On Sunday, November 23, 2008, I participated in the Great Ethiopian Run, an annual event, started by Olympic gold-medalist Haile Gebreselassie nearly 8 years ago which is meant to foster a sense of community, civic participation, active lifestyles and social consciousness about key emerging issues. The Great Ethiopian Run is a 10 km run through Addis Ababa which starts and ends at Meskal Square in the center of the city. Haile Gebreselassie was there to greet all of the runners as we started on the trek through Addis. Nearly 30,000 participants participate every year and this year, there were close to 32,000 people in the race. The first 10 winners receive cash prizes and everyone else receives a participation medal. Furthermore, this year, the run was devoted to raising public awareness about the suffering and plight of orphans and street children, so it was also for a worthy cause.
At this stage, many of you who know me well, must be wondering, what the heck is Prasanna doing at the Great Ethiopian Run? One of my good friends, Janani, gave me the nickname of Piles Crane. According to her, once, while playing ultimate Frisbee, I ran around like Niles Crane from the TV sitcom Fraser (played by comic genius David Hyde Pierce.) For those of you who have never seen Niles Crane run, he basically runs about with his legs flying every which way and his arms flailing in the air, out of breath after about 5 minutes of any physical activity. Even though I refused to admit it at the time, Janani was quite correct. I have no athletic skill whatsoever. I never have. I never will. I am the quintessential definition of a non-athlete.
However, I discovered to my great surprise, that the Great Ethiopian Run also allows participants to walk and to my great pleasure, all of the Canadians that I went with to the GER decided to walk this year. So, I walked 10 km on Sunday and I picked up a participation medal. It was my first sports-related medal ever! I once received a fourth-place ribbon at the Grade 8 track meet for long jump, but there were only 4 participants in the event, so the 4th place finish was not so much an accomplishment as it was a biting comment on my absolute inability to succeed athletically.
Throughout the Run….er walk on Sunday, we were stuck behind a group of singing participants who made it a point to protest the arrest and imprisonment of Ethiopian superstar and musical icon Teddy Afro. Every single time we tried to pass them, they would catch up with us and the chants and songs would start anew.
The walk was also a great way to see many parts of Addis that I have yet to discover. We started at Meskal Square, went west, would north and then circled back to Meskal – it was treat to experience the city on foot without the stress of the mini-buses and the drama of negotiating with unreasonable taxi drivers.
After the walk, a group of 20 Canadians and Americans and Europeans (the expats stick together) went to Rodeo Bar which is a country western eating establishment / bar in Addis. It felt like I stepped through a portal and landed back in rural Saskatchewan. All of the parking attendants at the restaurant were in cowboy hats and big boots. The waiters all wore those country shirts with the epaulettes and snap buttons. Such a treat – it was like being at the Longbranch in Saskatoon. Too funny! I never thought I would find a cowboy bar in Africa, but apparently they exist! Only in Addis!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission
As part of my work with the UNDP, last week, I met with officials from the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in Addis. The EHRC is a relatively new organization and is slowing developing its complaints system, allowing individuals, organizations and entities to file complaints for human rights violations. In Canada, human rights commissions are established by legislation which clearly stipulates the situations in which a commission can accept complaints. For instance, complaints can be lodged only if there is discrimination on a prohibited ground (i.e. race, sex, creed, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability etc.) in a specific context (i.e. in the context of employment, the provision of public services, housing etc.).
In Ethiopia, the EHRC is given a vast mandate allowing complaints for any violations of the Ethiopian Constitution. The Ethiopian Constitution is a robust instrument that provides a vast protection of rights in a vast number of areas. That there is an organization that allows individuals to make direct complaints against others based on constitutional violations is truly interesting. Furthermore, under the EHRC framework, individuals can file complaints against other individuals. The complaint framework does not have the same restrictions of prohibited ground and specific context as the Canadian models.
In my work with the EHRC, I am helping them with programming and planning for next year, including the development of projects which they can implement to further their mandate. The EHRC staff is an amazing group of people with lots of energy and enthusiasm and who believe in the promise of the EHRC to engender a culture of rights and their respect in Ethiopia.
In Ethiopia, the EHRC is given a vast mandate allowing complaints for any violations of the Ethiopian Constitution. The Ethiopian Constitution is a robust instrument that provides a vast protection of rights in a vast number of areas. That there is an organization that allows individuals to make direct complaints against others based on constitutional violations is truly interesting. Furthermore, under the EHRC framework, individuals can file complaints against other individuals. The complaint framework does not have the same restrictions of prohibited ground and specific context as the Canadian models.
In my work with the EHRC, I am helping them with programming and planning for next year, including the development of projects which they can implement to further their mandate. The EHRC staff is an amazing group of people with lots of energy and enthusiasm and who believe in the promise of the EHRC to engender a culture of rights and their respect in Ethiopia.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Merkato Mayhem
On Saturday afternoon, Mary, Eric and I went with Muligeta (one of our friends here) to visit the Merkato (which is Italian for “market”). The Merkato is the largest open air market in Africa and is about 7 square km with rows, and lanes and streets of stores and stalls selling everything from grains to spices to fabrics to jewellery to art to ceramics all in one area. The Merkato is the source of all goods in Addis and vendors and stores and galleries in other areas often sell goods they have purchased from the Merkato. It was like going straight to the source!
It also put my bargaining skills to the test, honed after many visits to India. You see, there are no price tags on items and the true price whether it is for goods or for cab fare is only arrived at after sometimes lengthy negotiations with the vendor or cabbie. It was great that Muligeta took us, because the Merkato is literally a maze of streets and alleys and foreigners are often taken advantage of by vendors who insist on selling goods at ridiculously high prices. It is also very crowded on Saturdays. Muligeta helped us determine the appropriate prices for goods and led us through the meandering streets. The Merkato is also notorious for its pick-pockets, so we were careful not to carry much money or any valuables.
It was such a fun afternoon – I really wish I could have taken some pictures of the market, but my camera battery died, plus pulling out a camera in the crowded market is literally like wearing a neon sign that says foreigner. Thanks so much Muligeta for taking us to the Merkato!
It also put my bargaining skills to the test, honed after many visits to India. You see, there are no price tags on items and the true price whether it is for goods or for cab fare is only arrived at after sometimes lengthy negotiations with the vendor or cabbie. It was great that Muligeta took us, because the Merkato is literally a maze of streets and alleys and foreigners are often taken advantage of by vendors who insist on selling goods at ridiculously high prices. It is also very crowded on Saturdays. Muligeta helped us determine the appropriate prices for goods and led us through the meandering streets. The Merkato is also notorious for its pick-pockets, so we were careful not to carry much money or any valuables.
It was such a fun afternoon – I really wish I could have taken some pictures of the market, but my camera battery died, plus pulling out a camera in the crowded market is literally like wearing a neon sign that says foreigner. Thanks so much Muligeta for taking us to the Merkato!
A Masquerade and A Splash of Colour
So, the parcel saga has a good ending. As I mentioned earlier, the parcel contained items for the children at the rehabilitation center at Menagesha including markers, pencil crayons, crayons, pastels, paper, poster board, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners and animal masks of various animals for all of the children. You see, after they have finished their rehabilitation at Menagesha, the children often leave and return or start school in their home community. I was worried, because the children do not have any art supplies or school supplies while they are learning at the rehabilitation center and when they return to full-time school in their home communities.
As such, my amazing cousin Asha in India purchased enough school supplies, art supplies, toys, and paper/animal masks for the children at Menagesha so that the arts and school programs at Menagesha could continue and the children could have some supplies to take with them when they left. My mom also sent items from Canada to my cousin Asha in India who packaged all of these valuable materials and sent them my way. Thank you so much Ashakka and Mom! You have truly brought a “splash of colour” into the lives of the children!
I delivered the items to the school on Saturday and the teachers and children were over the moon! The children immediately put on their masks (hence the ad hoc masquerade), tore the packages of markers open and began to draw and colour and paint as if compelled by some artistic spark or creative force. It was truly a sight to behold and tears welled up in my eyes as I witnessed the absolute jubilation in their eyes.
Later that morning, the Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia visited Menagesha, toured the facility and enjoyed a musical performance by the children who insisted on wearing their animal masks. The ambassador gifted the children with new backpacks and T-shirts! It was absolutely perfect, as the children had all they needed for their classes and their return to school after leaving Menagesha.
As such, my amazing cousin Asha in India purchased enough school supplies, art supplies, toys, and paper/animal masks for the children at Menagesha so that the arts and school programs at Menagesha could continue and the children could have some supplies to take with them when they left. My mom also sent items from Canada to my cousin Asha in India who packaged all of these valuable materials and sent them my way. Thank you so much Ashakka and Mom! You have truly brought a “splash of colour” into the lives of the children!
I delivered the items to the school on Saturday and the teachers and children were over the moon! The children immediately put on their masks (hence the ad hoc masquerade), tore the packages of markers open and began to draw and colour and paint as if compelled by some artistic spark or creative force. It was truly a sight to behold and tears welled up in my eyes as I witnessed the absolute jubilation in their eyes.
Later that morning, the Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia visited Menagesha, toured the facility and enjoyed a musical performance by the children who insisted on wearing their animal masks. The ambassador gifted the children with new backpacks and T-shirts! It was absolutely perfect, as the children had all they needed for their classes and their return to school after leaving Menagesha.
Going Nowhere via Express Post
My family in India mailed me a parcel over two weeks ago and this past Friday after multiple trips to the post office/courier office, I made one final trip to the local courier office to enquire about the status of my parcel. My family had sent arts supplies and toys for the children I teach at Menagesha on Saturdays and also some tasty treats such as Badam Halwa (an almond dessert with saffron) – which is my grandmother’s specialty.
You see, in Ethiopia, there are no street addresses and by owning a house, you do not automatically get to receive mail from the Ethiopian postal authority. You must have a separate PO Box. The house that we are renting in Addis does not have a post office box and our landlord indicated that he has applied for one, but it has been quite some time and he still has not heard. As such, I had my family in India mail the parcel to my office. In the past, the post office would call once the parcel arrived and deliver it to my office.
Let’s just say that this time, something a little different happened.
After multiple trips to post office, I discovered that the parcel had actually been sitting there for over a week but nobody had sent a notice to indicate the parcel’s arrival. When I politely asked why nobody contacted me with a notice to let me know the parcel had arrived, I was faced with an angry manager who yelled at me, telling me that they did send a notice and that I simply chose to ignore it. I assured him that I checked with the staff at the office and that we had received no such notice. He told me that he would prove to me it was sent. As he scurried off in a dramatic flourish, another man tapped me on my shoulder and asked me to follow him for a moment. He told me, “I have to get my job done and then go. You deal with your issues later.” I had no idea what he was talking about. I followed him to a corner of the room where the parcel was on the floor. He asked me if it was my parcel, to which I said it was. He said that he had been called to inspect it and proceeded to rip the box open throwing the contents about the room with items landing on the floor.
It was like one of those moments on Ally McBeal back in the day when Ally would see the dancing baby. I was having a complete out-of-body experience as my parcel flew about me – all the while thinking – “this cannot really be happening can it?” Midway through his merciless search, he finally indicated that he was a customs officer and asked if there were any electronic items in the parcel that should be subject to duty. I bleated out “no only pencil crayons and almond halwa”. Disregarding my response, he turned to the parcel with renewed vigour in the dogged pursuit of electronic items. When he found none, he stuffed the items into the shredded box and added one piece of tape to bind it shut, sauntering off with a bounce in his step. If he had a mustache, I would picture him twirling it like Jafar from Aladdin.
After this debacle, I returned to the other desk where the manager and the postal employees were going all CSI in their efforts to prove that they had sent a notice to my office indicating the parcel was here. You see, there are no computer systems at the post office. Parcels are recorded in a large notebook and the notices are filled out by hand. Thousands of parcels arrive daily and the records are all kept in notebook after notebook after notebook.
Finally, after 15 minutes of searching, they came to the conclusion that the notice was never sent and that the parcel had been sitting here idle for over a week. They made no attempt at that stage to apologize and I kindly asked to speak to their manager to explain the situation. Noticing that I did not intend to leave until I spoke with someone, they asked me to move to another room so that we could all collectively figure out a solution. So my shredded parcel and I made our way to the adjoining office. Onlookers in the packed foyer / hall of the post office stared in amusement as if to say in their most condescending voice “Look at the sad farenji and his shredded parcel.”
When I arrived at the office, still in a state of shock at the angry manner at which the manager yelled at me earlier and the customs officer ripped up my box, I was told by the manager that the boss would arrive. One hour later, there was still no sign of the “Boss”. With all the mystery in which this “boss” was shrouded, I half expected Bruce Springsteen to show up and break into song or for an Ethiopian Ashton Kutcher to emerge and yell PUNKED! After repeated calls, the “Boss” showed up and was apprised of the situation by the other employees who huddled around her in a corner.
Suddenly she stepped forward and said that I should have some tea or water or coffee, as if that was why I waited for over an hour. She kept insisting and finally pressed a 1 liter water bottle into my hands. I simply told her that I wanted to let her know what happened and how I was treated.
She indicated that the relevant employees would be severely “punished” which shocked me! All I was hoping for was an actual apology or a partial refund on some of the shipping/courier charges as the parcel did not arrive in the time period promised by the postal authority. You see, this response of “punishing” unrelated employees is fairly typical here. When we had an awful stay at the Summerland in Bahir Dar in September and spoke with the manager, his only response was that he was going to punish someone. Punishment of an unrelated employee seems to be the way that suggestions or comments from the public are handled and I find that extremely troubling.
I told her that by no means did I want an employee punished, but that I simply wanted to report what happened earlier. She laughed at my naivete as if to say, “Silly Rabbit, Trix are for Kids.” After I made her promise that nobody would be “punished”, she informed me that she would come to my office on Monday to discuss in detail what they would do to rectify the situation and to remedy the poor treatment I had received in the post office. She kept inexplicably laughing and all of the employees kept saying things about me in Amharic. Let’s just say, I don’t think they were saying nice things.
I hobbled out of the office with my new bottle of water in one hand, dragging my shredded parcel thinking – stuff like this only ever happens to me.
Monday came and went.
No sign of a visit from the manager.
I called her and said that I no longer wished to discuss this matter – let’s just leave it alone. I asked her not to worry about it. She laughed her signature laugh as if to say, “I won” and assured me that nobody would be punished.
I hung up, leaned back in my chair, and sipped my newly acquired bottle of water, laughing at the lunacy of the situation. Ahhhh….good times.
You see, in Ethiopia, there are no street addresses and by owning a house, you do not automatically get to receive mail from the Ethiopian postal authority. You must have a separate PO Box. The house that we are renting in Addis does not have a post office box and our landlord indicated that he has applied for one, but it has been quite some time and he still has not heard. As such, I had my family in India mail the parcel to my office. In the past, the post office would call once the parcel arrived and deliver it to my office.
Let’s just say that this time, something a little different happened.
After multiple trips to post office, I discovered that the parcel had actually been sitting there for over a week but nobody had sent a notice to indicate the parcel’s arrival. When I politely asked why nobody contacted me with a notice to let me know the parcel had arrived, I was faced with an angry manager who yelled at me, telling me that they did send a notice and that I simply chose to ignore it. I assured him that I checked with the staff at the office and that we had received no such notice. He told me that he would prove to me it was sent. As he scurried off in a dramatic flourish, another man tapped me on my shoulder and asked me to follow him for a moment. He told me, “I have to get my job done and then go. You deal with your issues later.” I had no idea what he was talking about. I followed him to a corner of the room where the parcel was on the floor. He asked me if it was my parcel, to which I said it was. He said that he had been called to inspect it and proceeded to rip the box open throwing the contents about the room with items landing on the floor.
It was like one of those moments on Ally McBeal back in the day when Ally would see the dancing baby. I was having a complete out-of-body experience as my parcel flew about me – all the while thinking – “this cannot really be happening can it?” Midway through his merciless search, he finally indicated that he was a customs officer and asked if there were any electronic items in the parcel that should be subject to duty. I bleated out “no only pencil crayons and almond halwa”. Disregarding my response, he turned to the parcel with renewed vigour in the dogged pursuit of electronic items. When he found none, he stuffed the items into the shredded box and added one piece of tape to bind it shut, sauntering off with a bounce in his step. If he had a mustache, I would picture him twirling it like Jafar from Aladdin.
After this debacle, I returned to the other desk where the manager and the postal employees were going all CSI in their efforts to prove that they had sent a notice to my office indicating the parcel was here. You see, there are no computer systems at the post office. Parcels are recorded in a large notebook and the notices are filled out by hand. Thousands of parcels arrive daily and the records are all kept in notebook after notebook after notebook.
Finally, after 15 minutes of searching, they came to the conclusion that the notice was never sent and that the parcel had been sitting here idle for over a week. They made no attempt at that stage to apologize and I kindly asked to speak to their manager to explain the situation. Noticing that I did not intend to leave until I spoke with someone, they asked me to move to another room so that we could all collectively figure out a solution. So my shredded parcel and I made our way to the adjoining office. Onlookers in the packed foyer / hall of the post office stared in amusement as if to say in their most condescending voice “Look at the sad farenji and his shredded parcel.”
When I arrived at the office, still in a state of shock at the angry manner at which the manager yelled at me earlier and the customs officer ripped up my box, I was told by the manager that the boss would arrive. One hour later, there was still no sign of the “Boss”. With all the mystery in which this “boss” was shrouded, I half expected Bruce Springsteen to show up and break into song or for an Ethiopian Ashton Kutcher to emerge and yell PUNKED! After repeated calls, the “Boss” showed up and was apprised of the situation by the other employees who huddled around her in a corner.
Suddenly she stepped forward and said that I should have some tea or water or coffee, as if that was why I waited for over an hour. She kept insisting and finally pressed a 1 liter water bottle into my hands. I simply told her that I wanted to let her know what happened and how I was treated.
She indicated that the relevant employees would be severely “punished” which shocked me! All I was hoping for was an actual apology or a partial refund on some of the shipping/courier charges as the parcel did not arrive in the time period promised by the postal authority. You see, this response of “punishing” unrelated employees is fairly typical here. When we had an awful stay at the Summerland in Bahir Dar in September and spoke with the manager, his only response was that he was going to punish someone. Punishment of an unrelated employee seems to be the way that suggestions or comments from the public are handled and I find that extremely troubling.
I told her that by no means did I want an employee punished, but that I simply wanted to report what happened earlier. She laughed at my naivete as if to say, “Silly Rabbit, Trix are for Kids.” After I made her promise that nobody would be “punished”, she informed me that she would come to my office on Monday to discuss in detail what they would do to rectify the situation and to remedy the poor treatment I had received in the post office. She kept inexplicably laughing and all of the employees kept saying things about me in Amharic. Let’s just say, I don’t think they were saying nice things.
I hobbled out of the office with my new bottle of water in one hand, dragging my shredded parcel thinking – stuff like this only ever happens to me.
Monday came and went.
No sign of a visit from the manager.
I called her and said that I no longer wished to discuss this matter – let’s just leave it alone. I asked her not to worry about it. She laughed her signature laugh as if to say, “I won” and assured me that nobody would be punished.
I hung up, leaned back in my chair, and sipped my newly acquired bottle of water, laughing at the lunacy of the situation. Ahhhh….good times.
Law and Economic Development Conference
On Thursday, November 13, 2008, I attended the Law and Economic Development Conference hosted by DLA Piper (a huge international law firm) and Addis Ababa University Faculty of Law. The conference touched on a number of important topics including forms of dispute resolution in the promotion of economic development, microfinance: finance for entrepreneurs and supporting local development initiatives through these new institutions of economic support, and legal infrastructure for development. The conference brought together leading academics in Ethiopia, international lawyers and microfinance experts! You see, I am typically scared by any economic-type conference because the topics usually fly way over my head. However, this conference was very interesting and really tied together the role of economic development with empowering marginalized groups, promoting robust justice frameworks, and engendering a culture of respect for human rights.
DLA Piper and Addis Ababa Law School have entered into a very interesting and nuanced partnership relationship under DLA Piper’s Pro-Bono and International Development Department called New Perimeter which sees the law firm providing the law school with international instructors, valuable resource materials for the library, and programmatic and institutional support. The website for this partnership program can be found at http://www.newperimeter.com.
As an added bonus, this conference was at the beautiful Sheraton Addis and there was a full meal service at lunch, ample coffee breaks and treats and extremely opulent surroundings.
Confession time: I have been traveling to the Sheraton most Fridays at lunch. I eat my packed lunch at the office and then take a novel/book to the Sheraton to either read in the gardens or to read on one of the comfy couches/chairs in one of the many fancy lobbies. So, at this conference, it was finally nice to actually have a legitimate reason to visit the Sheraton.
Confession time (part deux): I ate 3 danishes at the morning coffee break and enjoyed multiple glasses of juice. I also made sure to have multiple samosas at the closing reception. I felt like I was back in law school, where as students, we would always attend the various receptions and enjoy the food and drink so that we did not have to worry about cooking dinner when we got home (Shout out especially to the grilled vegetables and the basil pesto with bread). Let’s just say that I employed a similar strategy at this conference in that I ate enough to last me for at least a day after the conference concluded.
DLA Piper and Addis Ababa Law School have entered into a very interesting and nuanced partnership relationship under DLA Piper’s Pro-Bono and International Development Department called New Perimeter which sees the law firm providing the law school with international instructors, valuable resource materials for the library, and programmatic and institutional support. The website for this partnership program can be found at http://www.newperimeter.com.
As an added bonus, this conference was at the beautiful Sheraton Addis and there was a full meal service at lunch, ample coffee breaks and treats and extremely opulent surroundings.
Confession time: I have been traveling to the Sheraton most Fridays at lunch. I eat my packed lunch at the office and then take a novel/book to the Sheraton to either read in the gardens or to read on one of the comfy couches/chairs in one of the many fancy lobbies. So, at this conference, it was finally nice to actually have a legitimate reason to visit the Sheraton.
Confession time (part deux): I ate 3 danishes at the morning coffee break and enjoyed multiple glasses of juice. I also made sure to have multiple samosas at the closing reception. I felt like I was back in law school, where as students, we would always attend the various receptions and enjoy the food and drink so that we did not have to worry about cooking dinner when we got home (Shout out especially to the grilled vegetables and the basil pesto with bread). Let’s just say that I employed a similar strategy at this conference in that I ate enough to last me for at least a day after the conference concluded.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Fasika Fabulousness
On Saturday night, after I returned from Menagesha, I went out for dinner with Mary, Eric, Terefe, Yeshi, Sehen and her mother to Fasika, a traditional Ethiopian restaurant that has become a very popular eatery and hotspot with both locals and farenjis (foreigners). You see, in addition to boasting traditional Ethiopian cuisine, Fasika has live music and live dance performances for you to enjoy while you eat your dinner. The music was a combination of fast beats and slow ballads with traditional stringed instruments and drums and vibrant vocalists. The dances were from all regions of Ethiopia and the costumes were colourful!
The ambience was absolutely amazing – there was traditional artwork and furniture. We sat on couches instead of the typical restaurant with chairs and tables. They served fresh popcorn (Yay!) with the coffee and all of the servers were decked out in various regional manifestations of traditional Ethiopian attire!
In terms of food, I had the “fasting plate” (which is one of the only vegetarian options at the restaurant) but contrary to its name, there was enough food to serve at least 4 people. The plate is covered with a large piece of injera (Ethiopian fermented, flatbread made of teff) and covered with various vegetable preparations including shiro (a chic peas puree/gravy with spices), lentils, potatoes and carrots, cabbage, chic peas, and fasting fir fir. I enjoyed the meal! Thanks so much to Sehen and her mother who picked up the entire tab and treated us to such a lovely feast!
The ambience was absolutely amazing – there was traditional artwork and furniture. We sat on couches instead of the typical restaurant with chairs and tables. They served fresh popcorn (Yay!) with the coffee and all of the servers were decked out in various regional manifestations of traditional Ethiopian attire!
In terms of food, I had the “fasting plate” (which is one of the only vegetarian options at the restaurant) but contrary to its name, there was enough food to serve at least 4 people. The plate is covered with a large piece of injera (Ethiopian fermented, flatbread made of teff) and covered with various vegetable preparations including shiro (a chic peas puree/gravy with spices), lentils, potatoes and carrots, cabbage, chic peas, and fasting fir fir. I enjoyed the meal! Thanks so much to Sehen and her mother who picked up the entire tab and treated us to such a lovely feast!
WalkAbility 2008
On Saturday morning, I woke up bright and early at 4:30 AM to catch the employee bus departing for Menagesha. The bus left an hour earlier than usual because it was the annual Cheshire Services Ethiopia Walk - WalkAbility 2008. This walk is a 21 km hike through the countryside surrounding Menagesha, allowing walkers to a) support disability rights and the services offered by Cheshire and b) enjoy the rugged terrain and beautiful landscape of rural Ethiopia.
Upon arrival, I marveled at how lovely the grounds looked that morning! There were multi-coloured tents set up on the grass with different tables and stations at each. There was a huge food tent, as the Hilton Addis Ababa was sponsoring the luncheon for all of the participants. There was a volleyball court and many other activities for the participants. Luckily, the weather was relatively cooperative: the rain stayed away that morning but it was super cold. Well, you win some, you lose some, I guess.
I served as the co-MC (Master of Ceremonies) for the event with Ayu, one of the social workers at Menagesha. I was to make the announcements and introductions in English and Ayu was to make corresponding announcements in Amharic. As soon as I arrived in Menagesha at 7 AM, I met with Ayu and we began hashing out exactly what we wanted to say as part of our MCing duties. We had prepared some important background information on Cheshire, its rehabilitation center and Menagesha and its various programs and services in Ethiopia. We also shouted words of encouragement into the PA system when runners returned back after the long journey!
We also set up an ad-hoc “talk show” at the MC table. Now, I do not want to exaggerate the extent of our talk show. Let’s just say we were more community radio (Wake Up Wakefield) than Oprah Winfrey. I have to admit that the whole time it felt like we were in the cast of the latest Christopher Guest film (i.e. Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, For Your Consideration) or on a really odd episode of Punk’d. We interviewed returning runners and asked them about their experience. The first runner to return had won the race the past three years running (no pun intended). One of the top 5 winners was an inspirational 11-year old boy from Addis who was participating in the run/walk for the very first time. He was so pleased to talk to the crowd about his experience on the run/walk and was really looking forward to telling his classmates on Monday that he completed the run!
Also, all of the participants and children were given T-shirts that said WalkAbility 2008. The only downside to the T-shirts was that they had the unfortunate characteristic of bleeding colours as soon as the T-shirt got remotely wet. Eeps. Memo to all participants: make sure to wash your colours and whites separately!
I also took my camera to Cheshire for the first time this weekend to take some pictures of the center and the various WalkAbility events! I have to say that the children were over the moon when they saw the camera. They all wanted their very own picture and would push other kids out of the frame just before the camera clicked so as to be the “star”! They also wanted me to take tons of group pictures and asked that I give them a copy when I had a chance. As soon as I clicked the camera, they would rush me like a group of football players on the verge of at tackle to see the picture on the viewfinder/screen!
After the run was completed, there were a number of events for the various participants including a tug of war competition between the various corporate sponsors. There was also a pot breaking competition which is similar to a piñata, where a blind-folded participant swings a bat with the hope of breaking a terra-cotta earthen pot. The only downside is that unlike a piñata, there is no candy or money inside. The handicrafts made by the children were proudly displayed and were sold so as to raise funds for the arts and crafts programs. The children also performed a series of group songs for the crowd and got everyone up and moving! They also staged traditional dances which are typically done using sticks which the participants hit against each other. Instead of sticks, the children used their crutches. The children in wheelchairs moved to the beat of the music and joined in the burgeoning chorus of vocalists! It was absolutely wonderful!
All in all, the event was a tremendous success, drawing out nearly 200 participants to take part in the walk/run and resulting in increased funding for the organization’s programs. I was so grateful to have been a part of this event and celebrate with Cheshire!
Upon arrival, I marveled at how lovely the grounds looked that morning! There were multi-coloured tents set up on the grass with different tables and stations at each. There was a huge food tent, as the Hilton Addis Ababa was sponsoring the luncheon for all of the participants. There was a volleyball court and many other activities for the participants. Luckily, the weather was relatively cooperative: the rain stayed away that morning but it was super cold. Well, you win some, you lose some, I guess.
I served as the co-MC (Master of Ceremonies) for the event with Ayu, one of the social workers at Menagesha. I was to make the announcements and introductions in English and Ayu was to make corresponding announcements in Amharic. As soon as I arrived in Menagesha at 7 AM, I met with Ayu and we began hashing out exactly what we wanted to say as part of our MCing duties. We had prepared some important background information on Cheshire, its rehabilitation center and Menagesha and its various programs and services in Ethiopia. We also shouted words of encouragement into the PA system when runners returned back after the long journey!
We also set up an ad-hoc “talk show” at the MC table. Now, I do not want to exaggerate the extent of our talk show. Let’s just say we were more community radio (Wake Up Wakefield) than Oprah Winfrey. I have to admit that the whole time it felt like we were in the cast of the latest Christopher Guest film (i.e. Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, For Your Consideration) or on a really odd episode of Punk’d. We interviewed returning runners and asked them about their experience. The first runner to return had won the race the past three years running (no pun intended). One of the top 5 winners was an inspirational 11-year old boy from Addis who was participating in the run/walk for the very first time. He was so pleased to talk to the crowd about his experience on the run/walk and was really looking forward to telling his classmates on Monday that he completed the run!
Also, all of the participants and children were given T-shirts that said WalkAbility 2008. The only downside to the T-shirts was that they had the unfortunate characteristic of bleeding colours as soon as the T-shirt got remotely wet. Eeps. Memo to all participants: make sure to wash your colours and whites separately!
I also took my camera to Cheshire for the first time this weekend to take some pictures of the center and the various WalkAbility events! I have to say that the children were over the moon when they saw the camera. They all wanted their very own picture and would push other kids out of the frame just before the camera clicked so as to be the “star”! They also wanted me to take tons of group pictures and asked that I give them a copy when I had a chance. As soon as I clicked the camera, they would rush me like a group of football players on the verge of at tackle to see the picture on the viewfinder/screen!
After the run was completed, there were a number of events for the various participants including a tug of war competition between the various corporate sponsors. There was also a pot breaking competition which is similar to a piñata, where a blind-folded participant swings a bat with the hope of breaking a terra-cotta earthen pot. The only downside is that unlike a piñata, there is no candy or money inside. The handicrafts made by the children were proudly displayed and were sold so as to raise funds for the arts and crafts programs. The children also performed a series of group songs for the crowd and got everyone up and moving! They also staged traditional dances which are typically done using sticks which the participants hit against each other. Instead of sticks, the children used their crutches. The children in wheelchairs moved to the beat of the music and joined in the burgeoning chorus of vocalists! It was absolutely wonderful!
All in all, the event was a tremendous success, drawing out nearly 200 participants to take part in the walk/run and resulting in increased funding for the organization’s programs. I was so grateful to have been a part of this event and celebrate with Cheshire!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Change We Can Believe In
I woke up this morning (Wednesday, November 05, 2008) at 5 AM to watch the U.S. election results come in live. I was flipping the channels back and forth between BBC, ABC News, France 24 etc. to see the different takes on the election campaign so far and the results. I have to admit that I have not been this emotionally and politically invested in an election campaign for a very long time. I tried to understand my interest in this election. Was it because I am an election junkie? Was it because I called New York City home for close to a year? Was it because the issues affecting the American populace were issues that had import to everyone as global citizens? Was it the charisma, character, compassion and confidence that Obama exuded? Was it the historic nature of this election – with Obama having the potential to become the first African American President of the United States? It was a combination of these factors. However, as I watched the results come in, it was so much more.
I was taken aback by how emotional I was as the results came in and as Obama delivered his moving, stirring, and deeply resonant acceptance speech. I was verklempt as the camera scanned crowds across America tuning in to the results, tears streaming down their faces, elated not simply because their candidate won but because before their very eyes something truly momentous was happening. This moment, in American history, and indeed in world history is so much bigger than the end of a campaign and the commencement of a new government. This moment symbolizes the possibility that each and every one of us have the chance to realize our dreams.
This past weekend, I just finished reading his book, the Audacity of Hope and have been impressed with how his message throughout the campaign has remained consistent with his core values, his sense of integrity, his spirit of cooperation, and his commitment to human rights and justice. It is rare, in a world of politicians, so quick to pursue the negative and abandon their beliefs for the allure of votes, that Barack Obama has inspired a nation with his positive spirit, his sense of optimism and hope, and his unwavering belief that at the end of the day, the most important message is one of love, compassion and understanding.
In addition to capturing the hearts and minds of the American people, I am impressed by how Obama has managed to truly capture the collective consciousness of the international community. The television coverage today showed celebrations in Kenya and around the world. There have been Obama posters, T-shirts and bumper stickers all over Addis Ababa for the past several months. For the first time in my memory, these elections have captured the world’s attention not simply because of the U.S. importance in international affairs, but because there has been a person who has singularly transcended political rhetoric to inspire people all over the world by his message and by his example.
As my father wrote to me this morning in an email regarding the wonderful results: History is Made. On so many levels, that is something truly amazing!
I was taken aback by how emotional I was as the results came in and as Obama delivered his moving, stirring, and deeply resonant acceptance speech. I was verklempt as the camera scanned crowds across America tuning in to the results, tears streaming down their faces, elated not simply because their candidate won but because before their very eyes something truly momentous was happening. This moment, in American history, and indeed in world history is so much bigger than the end of a campaign and the commencement of a new government. This moment symbolizes the possibility that each and every one of us have the chance to realize our dreams.
This past weekend, I just finished reading his book, the Audacity of Hope and have been impressed with how his message throughout the campaign has remained consistent with his core values, his sense of integrity, his spirit of cooperation, and his commitment to human rights and justice. It is rare, in a world of politicians, so quick to pursue the negative and abandon their beliefs for the allure of votes, that Barack Obama has inspired a nation with his positive spirit, his sense of optimism and hope, and his unwavering belief that at the end of the day, the most important message is one of love, compassion and understanding.
In addition to capturing the hearts and minds of the American people, I am impressed by how Obama has managed to truly capture the collective consciousness of the international community. The television coverage today showed celebrations in Kenya and around the world. There have been Obama posters, T-shirts and bumper stickers all over Addis Ababa for the past several months. For the first time in my memory, these elections have captured the world’s attention not simply because of the U.S. importance in international affairs, but because there has been a person who has singularly transcended political rhetoric to inspire people all over the world by his message and by his example.
As my father wrote to me this morning in an email regarding the wonderful results: History is Made. On so many levels, that is something truly amazing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)