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Update - 18th September 2005

FUN FROM THE FIELD 8
The other day I turned up for a meeting at what I thought was the scheduled time only to find that I was the only one present. Not wrong times again surely, I asked myself. You see there is a different time system in Ethiopia. When we (the forengi) make a meeting for 10.30 am it means 10.30 in the morning. In Ethiopian time 10.30 means 2.30 in the afternoon. I must have forgotten to say “your time or my time”? So one has to be ever watchful.

To complicate matters further the Ethiopian Calendar is totally different to the European calendar. Last weekend we celebrated New Years Day. Yes last Sunday was equivalent to our January the 1st and last Saturday was New Years Eve. The celebrations however are somewhat similar to ours. On New Years Eve there was a dinner at the home of one of former Ethiopian Colleagues with old friends then off to a night spot for singing and dancing. I spent Sunday at the home of one of my work colleagues who had ‘open house’ - sharing of food, drinks and of course a coffee ceremony. It was also the birthday of his seven year old daughter. So birthday cake and singing of happy birthday. A very pleasant relaxing day.

Back to the calendar difference. When one gets a report or whatever there is also the question of “what year is this - your year or my year”? Ethiopia boasts of having 13 months of sunshine. Not totally accurate but certainly there is quite a lot of sun. We have not had rain for a couple of days so the rains may have stopped for this season. Some people are adamant that the rains stop on September 1st. Not always but usually by about mid-September. There is an optimistic air within the general population as it has been a good year for the farmer and everybody realizes the importance of farmers getting good crops.

During this past week I was also part of another milestone in the history of the disability movement here in Tigray - the inaugural meeting of the Association of Women with Disabilities. Women with all types of disabilities came to Mekelle from different areas of Tigray - the blind, the deaf, in wheelchairs, on crutches, some with babies on their backs, some in western style dress but most in the traditional white kemish some sparkling white- others not so white as it was apparent that many of the women were among the poorest in society.

Tigrayan women generally are strong. They have to be to exist. Tigrayan women with disabilities have to be even stronger to survive. As in many countries women with disabilities are often abused by their husbands and other men. They are often divorced and are left to look after the children. Many women do not marry as they are not considered part of society. It is difficult to earn an income and many are reduced to begging.

The meeting took all day. I was asked to share my experiences of women with disabilities in other countries and also of the work I was doing with women in Tigray many years ago. Some of the ex women disabled combatants were among the participants whom we knew at Wad Medani, in the Sudan, some 18 years ago.

It was quite an amazing day as I think that nearly every woman present expressed an opinion. After the By-Laws were accepted, following extensive debates, the Association became official.

Many of the women told their own stories and gave many reasons why they should be organized.

• “When you are organized your voice is heard”
• “There must be changes for women with disabilities in the years ahead”
• “We must strive to make sure the Employment Proclamation concerning people with disabilities is implemented”
• “We must struggle for our rights”
• “We must strive for equal opportunities”

I believe they will be a VOICE TO BE HEARD in the future.

Helen P
18th September 2005