Today was our last day in Gindo. It was hard to leave other than the promise of a softer bed and hot water in our guesthouse in Addis.
We wanted to leave the BEKA Center with a bang. So we cut right to heart of any kid in Ethiopia - a new soccer jersey and a soccer game! (a big thanks to the Okotoks soccer association and the CUC Lacombe Charity Triathlon for your donations)
The soccer game was beyond amazing. By the time we had the kids split up into two team and rocks set out for posts about 300 people had gathered to form the sidelines and watch these young kids play with all their might.
The boys played against the boys and girls played the girls.
After we said our goodbyes to these bright children we headed towards Addis. But before we got back into town there was one more adventure in store...a volcano!
Ok well the volcano was extinct but it was still pretty amazing. As you cane see we were clearly excited.
The day ended driving home in the dark after a extremely fantastic time in the countryside!
We started today with another beautiful drive from Woliso to Gindo. This 45 min -1 hour drive gave me time to reflect as we whipped by the countryside of this beautiful country.
What are we doing here in Ethiopia? And is it really making a difference? Are we well-intentioned but missing the mark? or is lasting, positive change taking place? These are questions that I have oftened asked and that I think are questions that should continually be asked. An honest and constant evaulations of our projects and our methods is the best way to help our beneficiaries.
Today my questions were answered in a big way as we arrived in Gindo and Steve and I headed down a little hill and down towards a small creek. We were greeted by this sign
Here in the center of Gindo about a 5 min walk from the BEKA construction site is a large garden, operated by the female guardians of the children at the BEKA Center. These women have formed a savings group to begin a garden in the neighbour. As the sign states in Oromifa, Amharic and English the vision the women have for the garden is
"To be a model of personal and community development by creating a rewarding business that will allow us to live a better life and confidently move to a bright future."
These women are doing it, and they are bringing the men along.
While the garden is entirely run by the women, and funded with Canadian Humanitarian's help from their savings, this does not prevent the recruiting of some of the local men to do some heavy work.
Along with women in the community men have also been formed into a group call the Foresight Fathers. These fathers have formed a group that is based on hard work, service to others, knowledge, and self-sufficiency.
Recently becoming a father myself I thought I would give the first principle (hard work) a try.
Being on the end of a 8 foot pole with a sharp metal spade with a far more fit Ethiopian man on the other end quickly turned form exciting into a few blisters. The earth here is unforgiving but these men and women are resilient, creating growth out of seemingly nothing. That is all for today.
Today we decided that we would all wear our Canadian Humanitarian T-Shirts! What a great looking bunch of people as we took off in the vans this morning!
We began the work of gathering updates photos, completing medical examinations, and having the children begin to work on their cards for their sponsors in Canada. kids are so much fun to be with!
Interviews:
Medicals:
writing for our sponsors:
The guardians of the children, and the farmers from the Foresight Fathers program attended a session on business management taught by one of our volunteers while all this was going on.
The fact that we did not always have someone to translate did not interfere with being able to communicate with one another. Playing is playing, no matter how you talk about it!
The kids loved learning how to sing itsy bitsy spider with actions!
The kids loved getting their photos taken and wanted us to take lots!
Friends, in many different combinations, were the photo results.
You could feel their love and friendship for one another as we did these photos.
It is hard to describe how it feels to be swept into that circle of love so quickly by these children. Maybe this photo will help. They allowed us to belong in their circle of love!
On the road between Woliso and Gindo there are many immense Warka trees!
They symbolize to the local people connection between past generations, the present, and the future. Important meetings, festivals, and celebrations are held underneath the Warka tree. Often markets are held under these immense trees.
We decided to catch a group photo beside one of these trees on the way home to Woliso. We found one close to the road, and stopped the vans to get out and set up. As we did, people came from fields to see what we were doing. To our surprise, a bus stopped and people got out to watch us!
Then another vehicle stopped and a man stepped out and joined our photo. He said hello, made himself comfortable at the right end of the group, just as the cameras caught images of the group. He smiled, waved, and then returned to his vehicle and drove away. We all marveled that this had just happened!
So here is our photo of the group, leaning on the trunk of a Warka Tree, with the "unknown man". We will always wonder who he was, but appreciate that he wanted to be part of our photo.
Our day ended with the most spectacular sunset. Another unforgettable day!
Today we travelled to the rural community of Gindo, about 3 hours south west of Addis. The road from Addis to Woliso was pretty good, the improvements they have made are apparent. We stopped for a quick drink at our hotel in Woliso and dropped a few things off. After Woliso we turned off the main road and headed to Gindo. My back quickly recognized that we were no longer on the main road. However, when we finally got to Woliso any thought of my back quickly faded away as we anxiously approached the construction site of the new BEKA Center.
BEKA Construction site July 2011
BEKA Construction site Oct 2011
The progress is amazing. I could scarcley believe what I was seeing. Where there was once an open field there was now a completed foundation, the start of walls and a very deep latrine.
The start of a 4 meter deep latrine.
Dick and I were lucky to have Michale, the engineer/contractor of the project, travel with us to the project. We were able discussed the project, inspect the quality and learn about the impact the projects is already having on the community.
We were very pleased to hear from Michale that at any one time the site was employing between 10 - 40 workers from the local community! The BEKA Center is not even complete yet and it is already improving lives in Gindo. The building is exceeding all of our expectations in its quality and impact.
While we were at the construction site we were pleased to meet up with representatives from LDS Charities. Canadian Humanitarian has partnered with this group to further upgrade the water distribution system in Gindo. LDS Charities are providign all the infrastructure for new water distribution points in the communty, while we partner to provide sanitation training and ongoing monitoring and maintinence. WE visited several water poitnts that are being constructed around town.
After an eventful afternoon we finally made it to the BEKA Center where the children were waiting. The smiles on their faces and their excitment was palatable. We were treated to some great dancing, drumming and drama.
I can't wait to go back and see the kids again tomorrow!
A new day began with the group ready for another day of adventure and new experiences.
Today we were able to deliver the items we purchased at Merkato yesterday.
Laundry Soap
Cooking Oil
Flour
When we arrived at the PATH center, many of the guardians were already there waiting for us.
As each family signed for their items, we helped to put their packages together, and got to meet the guardians. After some time, everything was distributed and complete.
After a break for lunch again- we were off to meet new youth and children at the YTH Alemgena Center. This group also enthusiasically tried to learn our names, and were fun to interview, play soccer, and spend time with.
The group at YTH Alemgena!
Tonight we went out for traditional food and dance for supper. Doing this not only feeds your body! The energetic traditional music and dancing really brought Ethiopian culture into our souls... another day to remember!
Today our last volunteer arrived! After being in transit for over 48 hours, she was amazingly awake!
We all went together to Merkato Market this morning. It was amazing. It is one of the largest open markets in Africa.
We were there to purchase wheat flour, cooking oil, and laundry soap for the PATH program guardians.
There is so much activity in Merkato. You can buy just about anything IF you can find your way around in the maze of streets, vendors and items.
Mesfin was wonderful, and we located what we needed within a short time.
We were able to purchase it all, put it into the back of his van, and depart the market.
Once we had this task done, we took a break for lunch.
We got ready to head to YTH Guelele to begin interviews with the children there, and for getting updated photos. It was so much fun!
We played a game where the children had to remember our names, and then we tried to remember a grouping of 6 children's names. I think the kids did better at learning our names than we did theirs! But what fun to see whose memory was best!
The kids loved getting their photos taken, and for some it became like a photo-shoot.
After a wonderful couple of hours, we left with promises of returning later in our expedition.
What a wonderful day! Can hardly wait til tomorrow.
Another expedition is officially underway! After meeting up in Calgary and London and finally flying to Addis we are healthy, excited to get to work and very tired.
We arrived early this morning and after checking into our guesthouse some quick breakfast, and a little rest we were ready to take on Addis. We exchanged some funds into Ethiopian Birr and then headed to the National Soccer Stadium for an afternoon soccer match. St.George (the team we were cheering for) was victorious.
It is off to bed now after a really long few days. Work starts tomorrow and I can't wait to start visiting and working with our projects.
Pictures of the group to come!
