In one of the most remote areas of Ethiopia, there live native tribes that 50 years ago were not even aware of modern Ethiopia. There are multiple different tribes that retain distinctive traditions, from dressing in beads and goat hide skirts to scarification practices and jumping dance celebrations. The scenes are classic Africa. It was fascinating to visit the Hamer people. They are high cheekboned people, whose men wear beaded caps and short sarong skirts. The women wear elaborate beads on top and cowhide skirts. The women have huge scars on their backs. The men’s initiation ceremoni [View Full Entry]

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Ruta writing…After completing a project milestone by presenting a strategic plan to 25 stakeholders, I was ready to head out of Addis Ababa to see more of Ethiopia’s sights. We took advantage of the kids’ week long half-term break, rented a car and driver and headed out. Whew, I know I’ll always remember the fantastic sights that we saw. Unfortunately my limitations as a photographer became glaringly obvious on this trip. As we drove through the countryside, it sometimes felt like we were driving through a picture book. Outside of polluted, chaotic Addis Ababa, the roa [View Full Entry]

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Intellectually we all understand that poverty and disease makes life miserable for people, but the following study results help us better understand these facts. Through my work I am learning how devastating extreme poverty really is to people who are just trying to survive another day. Largely as an effect of the AIDS pandemic and the weak national infrastructure for dealing with social services, Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of child-headed households, second only to Zimbabwe. Unlike baby orphans who typically generate a lot of sympathy and development aid, these children are pro [View Full Entry]

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Vidas writing-One of the few places that we hang out is the Edna Mall. It is probably the favorite place of kids in Addis Ababa. Most kids from my grade spend their weekends there. The Edana Mall is one big building. It’s nearest biggest church in Ethiopia and really stands out because it is a big glass building surrounded by gated tin roofed houses. I’ve only been there once with my Ethiopian friends and we saw a movie. While I was in there I saw an arcade, shops, bumpercars, a small rollercoaster, and a movie theater. There are about 2 other [View Full Entry]

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Ruta writing…At work, we emphasize “gender equalitiy” issues. There is a growing conviction among international development work that a key to dramatic improvements in a developing country’s progress is to educate and empower women. It certainly makes sense to me. Women are key to a family’s culture and values. If the mother is uneducated and repressed, often the children are as well. On the other hand, when a mother values education, she teaches those values of learning, confidence, and ambition to her kids. In Ethiopia there are many issues carrying over fr [View Full Entry]

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After School Lukas writing…It’s Friday. The teacher gave us extra homework for the weekend. As the clock hits 3:15, everyone jumps out of their chairs and yells “It’s home time.” The teacher looks at the clock, opens the door, and everyone rushes out. Some kids go straight home with either their parents or their driver, while others stay after school, because their parents or driver come later. Some take a line taxi home and leave whenever they want. Most of the 6th and 7th graders that stay after school, stay for after-school clubs. Usually, the onl [View Full Entry]

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Our house is very different from America. We sometimes have a cook to help > us. She wears a scarf on her head. She cooked us injera. > It is a big pancake bread with meat on top. She made us oatmeal in the > morning. We have a servant bell in our house. We don't have a TV. On > Saturday nights we watch a video on our computer. > > I like the animals here. We see donkeys, sheep, goats, chickens, dogs and > cats every day. Last Sunday we saw a babboon outside. He stole a man's shoe. [View Full Entry]

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(Ruta writing…) Without modern conveniences, like a personal car, and because of the way of living in Addis, just living takes a lot more effort. For example, Buying Food Anything we purchase, we need to carry ourselves. While it sounds quaint to go to the market every day for fresh bread, it means that there are very little reserves in the kitchen. The market stalls are tiny tin roof shacks. We usually walk about 15-20 min to the larger market - there is one stall for bananas and oranges, another for potatoes and onions, one stall for sugar, another stall for [View Full Entry]

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(Ruta writing…) I kept searching for a post office near our home, school, or work. Since we either walk or take public transportation, I wanted someplace that is convenient. In Ethiopia there is no door to door postal service, and thus I expected post offices to exist in the main sections of town. Think again! Thus, we’ll use my work’s PO Box below - a staff boy takes a line taxi to the Post office every week to check for letters and packages. From other volunteers, I understand that it takes 2-3 weeks for post from the States to arrive. Ruta [View Full Entry]

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If you or your school or club would like to send items for either school or to distribute to local youth clubs or street children, they would greatly appreciate anything sent. Our school is considered more upscale and still the walls are bare, the 2 restrooms (for 450 kids) have no soap, toilet paper, nor towels. The street kids wear the most threadbare clothes that are almost see through, or they wear shoes worn down to multiple holes on the bottom. The non-food items don’t need to be new - gently used is fine. Candy, all kinds. You can buy small [View Full Entry]

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