About Faysel Abdosh
Faysel Abdosh is an enthusiastic coffee producer, a second generation in the coffee family. His love for coffee began at a youthful age. The first generation, both his mother and father began their family’s rich coffee farming history, from the coffee-rich region of Chelenko Village, in East Hararge, where he developed a deep appreciation for the craft.
Faysel fondly recalls the memories of visiting their coffee farms and during harvest time, picking coffee cherries with his father. These positive experiences instilled in him a natural love and passion, then followed by a knowledge of coffee that would later shape his career.
After Faysel’s family sold the Chelenko Village farm, they relocated to Mizan Teferi, in Bench Maji Zone, where he encountered a unique coffee culture in this renowned coffee region. This newfound experience further fueled his passion for coffee.
During his middle and high school years, Faysel naturally picked up his entrepreneurial knowledge where he used to buy coffee after each harvest season and resell it back to the local market where he learned how to manage his finances at early age by using some portion of it to purchase school supplies for himself and his siblings as well as assisting his family financially towards household expenses.
After completing high school, Faysel embarked on a career as a coffee trader, supplying coffee from Bench Maji Zone to major coffee exporters. In order to make a greater impact for both his family and community, his dedication and learnt expertise as a trader led him to later launch his own coffee exporting company, TESTI Trading, Plc, (named after his middle son, and has a meaning of “Joy” or “Happiness” in the “Harari” language) where he expanded his reach to include other major specialty coffee regions such as Sidama, West Arsi, Yirgacheffe, and Guji. Once his company was successfully operational, it was important to him where portions of his income are used to help the smallholder farmers and their respective communities, within all his coffee projects are located. There is a belief companywide, “Giving back is not just an obligation, it is our passion.”
To implement this passion, the “Project Direct” launched, which its main mission is to raise awareness of the obstacles the coffee farming community faces. The people in coffee regions live in underdeveloped areas with minimal resources such as education, electricity, & basic medical aid. His company is focused on making the commitment not to overlook the struggles the coffee farming community endures. The entire TESTI team takes pride in their achievements of opening Primary Schools, improving access to clean water, building women’s healthcare centers, and collaborating with local authorities to bring electricity to farmers’ homes. All proceeds from this inaugural 2025 Faysel Abdosh Auction will be applied to “Project Direct’s” initiatives.
Faysel’s journey is a testament, with persistence and commitment, one can create a love of coffee, positively impacting many smallholder farmers within the world of coffee. His passion for coffee has shaped his destiny, and he continues to inspire others with his expertise and dedication.
