Month 1 - Ethiopia; Week 3 - Assosa

Welcome to Week 4 in Ethiopia. Beautiful Sunday in Assosa. Sunny skies. About 26 with some humidity.

Been some interesting week to say the least.

How important is the internet any way??

Let's start with internet access being suspended throughout Ethiopia between Tuesday and Friday. Little bit of background information - Internet and telephony services are provided, thereby controlled, by the government. The official story about the internet unavailability was due to a technical issue. What we heard from our colleagues was that Grade 10 students were writing national exams. The grade on the exam will decide (and the government provides direction here as well) if you continue on the academic route into Grade 11 and eventually into university or if there is another path for the student in life. The government killed the internet this past week to prevent students from using the internet to cheat on the exams. 

As it turns out, no internet is a real big deal! Encourage you to do a little experiment for yourself. Disconnect yourself from everything in your life that depends on the internet and let the fun begin. Oh, you have so much more time on your hands for a starter. May cause a little stress for your family cuz you are suddenly quiet! Then add a little more challenge to your experiment by now imagining yourself being in a third world country without internet access. The word 'isolated' may pop into your head along with much more graphic terms.Thank goodness the phone system was still working. Word is that we may experience a similar disruption in service this coming week as the Grade 12 students are writing their exams. Apologies in advance if I suddenly go dark for a few days!

Let's talk cookies - chocolate cookies

Hmmm...organic cookies in Ethiopia. Let's reset the bar to just making cookies, ok! I am happy to find the ingredients to make cookies. Found butter at the market; you buy butter in bulk. The woman reaches into a pail with her bare hand; weighs out the desired amount into a bag like in the photo below and presto - you have bought your supply of butter. Will remember to get a photo of what it looks like in the market. Still need to remember to take photos of everything - to give you that first hand experience!

Butter - in bulk 

This Saturday's baking adventure was actually quite a delight. Bethelem (young woman with pink top - landlord's daughter) and her friend Habiba showed up at the compound and wanted to learn how to bake cookies. They took complete control of the cookie preparation and did a masterful job. 

Habiba and Bethelem - Apprentice bakers

Chocolate cookies - Ethiopian division

Cookie Dave - Ethiopian Division

Work this week...

So, the majority of the planning team I work with was out of the office this week. There were a few long days in the office just doing stuff for myself (and no internet). The team is still to reconnect with me to determine the best approach for getting my assistance.

Was invited by my colleague David to attend two different parts of a three day workshop designed to help Commercial Sex Workers get out the sex business and set up their own businesses. There are about 1,000 workers in the Assosa area (a city of about 35,000 people). Being close to the Sudan border means having plenty of military personnel in the area. Truly sad; I was told these women sell sex for 30 birr - about $2 Canadian. Irrespective of where you look in this area you will find a disheartening reality unlike one could ever imagine. 

David created the program and wanted me to share what he had done. To say I attracted attention while I sat in the course is an understatement. Lots of stares and a buzz of talking. During the second visit, one participant videoed me as I approached where the training site. 

Also spent time with David and my other colleague Yelam talking about Canadian geography including a discussion about the Canadian provinces and territories. We delved into hydroelectric projects as the Ethiopians have a major project underway in this area, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, that will produce about 6800 MW of electricity. Dam construction is 'generating' issues between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt as the dam is being built on the Blue Nile, a river that eventually flows into Egypt and its fertile valleys through the Sudan. 

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam - under construction

Researched that Canada has two of the top ten hydroelectric dams, by MW production, in the world - Robert Bourassa and Churchill Falls. 

My Ethiopian colleagues have great knowledge and pride in their country. Finding I am coming up short of the facts about Canada in our conversations. Getting a better appreciation for my country through my colleagues questions.

David and Yelam have taken to referring to me as Mr. David. I've also been blessed with a number of people that I work with trying to help me learn Amharic. Slowly I'll learn. Finding I need to write names and words down as I sometimes have a hard time decipher what I am hearing. 

Let's take a walk around Assosa

Assosa General Hospital entrance - about a five minute
walk from the compound

Hospital grounds - each building is a different ward

Bus terminal - what to go on a trip? Somewhat hesitant to
venture beyond Assosa on bus given what I see at the
terminal and my total lack of knowledge in Amharic.
Who knows where I'd end up???

Street near the compound - stone is being used to build
compound walls. Livestock is a common sight including
small herds of goats.

Starting to tune out the garbage that is found everywhere.
Hard to find a garbage can anywhere. Unsure if there is
garbage pick-up given what I've seen so far.

Glad I'm not living down this street. Streets like this
are common; everything seems to be in an ongoing
state of construction. What is missing is the people
doing the work. 

New government building - note the bamboo scaffolding

Just outside the compound - on my way to get my
laundry done

Assosa/Ethiopia Factoids

All of the streets, lanes and roads within Assosa are unnamed. That's right, total absence of civic addresses. You're off the hook in trying to sending snail mail to my compound. Still trying to figure out how an ambulance is dispatched to a residence here. Come to think of it, I now realize I haven't seen a fire station/fire hall as of yet. Hmmm...should I be worried??

Did you know that if it is raining hard enough in the early morning the chanting disappears along with the sounds of barking dogs and crowing roosters. Ah, how I look forward to the pitter patter of raindrops in the early morning!

And then there are some sobering facts about life in Ethiopia: 

• About 1 in 5 Ethiopian children will not celebrate their 5th birthday. 
• About 420 women (in 100,000 births) die trying to giving birth; it's about 11 in Canada (2013)
• Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa, and faces acute and chronic malnutrition and micro nutrient deficiencies; about 40% of children suffer from stunting.  

Saying goodbye to Agatha

Finally, we had a sad end to the week as we said goodbye to our good friend and fellow Cuso volunteer Agatha. She is returning to Kenya to be with her three year old daughter and family. Agatha is in the midst of finding another volunteer assignment in Tanzania; so much closer to home. 

Agatha's (on the right) going away party. Got a little attention
with my shirt. What better place to wear this shirt than in
Africa!

Nancy and I were so blessed to have these past three weeks with her. She graciously showed us 'the ropes' for successful living in Assosa. She is kind, thoughtful with the biggest heart in the world. 

God speed Agatha!

Be safe and continue to bless the world with your kindness.

See you next week! Same Bat time; Same Bat channel...