Open Up – Protectionism in Ethiopia

“In the end, of course, there has to be liberalisation,” he said. “But our hope is that this could be postponed for a significant time.” That’s a quote by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, concerning Ethiopia’s telecommunications and banking sectors, from an interview on Wednesday, July 8^th with Reuters reports Barry Malone and Andrew Cawthorne. In one of the least developed countries in the world, such a protectionist stance forbids any hope of bringing in real outside investment or capital.

The telecommunications and banking sector’s in Ethiopia are nearly non-existent. You have a better chance of calling a coin flip than you do in connecting cell phone to cell phone calls, even within Addis. Land lines are no better, as they are nearly always down. High speed internet is nonexistent, though the government would claim otherwise – my apologies, but whatever goes through the supposed ‘broadband’ connection (where available) is something other than high-speed internet. Dial-up, at 54.6 kbps is your best bet; that only works a few days a week, if you’re lucky. I still can’t figure out whether or not the phone line working is correlated in any way to the power outages. I do know that power is out every other day now, and the phone line doesn’t work then. The phone line also fails to work on days (such as today) when the power happens to be on.

No doubt, however, Ethiopia Telecommunications Corporation has things under control.

Now to the banking sector – even China has allowed outside banks to underwrite investment deals and some services. Not that China is any model of development, but the level of outside investment and joint ventures in that country is considerable. Ethiopia stands little chance of garnering real outside investment by continuing to restrict the banking sector to Ethiopian nationals. Though the number of ATMs in Addis has expanded greatly in the past three years, online banking does not exist, and only recently have ATM cards been issued to Ethiopian nationals (most ATMs are for foreigners who wish to withdraw local currency from their checking accounts abroad). Nearly all over-the-counter transactions are cash based. Moreover, the birr (Ethiopia’s currency) is worthless abroad. Once you change your money to birr, it’s for keeps and only for use in Ethiopia – you can’t even re-change it on the way out of the country.

Foreign investor’s are, however, allowed to remit funds.  As stated in Investment Proclamation  No. 280/ 2002:

20. Remittance of Funds

1) Any foreign investor shall have the right, in respect of an approved investment, to make the following remittances out of Ethiopia in convertible foreign currency at the prevailing rate of exchange on the date of remittance:

a) Profits and dividends accruing from investment

b) Principal and interest payments on external loans;

c) Payments related to a technology transfer agreement registered in accordance with this Proclamation;

d) Proceeds from the sale or liquidation of an enterprise;

e) Proceeds from the transfer of shares or of partial ownership of an enterprise to a domestic investor.

At least it’s possible to remit funds. Now, wouldn’t that be a lot more comfortable transaction if there were several competitors to the National Bank of Ethiopia for your banking and remittance services? Who knows, maybe most foreign investors are completely confident and comfortable with the exchange rates and services offered by Ethiopia’s state bank.

While we’re at it, let’s not forget the electricity situation. As mentioned by PM Zenawi in the same aforementioned interview, there are two dams expected to come online in the fall which should address the widespread, frequent power outages. Let’s hope so. Hear say has it that Ethiopia has the potential to generate enough hydro-electric power to meet its own needs, as well as export power to its neighbors. That would be nice, and sooner rather than later.

Now back to foreign investment. For-profit development is one of the few tried and true development tactics. It has its own faults and short fallings, no doubt, but at least it has a proven track record. Rather than open-up to outside investment, Ethiopia prefers a façade of being friendly to outside investment while in reality, many sectors are reserved for domestic investors. As stated in Council of Ministers Regulations No. 84/ 2003, the following areas are reserved strictly for domestic investors:

1) Retail and brokerage;

2) Wholesale trade (excluding supply of petroleum and its by-products as well as wholesale by foreign investors of their products locally produced);

3) Import trade (excluding LPG, bitumen and upon approval from the Council of Ministers, material inputs for export products);

4) Export trade of raw coffee, chat, oil seeds, pulses, hides and skins bought from the market and live sheep, goats and cattle not ra(i)sed or fattened by the investo;

5) Construction companies excluding those designated grade 1;

6) Tanning of hides and skins up to crust level;

7) Hotels (excluding star-designated hotels), motels, pensions, tea rooms, coffee shops, bars, night clubs and restaurants excluding international and specialized restaurants;

Travel agency, trade auxiliary and ticket selling services;

9) Car-hire and taxi-cabs transport services;

10) Commercial road transport and inland water transport service;

11) Bakery products and pastries for the domestic market;

12) Grinding mills;

13) Barber shops, beauty salons, and provision of smith, workshops and tailoring services except by garment factories;

14) Building maintenance and repair and maintenance of vehicles;

15) Saw milling and timber making;

16) Customs clearance services;

17) Museums, theaters and cinema hall operations;

18) Printing industries.

Essentially, any area that doesn’t require an extraordinary amount of capital, technology or other expertise, and that may be considered a reasonably plausible area for investment, is reserved for domestic investors. The following areas are then reserved strictly for Ethiopian nationals:

1)      Banking, insurance and microcredit and saving services;

2)      Forwarding and shipping agency services;

3)      Broadcasting services; and

4)      Air transport services using aircraft with a seating capacity of up to 20 passengers.

These last four areas are by far some of the most impactful areas to a country’s development. Surely the government would not want to increase competition – which spurs innovation, customer service, and quality – in these key areas, lest anyone besides a select few Ethiopian nationals benefit from the growth and development of Ethiopia.

Now, be sure not to misinterpret my intentions. I am all for ensuring that Ethiopians, first and foremost, benefit from the development of their nation. However, such a protectionist stance is by no means the way to go about doing so. Put some restrictions on investments and foreign investors to ensure that Ethiopian nationals have a hand in deals, and also that there are benefits associated with hiring Ethiopian nationals as opposed to foreign employees. However, the only way to attract real outside capital, in addition to outside corporations, tourist, etc., is to provide basic infrastructure services – high speed internet, transport sector services and online banking by reputable international banks – common in so many other nations, even throughout the developing world.

I would love to see the day that Addis Ababa is known for more than housing the second largest United Nations headquarters. The UN does superb work, and it’s nice to know that the UN chose Addis as one of its top headquarters. It would be even better, however, if Addis and Ethiopia at large were considered pro-business, open to outside, environmentally friendly investment (I could launch into another tangent here, but I’ll refrain – the main point is that all investment, everywhere, must prioritize the protection and enhancement of land and water resources).  Thus, development would be based on for-profit motives that benefit investors while simultaneously enhancing the environment, providing jobs and lifting the standard of living of all Ethiopians, rich and poor alike.

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethioia

Preserving Culture and the Environment

Lately, I’ve been pondering the role of culture and its effect in cultivating a happy, lively and balanced society. Ethiopia, as many people know, is certainly not among the more developed nations – nor, unfortunately, even considered among the progressive nations of the developing world. Factors contributing to the state of the economy, politics and development may often seem above the level of influence of the average Joe – shall we say, average Biniyam – especially here in Ethiopia.

One thing all people can contribute to, however, is cultivating in the youth the many languages, dances, rhythms and rhymes of times gone buy and celebrating the richness of these traditions in the present. On Saturday I travelled with MELCA (Movement for Ecological Learning and Community Action) to a group meeting of SEGNI clubs from local public schools just north of Addis, near Menagesha. SEGNI stands for Social Empowerment through Group and Nature Interaction, and focuses on environmental and cultural conservation.

The meeting took place in Holeta, in a grove of trees set by the club’s members. The purpose of the meeting was to gather information from the various SEGNI clubs concerning the impact of their activities. It began with a prayer and then dance performances – quite impressive, might I add – by some of the younger girls. Following the dancing, a few of the students read poems highlighting the preservation of culture and the environment. Others took the occasion to express what SEGNI has meant to them personally. Some of the teenage guys noted that the club had transformed their lives. Previously, they were into trouble often and had little regard for the environment or culture of their community. After spending time in the woods, as required by the SEGNI program, they decided to refocus their energies on preserving the environment and their traditional culture.

One of the most entertaining aspects of the morning meeting was when the students performed a skit to illustrate how poor decisions by family leaders (in this case, the father) lead to the destruction of the environment, neglect of culture and ultimately tear families apart. The acting was superb – even more so when I learned they had just put the skit together that morning. The leading man was so animated I laughed nearly constantly.

The play began with the father instructing his son to come with him to cut down a tree, which they then sold to generate income, without bothering to plant another tree in its place. Rather than investing that money in the family, the father spent it wasting away at the local pub. Thereafter, the family situation continued to deteriorate as the father looked to the pub for an escape, and income dwindled because they had not harvested their timber in a sustainable fashion. Along the way, cultural education was neglected as the man’s son could not look to his father to learn the languages, dances and parables of his local people and other tribes and ethnic groups of Ethiopia.

W/o Amasele Kebede, one of the SEGNI club leaders, made another insightful observation concerning the impact of the SEGNI clubs on the local youth. She noted that many high school aged youth often neglected the teachings of their parents because they were obtaining formal education which their parents did not have. SEGNI, however, requires that all youths respect their elders for the real-life education and knowledge they have obtained. Furthermore, SEGNI encourages them to seek wisdom and guidance from those with more worldly experience.

The event ended with a traditional coffee ceremony conducted by teenage girl members of the SEGNI club and was hosted in a traditional style hut with thatch roof – also constructed by SEGNI club members. Outside the hut the students displayed native seeds they had collected from local farmers in order to catalogue and record the varieties. Additionally, they collected traditional handicrafts from the local people to include in their collection.

As these students work to preserve cultural traditions and the environment they are also developing leadership skills and a sense of responsibility. Their efforts will collectively aid in restoring an environmentally degraded country and in preserving the rich culture and traditions so much a part of Ethiopia.

 

JTV
Holeta, Ethiopia

Consultative Workshop on Biofuels

On April 28, 2009 MELCA Mahiber hosted a consultative workshop on biofuels at Ethiopia Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The intent of the workshop was to enhance the capacity of Oromia Regional Government officials when making decisions concerning biofuel investments.  Workshop participants, including representatives from agriculture, rural development, environment, energy and investment sectors, donors, NGO’s and CSO’s, government research institutes, and academicians, developed the following guidelines for future interventions:

-          Biofuel development strategy of Ethiopia should require Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval as a pre-implementation requirement.

-          All biofuel development investment proposals should pass through EIA procedures to offset the significant economic, social and environmental consequences.

-          The new investment proclamation, which overrides the EIA proclamation that asserts the necessity of implementing EIA before the granting of land for any kind of investment, should be amended.

-          The already begun effort of producing land management plans for Oromia region should continue and future allocation of land should consult this document.

-          All the concerned bodies should work to build the capacity of zonal and woreda government officials so that they have the capacity to review investment applications and enforce laws.

-          The government officials should pay periodic visits to biofuel farms and inspect whether or not the investment addresses environmental and social concerns.

-          MELCA should continue research based advocacy as it is of great importance for informed decision making.

-          Universities and research institutes should engage themselves in further studying the feedstock plants of agrofuel productions and their environmental impacts.

During the course of the workshop, four papers on biofuels were presented. The first, International Trends in Agrofuel Development: Opportunities and Risks recommended at least a five year moratorium on biofuel investment and cautioned stakeholders to ‘stop, think and act.’ Moreover, the report highlighted the fact that, according to a World Bank report from April, 2008, biofuels have triggered a 75% increase in world food prices. The demand for biofuels derives from the big three consumers, the US, Europe and China, making a political push to diversify their energy and fuel consumption sources. Developing countries are paying the price for these ill-advised political agendas by allowing investors to rapidly convert their lands to biofuel production.

Rapid Assessment of Biofuels Development in Ethiopia, provided a general context of the biofuel investment sector in Ethiopia. The paper highlighted the need to include an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) prior to allocating land to biofuel investors and warned against allocating forest and agricultural lands for such investment. Currently, 75% of land allocated for biofuels is forest and agricultural land.

Ecological and Socio-Economic Impact of Biofuel Development: The Case of Babile/ East Hararge summarized an in-depth study of biofuel feedstock production in East Hararge Zone/ Babile of the Oromia region. Again, it was recommended that conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment and gaining project permission from the local community is absolutely vital. The current biofuel project being conducted in Babile and East Hararge is damaging the environment as well as the livelihood of the local people.

Ecological and Socio-Economic Impact of Biofuel Development: The Case of Wolaita, determined that the economic benefit of the land is greater if food crops are grown rather than if the land is used for castor/ jatropha production. Specifically, it noted that farmers lost more than 27,000 ETB per hectare planted in jatropha as opposed to yams. The report also highlighted the loss of biodiversity when farms are converted to monoculture biofuel farming, as it claimed that the typical farmer in that area grows about 22 varieties of crops, vegetables and root crops.

Obviously, biofuel investment policies in Ethiopia, or any developing nation for that matter, should be examined closely. Policy makers should assess social, environmental and economic costs when determining the viability of supporting biofuel investment.

 

JTV & MELCA staff
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Value of Qaulity Education

Thomas Friedman, an op-ed columnist for the NY Times, in an April 21st column titled ‘Swimming Without a Suit’ commented on the negative economic impact of the United States failure to place an emphasis on retaining the worldwide lead in providin quality education to all citizens. The article can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/opinion/22friedman.html?_r=1 . 

As Friedman notes, according to the report, released by McKinsey & Co., ‘The Economic Impact of Achievement Gap in America’s Schools,’

If America had closed the international achievement gap between 1983 and 1998 and had raised its performance to the level of such nations as Finland and South Korea, United States G.D.P. in 2008 would have been between $1.3 trillion and $2.3 trillion higher. If we had closed the racial achievement gap and black and Latino student performance had caught up with that of white students by 1998, G.D.P. in 2008 would have been between $310 billion and $525 billion higher. If the gap between low-income students and the rest had been narrowed, G.D.P. in 2008 would have been $400 billion to $670 billion higher.

Imagine, then, what a focus on providing quality education could do for a country such as Ethiopia – with an annual GDP of only $62.19 billion, and a per capita GDP of $800 USD (from Global Edge - http://globaledge.msu.edu/countryInsights/statistics.asp?countryID=92&regionID=5). 

In a nation struggling to feed an ever increasing population, some would say a focus on education  is jumping a few too many rings of the development ladder. I beg to differ, especially when the school is providing two meals per day, a bath, a uniform and shoes, school supplies and a high quality education – like Initiative Ethiopia Internationl Children’s Association (aka, Kechene School) is doing. A comparatively small investment now will hopefully allow these children to one day realize their full potential. That is, to be values based leaders who contribute to the development – economic, social and environmental – of their native land. 

 

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Sustainability in Education

The trend, these days, in funding developing world projects is to apply market based principles to development projects in the hopes of supporting underserved entrepreneurs and others to gain enough financial independence to pull themselves out of poverty. Sustainability, they call it. If you do not mention this word in a project proposal, grant application, or request for investment, you can hardly expect to receive funding or support.

With a background in economics and entrepreneurship I naturally favor market based solutions to environmental and social challenges, when applicable. However, there are times when ‘sustainability’ – as defined by financial independence – is not an option.

My involvement at Kechene School/ IEICA[i] over the past year has forced me to ask myself, time and again, ‘How can this school become self-sustaining?’ Unfortunately, I have failed to develop a groundbreaking new theory that proposes exactly how a school in an extremely poor community becomes sustainable.

Some schools in the developing world, that serve the middle or lower-middle class, are able to charge school fees. The fees allow these schools to, even if initially funded via donor support, eventually become self supporting entities with no dependence on donations, grants or further investment. The key to that model, however, is the fact that these schools serve the middle and lower middle class market. These children’s parents or guardians are not rich or even close to it. With the little income they do earn however, and the high value they place on their children’s education, they are able to pay their school fees.

Unfortunately, paying school fees is not an option for the children at Kechene School / IEICA. These kids all come from destitute families in the local neighborhood. The families struggle to feed, clothe and bathe their children, much less cover their school fees.

I have pondered, from time to time, the effectiveness of working with the children’s parents and family members to begin some sort of income generating activities. The thought being that, if the families begin to generate enough income themselves, they will eventually be able to pay their children’s school fees. As I thought through the challenges and opportunities therein, I realized that working on income-generating activities with family members is simply too much of an undertaking for the organization at this point in time.

The main focus of the school, as it should be, is caring for and educating its students in the hopes of providing them a sufficient foundation from which to begin to contribute to the development of their native land. In the future the school could possibly serve as a base from which to launch community engagement projects such as issuing micro-finance loans in conjunction with developing income generating activities, providing health and hygiene awareness and conducting classes on the utilization of drip irrigation for vegetable cultivation. All of these activities would foster a more sustainable community, one that could afford to pay its children’s school fees. For the foreseeable future, however, the prudent thing to do is to focus all available resources on the top priorities at IEICA – mainly, educating and caring for the students as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Sustainability is a lofty and only sometimes applicable and attainable goal. In the field of education amongst the underserved rural and urban poor of the developing world, sustainability may well be a goal only for the long-term horizon.

 

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 

---

[i] There has been some local confusion over my referring to Initiative Ethiopia International Children’s Association (as it is officially registered) as ‘Kechene School’ due to similarly named projects in the area. Henceforth, I will be referring to Kechene School more frequently as ‘IEICA.’ 

The Horse Can’t Fight

I saw something today that I never thought I would see, or, at least, necessarily thought I wanted to see: blind men working in a wood shop. Just picture that for a moment. See what I’m talking about – on first thought that’s a dangerous setting. I know plenty of men with perfect eye sight that have nevertheless lost fingers in woodworking.

Now before going into detail about the blind men working in a woodshop, or other activities I witnessed this morning, let me tell you a bit about how I ended-up in the woodshop with blind men. Tuesday, while in a meeting, I received a call from a man I will call Ato (Mr.) Berhan. When my phone rang, I saw the number was already stored, and therefore was more confident in taking the call even though I could not recall how I knew the name flashing on my phone’s screen. I answered anyway, hoping I would soon remember. Even as we talked, I continued to draw blanks on when or why I may have given my number to Ato Berhan– even now I cannot recall, but I’m glad I did.

Ato Berhan requested that I meet him later this week to discuss volunteer opportunities. We have already placed all of our summer volunteers with our current grassroot NGO partners, but because I had a little time this week, I decided to meet him late Wednesday afternoon. We arranged to meet at 5pm at a hotel I like to work from because it offers consistent power and internet. I was working on a newsletter when he showed-up a little early, but I was glad to see him (needing a break from the computer) and he seemed a genuine, good hearted man. Ato Berhan is older, but his English is superb.  He told me that was due mainly to a Peace Corps volunteer who taught him English over 40 years ago, and whom he remains in-touch with today.

I quickly learned he was passionate about empowering those with disabilities. Moreover, he had been imprisoned during the Derg regime for over 6 years for no apparent reason (I am not certain, but I’m guessing maybe he was political in his younger years – a hobby that does not pay in this country). When the Derg was overthrown by the current regime, his hopes soared, figuring he would be released. That was not to be the case, however, and he remained behind bars for another 5 ½ years before being released. You could tell what he was most disappointed about was that 12 years of his life had been wasted – of no use to the disabled, his family or his country.

Ato Berhan went on to tell me that he had initially begun his work with the leper community some 35-40 years ago at ALERT – a community and hospital for lepers. At first, he said, he was afraid but God gave him the strength to continue to learn and help the leper community. Eventually, he wrote one of the first books published in Amharic that details how to treat and care for lepers. Unfortunately, demand for the book was low – and it was impossible to convince the government’s Ministry of Health to purchase the book, even as many of the people suffering from leprosy continued to deteriorate and be neglected. People in Ethiopia were, and to an extent remain, afraid of leprosy and those who are burdened with this awful disease. Lepers are therefore ostracized by a large percentage of the population – which at times includes their own family members.

After hearing Ato Berhan’s story I told him that all I could offer, maybe, were some volunteers if any had extra time to spare this summer. He said that was great, and that he would love to show me some of the projects dear to his heart if I had the time. By this point, I had become intrigued, so we scheduled to meet first thing Thursday morning and visit a few of the projects he had referenced. The first was Hulegeb Blind and Disabled People Training and Rehab Association.

I picked Ato Berhan up on my motorcycle just after 8am and we made our way to Hulegeb. I quickly realized it was the blind association near my own home. I must admit, I was ashamed for never having visited it previously, as it is nearly next door to my house. I knew it was there, but just had never taken the time to see exactly what was going on. I could offer various excuses for not doing so, but the point is I should have.

As we made our way into the aging, slightly neglected, compound I did not know what to expect. I knew the association focused on income-generating activities, but I had not a clue what those activities were. The first shop we entered, to my astonishment, was a woodworking shop. I could hardly believe what I was seeing – blind men turning logs into brooms. There was a shop master to lead the men in their activities, but it was obvious that these men had been working at their trade so long that they scarcely needed assistance. They were splitting the logs, then further cutting them into oblong rectangular pieces, before passing them through a router that rounded the piece of lumber into a broom handle. In another area of the workshop, a man was operating a punch machine that drilled holes in the broom-head, which yet another man then inserted the bristles into.

I was impressed, though slightly in disbelief. The sad part was, however, that even though these men were overcoming enormous odds to master a sometimes hazardous trade, and thus become productive members of society, they were working with ancient machines. Many of these machines were in desperate need of a tune-up, and some were in outright disrepair. As I stood in the workshop I wished I knew more of mechanical engineering and could restore these antiques to their former glory, to the benefit of these master craftsmen.

Woodworking and broom making was not the only income generating activity underway at Hulegeb. Others were cleaning sheep’s wool, winding it into thread and hand weaving rugs and doormats. Still others were producing cement blocks and hollow blocks, but again, their press machines were ancient and not nearly as efficient as they could or should be. Moreover, all the raw material inputs required for making blocks – such as red ash and cement, have increased in price. Increased raw material costs are preventing Hulegeb from meeting demand. Ato Berhan kept repeating an old Ethiopian proverb that goes something like this, ‘The horse can take you to the fight, but it can’t fight.’ I was slowly discovering what he meant.  

After leaving Hulegeb, inspired at the work being undertaken but troubled over the fact that it seemed closer to a shuttered old mill – ever present across my home state of North Carolina – than a promising start-up, I then visited a leper colony cooperative with Ato Berhan. Again, I was to experience the same sense of inspiration and despair. The leper association was created to provide the lepers with an income generating opportunity, dignity and community – rights so basic, and yet so far from everyday life for so many in Ethiopia, especially those with disabilities.

At the leper cooperative they were selling cereals to local residents who could then pay a few birr to have their teff, maize, pepper or whatever it may be, milled onsite. I had never visited a milling operation before, but it was interesting and the pepper aroma that pervaded was attractive – until both Ato Berhan and I inhaled the pepper dust a little too deeply and were coughing up a storm.

Outside there were areas for the public to pay to hand-wash their clothes or use the shower facilities. Because the cooperative had drilled their own well, they were able to sell the water to the public. Once again, but even to a greater degree, I had the feeling that good work was being done there, but that their ‘glory’ days were behind them. For example, a large workshop at the back of the lot had been shuttered and an enormous lock held the shop doors securely fastened. Ato Berhan explained that in this workshop there was a manual candle making machine that had been donated by the ‘Germans’ – whether this was the German government or simply a German organization, was unclear. What was clear, according to Ato Berhan, was that the operation had been shuttered due to unbearably high taxes. My initial thought was, why not simply pass those costs on to the customer? But, it was obvious the operation had been shuttered, and delving too deeply into the matter seemed beside the point.

That’s the long-winded story of how I came to witness, among other things, blind men who were master craftsmen in a woodworking shop. Inspired by these income generating projects? Of course I was – men and women with disabilities were learning and mastering trades that enable them to earn an honest living with a sense of dignity and respect.  What I cannot help but simultaneously see, however, is the enormous uncaptured potential. Both associations were doing great, necessary work against all odds. But what both need most – as Ato Berhan was attempting to point out through the proverb about the horse – is a champion for their cause who can capitalize on the opportunity to bring their services and products to a wider market, make use of all available resources, and inspire the association members to work ardently and creatively towards long-term goals and potential.

 

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

 

---

This is not his actual name. As he has already spent a considerable portion of his life in prison, I did not want to cause further troubles for him.

In case you do not know, I work for Cherokee Gives Back and one of our main projects here in Ethiopia is to place volunteers – mainly US college students – with grassroot NGO partners. The volunteers live at Cherokee House and generally volunteer for a period of between 1 – 4 months

A Whirlwind…

Let me apologize, once again, for the delay in posting. It’s been over a month since my last post – unacceptable – I’ll try to do better this month. Below, I’ve listed a few highlights and thoughts from my experiences over the last month. While they may be a bit scattered, I hope you find some of them interesting.

 

Cherokee Exchange Program

Biniyam Assefa, Briana Harper and I spent nearly every waking moment in March attempting to select our final list of CEP candidates for the class of 2009/10. Cherokee Exchange Program works through the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia to identify government schools from which to select the top 11^th grade students to participate in our year abroad exchange program. This year, the Ministry of Education directed us to work from government schools in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Harar.

CEP students live with an American host family and study at an American high school, before spending the summer as a camp counselor at various YMCA camps throughout North Carolina. Upon completion of the year program, CEP students return to Ethiopia where they complete the 12^th grade and take the National Exam – to determine which colleges in Ethiopia they are qualified to attend.

This year’s class will be our third CEP class, and we are anticipating placing between 10 and 20 students with American host families. The selection process has allowed me to know Ethiopia, and its young leaders, in a way I otherwise would not have had an opportunity to experience. I must say, after reading countless applications (we accepted over 450 applications from 14 schools) and conducting over 80 interviews I feel blessed to have had this experience.

Ethiopia, at times, can be an overwhelming place if you forget to focus on the people who are doing the small things. Many of the students who applied to CEP’s class of 2008/09 are doing the small things, and they certainly give me hope and confidence in Ethiopia’s future. For instance, scores of them participate in community and school based anti-HIV clubs that raise awareness. Others participate in environmental clubs that plant trees and host community clean-ups.

All the more impressive were the personal stories. One student lived with his aging grandmother (both his parents passed away some years ago), worked after school to earn a minimal income to support himself and his grandmother, and still managed to be among the top 20 students in his class. His belief in hard work and industriousness were impressive; he had that rare desire to improve his lot in life, and that of his family, against all odds.

Another, one of the most impressive young people I have met in my life, grew up in a rural village in northern Ethiopia. It was so rural that school was not even an option for her. Her mother, therefore, sent her to live with her aunt’s family in Addis, where she would have an opportunity at education. And seize the opportunity she did. Her confidence and passion is inspiring, and her English perfect. Private schools here in Addis held a ‘Model United Nations’ forum earlier this year – she was the first and only government school student to participate.

From what I was told by teachers who were present, she absolutely stood out in her diplomatic representation of Bangladesh (if my memory serves me correctly, that is the country she was expected to represent). They say the entire audience stood to applaud her performance – after interviewing her, I do not doubt that for a second. She even took the initiative to bring a model of this program back to her school, where she got other students involved and provided them an opportunity to participate in an activity dear to her heart.

In the closing minutes of our interview, I asked her what she wanted for her future. Without hesitating, she declared that wanted to participate in Ethiopian politics – especially she desired the opportunity to be a diplomat of Ethiopia. This is a rare career choice among Ethiopian students – most want to be doctors, engineers and the like. She is not afraid of the unknown or unpopular however, and I cannot wait to see the work she will do for her country – there could not be a better representative.

*Names of the CEP students were not provided because the final list of students placed with host families, and thus who will participate in the CEP Class of 2009/10, has yet to be released.

For further information on Cherokee Exchange Program, please visit www.cherokeexchangeprogram.com

 

Soap – from Goats, Now Available in Ethiopia

I believe I have mentioned Salem’s Design in a previous post entitled, ‘Salem, Quite the Entrepreneur’. Well, she continues to add products to her already impressive lines – concentrated mainly around traditionally woven scarves and blankets as well as jewelry made from beads native to Ethiopia and other African countries. Last month, with help from Angela Correll and another member of the Correll family, Greg Correll, she produced her first batch of goat milk soap.

Goats are no rare commodity in Ethiopia – and it’s inspiring to see that now there will hopefully be a demand for something besides their meat and hides. Moreover, this project will create jobs in a country that is in dire need of them. The Correll’s learned the process of converting goat milk into soap after experimenting with goats on their farm in Kentucky – Plainview Farm. Now, they sell the soap at Kentucky Soaps and Such, based in Stafford, Kentucy. Also, the soap can be found online at www.plainviewsoaps.com.

If you are in Ethiopia, Salem’s Design store is located just past Edna Mall. Take a left at Genet Kitfo (just opposite of the FedEx building), the store is marked by a large green gate with a yellow ‘S’ and will be on the left side of the street. Salem can be reached at salemk@ethionet.et or salemsdesigns@gmail.com.

 

Mozambique – A Brief Geographical and Environmental Comparison to Ethiopia

Just last week I was fortunate enough to slip off to Mozambique for a week vacation to visit a friend volunteering in the Peace Corps. It was quite an enjoyable trip, and interesting to compare and contrast Mozambique to Ethiopia. That’s a hard thing to do in only a week’s time; however, I cannot help but comment on the environmental and geographical differences.

Mozambique, as I’m sure many of you are aware, does not share the mountainous terrain of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is considered the ‘ceiling of Africa,’ as hardly any other country on the continent has comparable highlands. Though the mountains are beautiful, provide an escape from lowland diseases, such as malaria, and heat, they are now nearly completely deforested. The deforestation of the Ethiopian highlands, and country in general (in the 1970s forest covered nearly 27% of the landscape, today that figure hovers below 4%), leads to rapid soil degradation and erosion – which leads to further deforestation as farmers search for arable land.

As we bumped along in a chappa (what Mozambicans call mini-buses) from Maputo east towards Chibuto, I could not help but notice there were actually forests in the distance, and older growth trees dotted the landscape here and there! Moreover, we traveled through extensive wetlands and the general landscape was green and lush – quite a contrast to Ethiopia. Of note however, Mozambique does suffer from extensive flooding at times– the green landscape and wetlands do not come without a cost.

Other things I noticed, that likely contribute to a more sustainable environment in Mozambique as compared to Ethiopia, is that the country did not seem to be busting at the seams in terms of human and livestock population. No matter if you are in Addis Ababa or on some rural road, you can hardly drive in Ethiopia without constantly dodging people and livestock. This out-of-control population growth (both among humans and livestock) further contributes to the degradation of an already depleted natural environment – what family planning would do for Ethiopia! On the ride from Maputo to Chibuto we passed a large herd of cattle or two (they were noticeably larger and healthier than those found in Ethiopia – due to available grazing lands), but it did not compare to the human and livestock traffic you experience in any part of Ethiopia.

Some pictures have been posted from the Mozambique trip on the Lamp Post Photos link at the right – you can compare and contrast the natural landscapes for yourself.

 

I believe that’s a wrap for March 2009. I hope you all have an enjoyable Easter with family and friends. I, for one, will be missing the sunrise service over Lake Tillery.

 

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

 

Genesis Farms, A Labor of Love

Last Saturday I jumped on the motorcycle (I believe I will have to soon christen her – thoughts?) and headed south, to visit Genesis Farms in Debre Zeit. My main purpose for the visit was to learn more about egg laying chickens. I hope to purchase some for Kechene School. Ideally, the chickens will lay enough eggs to subsidize the children’s diet with some protein, and possibly lay enough to sell for income generation. Moreover, once the chickens have finished laying eggs for eighteen months, the school can sell or eat them (evidently, the return on their egg laying abilities greatly diminishes after this ‘ripe’ eighteen month period).

Thankfully, the hour and fifteen minute drive was uneventful. I arrived to find the farm teeming with activity. Locals were shopping at the farm’s market store where they sell fresh produce, poultry and dairy products right off the farm, others were eating at the on-farm restaurant, and the farms many workers were taking care of responsibilities on the last work day of the week. The farm was begun thanks to an investment by two Dutch gentlemen, an American and an Ethiopian. As stated in a brief profile of the farm, provided by the farm manager, ‘Genesis farms in Debre Zeit is part of a project designed to pass on not only skills and knowledge about agriculture and farming, but also to spread the Gospel to others in developing countries like Ethiopia.’ Employing roughly 600 workers, the farm does an exceptional job at providing employment and also food security for the local community.  

Just after arriving, I noticed some women planting lettuce in an adjacent field. I went out to say hello and inquire as to the whereabouts of the chicken coup. The women were excited to see that I was interested in their work and eager to show it off to me. They had an impressive operation underway, and I’ve posted some pictures to the ‘Lamp Post Photos’ link at the right. The drip irrigation was nicely laid out and they had a lush stand of lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and other vegetables. Proper irrigation, tending, and a well composted soil greatly increase the yield and capacity of the land at Genesis Farms. I complemented them, and then begged their pardon, but it was time for me to learn about chickens.

The farm manager graciously provided me a tour guide who answered my questions concerning chickens and other aspects of the farm. At the chicken coup I met two other young guys, both Ethiopians, who were interested in chicken farming as well. I thought it fascinating to find these two young guys so interested in farming and chickens in particular – so many of the well-educated young people I meet want to be doctors, engineers or IT professionals. I later found out they were also the local tae-kwon-do instructors, ‘Even better!’ I thought to myself.

After I finished pestering my guide with numerous questions concerning chickens, we moved on to take a look at the dairy farm. I do not know how many dairy farms are in Ethiopia, but I would guess not many. Genesis is the only one I’ve seen; maybe there are a handful of others. The farm produces its own cheese, milk and yogurt on-site. As well, the manure generated by the cows is a wonderful source of fertilizer and is composted with other waste generated by the farm. This compost is one of the reasons the farm generates such healthy vegetables – it enhances and enriches the soil.

After my tour, I had lunch at the farm’s restaurant and was about to turn back into the wind, bound for Addis. Just then, however, an older, enthusiastic farmer, Daniel was his name, struck up a conversation. His passion and excitement for farming was so evident that I could not resist when he asked if I would, ‘come and take a look at my patch of land.’

I told him to jump on and we ploughed down the dirt road, deeper into the valley. The landscape all around was beautiful – a well kept farm in a nice valley surrounded by guardian mountains. All the way we were generally on Genesis Farm land but just before reaching a shrinking lake (it is the dry season) we stopped at a small patch of land the farmer claimed for himself. I quickly gathered that he was just getting into farming – not only from his words but his rows were a bit crooked and he had yet to master the drip irrigation layout. Nevertheless, the passion in his voice for the work and the art of farming was clear – he’ll get there, I have no doubt.

After talking with the farmer a bit (whose English was superb – thanks to Peace Corps Volunteers who taught him English as a child), and taking in the beauty of the valley it was time for me to get back to Addis. All-in-all, it was an informative and pleasurable trip. I learned a bit about chickens and Genesis Farms as a whole and believe there is certainly an opportunity, and need, for more projects of this sort. Projects that incorporate best practices in a certain field (farming, in this case), are sustainable, and benefit the environment (this projects does so by encouraging intensive, rather than extensive farming, which leads to deforestation) and local community (in this case the farm provides food security and employment for the local community).

 

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 

 

 

---

As cows are actually a significant contributor to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, via belching, I wonder if there is also an opportunity to capture the CO2 emissions they generate. They are essential to the fertility of the land on the farm, and if there is a way to capture the methane gases they release, the net impact on the environment, farm and people would be all the better. Please write if you have ideas or information on this note.

 

From Lake Awassa to Lalibela – a Beautiful Country

                I’ve done a bit of weekend travelling this February, which may explain why I have not been as punctual with posting as of late. I will, however, attempt to describe the beautiful scenes and countryside I was blessed to travel by both motorcycle and airplane.

 

Awassa

The weekend of February 6^th and 7^th, my cohorts here at Cherokee House – Briana Harper and John Watkin – and I decided to head down to Awassa for an escape from the congestion of Addis. They caught a ride from a friend who was travelling down, and I decided to test out the range of my motorcycle.

                I had planned to leave early, around 6AM, but when I awoke it was drizzling and still pitch dark. I thought it quite odd to be raining at this time of the year, but decided to eat some breakfast and see what it was going to do. By the time I finished my coffee, the dawn was beginning to break and the clouds didn’t appear to be a serious threat. I decided to go for it and hope for the best, which tends to be my general response in times of uncertainty – for better or worse.

                While I had never driven to Awassa (though I had rode a bus on numerous occasions), I knew I would not have much trouble if only I could make it out of Addis and get on the main road heading south (which will take you all the way to Nairobi – a trip for another time?). Somehow, I managed to find the road with little trouble. My little 125cc bike will only do about 85 – 90 km per hour on level ground, but all the same, it felt like I finally had a little wind in my sails as I drifted out of the highlands and into the Rift Valley.

                The drive was spectacular. I witnessed a beautiful sunrise over the mountains, even as it struggled to fight its way through the remaining clouds. Once you get beyond the sprawl of Addis, the countryside opens to fields full of crops, cattle, sheep and people going to and fro. Moreover, you skirt the sides of numerous lakes – Lake Koka, Lake Zway and Lake Langano. By the time I reached Awassa however, roughly 300 km south of Addis and about a 4.5 – 5 hour drive on my bike, I was ready for a break.

                Awassa is a beautiful little town in its own right and home to Lake Awassa. Before sunset we made our way down to the lake and rented one of the tour boats for a sunset cruise. It cost 30 ETB per person (less than $3 USD). There are evidently hippos on Lake Awassa, but unfortunately, I did not see any. People also say you should not swim in the lake because the water is not clean, but after doing some sample tests by scooping a bit in my hand and examining it, I determined it was fit to swim in. Swimming alongside our row boat, with the mountains at our back and the sun setting in the west was about as close to Tillery (Lake Tillery, NC that is) as I’ve been in a while.

                The next morning Briana and John went to the fish market where the fishermen bring in a fresh harvest each morning and fry it for you on the spot. While I did not go with them (I had some work to do at Selam Awassa Business Group), I’ve been before, and I can vouch for the quality of the fish and the experience in general.

 

Lalibela

                The next weekend, February 14^th and 15^th, I travelled to Lalibela and saw some of some of the most amazing churches I have ever, and probably will ever, see. Unfortunately, I was not able to travel to Lalibela on my motorcycle. I had only limited time and my mother was travelling with me. They say it is a two day bus ride from Addis, and I do not doubt that for a second. While I am not sure of the exact distance, it appears on a map to be about twice as far as Awassa, though to the north rather than the south. Heading north from Addis means rough, rocky, mountainous terrain. Thus, the roads are not as good and the drive much tougher.

                Lucky for us, we were travelling on Ethiopian Air. They call the flight to Lalibela the ‘milk run,’ because before reaching your destination you stop at small airports in Bahir Dar and Gonder. It was a special treat to stop over in Bahir Dar as I got to see Lake Tana, the biggest lake in Ethiopia and the headwaters of the Nile, from the air. Even with the stops, the flight was only about two hours.

                Lalibela is considered sacred land and is known for the magnificent churches built during the reign of King Lalibela in the 11^th century. My words will certainly not do them justice, so I hope you visit the ‘Lamp Post Photos’ link at the right to get a feel for what I am talking about. The churches are carved down into the ground, probably 35-40 feet deep. It is hard to comprehend how someone could do this work, much less in the 11^th century. The architecture is stunning – crosses in the windows and the ceilings, and murals carved on the outside of the churches. The ceilings inside are arched and enormous pillars provide the main support. Keep in mind that the entirety of the church was carved out of the stone – the masons did not simply dig an enormous hole and build churches from the ground up, they carved them out of the ground as they went. The doors are made of Olive wood and most are original – meaning 900 years old.

                Legend has it that the churches were completed with the help of angels in a mere twenty four years (if my memory serves me correctly on that last stat). At first I was skeptical, but after seeing the churches, I believe that is the only explanation – that they were completed with the help of angels. The churches are absolutely incredible and unfathomable works of art.

                The town of Lalibela offers little beyond the churches, but I certainly enjoyed it. The mountains in the north are steep and impressive and the air is clean and crisp. At times the mountains reminded me a bit of the Rocky Mountains (though not quite as majestic) in the American West and then all of a sudden a huge ridgeline/ canyon would pop out of nowhere which appeared to more closely resemble the Grand Canyon. We stayed at Tukul Village, a nice hotel styled in the manner of traditional housing in that area – two story circular huts out of stone. Our room was 550 ETB (roughly $50 USD) per night. Generally, I would have stayed at a much cheaper location – something between 50 – 100 ETB, but I was with my mother and I did not want to subject her to my sometimes uncomfortable style of travel.

 

                All in all, I cannot see why the tourism industry in Ethiopia does not get more attention. The exchange rate is heavily in favor of the dollar (currently at about 11 ETB to 1 USD), the country is safe and stable, the people are unbelievably hospitable and the countryside is varied and beautiful. Addis may be a bit congested, but the towns and attractions in the hinterlands offer quite a memorable and enjoyable vacation for the slightly adventurous type. 

 

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

PS, I am having some trouble uploading pictures, but I hope to get more up soon from Lalibela.  

Life Lessons from Kechene School

This week at Kechene School – officially registered as Initiative Ethiopia International Children’s Association (I prefer to make this distinction so as not to confuse Kechene School with similar projects in the area) – teachers were administering mid-year exams to all three grades: KG-1, KG-2, and 1^st grade. I could not have been more proud of the kids as they shoved their graded exams in front of my face, ‘JT! JT!’ It was not only me they rushed to in excitement, but other teachers and staff members as well – essentially any adult who was not already surrounded by a gaggle of students. Of course, what they were after was a ‘Betam turuno lidgch!’ or ‘Gobez!’ – essentially a pat on the back.

Now, I can’t say that all the students who rushed me their graded exams thrilled me with the scores on their tests. Some were very high – 60/60, 58/60, 55/60 but some were lower – 27/60, 39/60. Needless to say, it was hard for me to dampen their enthusiasm even if their performance was sub-par. I therefore complimented all of the students and simply tried to show I was exceedingly proud of those with exceptionally high scores. For those of you who know the children, some of the impressive scores were turned in by Kirobel, Yederder, Aman, Zacharias, Betty and Tamirat. I’m waiting on a complete list from the teachers on the overall performance, so if you have further questions feel free to email.

For comparison Geti, a fourth grade student at the local government school (and son of Kechene founders Nichodemas and Wondenesh), sat in on the 1^st grade math exam. He scored 57/60; quite a few Kechene students bested this mark. Exams were administered in various subjects including math, English, Amharic, ethics and science.

Seeing the kids taking and then doing well on their exams this week I couldn’t help but think back to how different things were this summer. I remember taking Kelly Meisner, who works for Cherokee in Raleigh, to visit the school and being so embarrassed by the chaos that morning. Now, the students were exceptional that morning (as I’m sure happens at most any pre-school from time to time), but all the same, I was disappointed and embarrassed.

Since September however, the new teachers that were hired, in conjunction with remaining staff members, have been doing quite a remarkable job. I’m continually amazed at the impact the teachers and support staff have had on the structure, instruction and order of the project these past few months. Everyone, from the guards to the cook to the head teacher, is incredibly passionate about the children and their development. Truly, this team at Kechene works together selflessly and harmoniously for the betterment of the children. Every Saturday, after the children have received lunch and departed, the staff meets to discuss the week in review and comment on challenges and successes. This is not just a teachers meeting, or an administrators meeting, but everyone who is employed at Kechene attends. After reading of the scripture and a prayer, a round-table discussion ensues and everyone is allowed their turn to speak.

As many of you are aware, out of the roughly 80 kids at Kechene School all are destitute and some are orphaned (though, most thankfully, living with extended family in the local community). Showing the children love, care and compassion and providing them each two meals per school day (Monday – Saturday) are the top priorities at Kechene. Beyond that, Kechene staff hopes to provide the children a high quality education, instill a since of pride, values and proper hygiene. All of this is a work in progress – there is always more to be done – but I can promise you the school is ardently working towards these goals. The progress is visible in the test scores, the children’s behavior and appearance (they are now bathing at least twice per week), and most of all in the happy, healthy smiles and clear eyes that greet me with a sense of joy and love one would not think possible in such a poor community.

In this dark, global economic downturn Kechene School is a beacon of light and a reality check. The love and joy found in such a destitute area puts quite a perspective on life, and we would all do well to take note. Some would say that kids are kids, they are naïve and generally always happy, no matter where they grow-up. I disagree. One of my favorite students, Serkadis, showed me her test scores and they were, to me, surprisingly low. I quickly asked Akebebre, the head teacher, what the deal with Serkadis was. He informed me that she had missed quite a few days, because her mother is very sick and there was no one to take care of her except Serkadis (who is in the 1^st grade). Not only is Serkadis from a destitute home, but her mother is exceptionally sick and her father has already passed away. Nevertheless, she is at school most days and always smiling, learning (she’s very bright).

Serkadis is not naïve, she knows all to well the realities of life – but she faces them with a grace and joy uncommon among grown men and women, much less in a seven year old child. Neither are any of the other kids at Kechene naïve – they live all too close to the margin to be disillusioned. Kechene School, however, provides a needed outlet and foundation for learning, camaraderie, fellowship, love, joy and personal growth. 

 

JTV, 
 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Many thanks to all who have supported, and continue to support this project. As you know, whithout your help this project would not be possible. 

If you are interested in donating to this project, visit the ‘Kechene School’ tab at the top of the blog for directions on how to do so.