.
