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Update - 8th October 2005

FUN FROM THE FIELD 11:

I was sitting checking my emails the other day, in one of my three favourite internet shops, when the lady of the shop brought me a cup of coffee and some hambusha. It was such a pleasant and welcome surprise. It was lunch time and I was getting rather ‘peckish' and thirsty. It is often the little things that mean so much isn't it. I read somewhere recently that it is often the unexpected that bring us joy. So often we tend to strive for something that will give us pleasure or satisfaction and it doesn't happen whereas joy is a value that often comes when we least expect it.

Do you have a favourite attribute that you place higher than others. I think I do. Courage looms high on my horizon. In different shapes and forms. The courage to believe in your convictions and fight for them. This has been brought home to me so much during the past few weeks as I have witnessed time and time again the ‘little people' - my favourite people - little in terms of those who don't occupy some nice official position or who are striving for status or whatever most of us are striving for. Those who go through each day doing the things that one needs to do to survive but still having the energy and conviction to stand up and have their say at a meeting or in a discussion. I am not sure if I told you about Gennet, an ex-leprosy patient, who told her story at a recent meeting ”The people in the village laughed when I was given a plot of land but now they have stopped laughing when they see my chickens and all the things I grow”. Strong lady.

Gebremeskal came to see me yesterday. A tall, regal, rather elderly blind man. He has been a teacher for twenty eight years. Like many others he was educated at a school for the blind in Asmara and then trained as a teacher in Addis. There are over 600 blind teachers in Ethiopia which is quite a number and apparently is the highest in the world. A record to be justly proud of. I asked Gebremeskal what message he would give to any young blind folk. He said “there will be lots of ups and downs but you need to face up to the various challenges”. Perhaps it does not only apply to blind persons.

An old man waits close to the rubbish container not far from my house. I was doing somewhat of a clean-up this morning. Getting rid of all the bottles, a sure sign of my degenerate lifestyle (I am having the Team arrive soon so must be on my best behavior) I succumbed to the local wine!!!! However, back to my old man. He saw me approaching (actually it was only three bottles), with the bottles plus some plastic bags and other bits and pieces. I gave him the bottles, rather tentatively, as I find it so difficult to give ‘left-overs' to people. He blessed me which made me feel even worse. When I turned around, after I got to my gate, he was busy filling up a bag with other bits and pieces as well. I wondered about his story.

The past week has seen the regional ‘pollies' meeting to elect a new Regional Parliament and Council. This is the start of the next five year term. Some regional bureaus (equivalent to departmental ministries) have been merged, renamed and so on with new Heads being appointed in some cases. We are waiting to see how the changes will affect some of the work we have been doing. Probably not a great deal but it may be necessary to make some changes to our proposed strategy.

There has been a decentralization process going on for some time. Decision-making has been devolved to the weredas (districts) who are given an annual budget from regional coffers (who get an allocation from the Federal budget plus local taxes). The wereda authorities decide how the lump sum will be apportioned. e.g. education, agriculture, whatever. There are however criteria set down plus national programs such as the Food Production Safety Net that has been designed for food deficient districts to ensure that the most vulnerable get support. It is based on cash payments for work performed such as road works, environmental projects, or any community projects that fit the criteria. So the ‘fit' people in the rural areas work on these projects, men and women with assistance also being given to those who can't work on heavy physical labouring e.g. ‘preggie' women, the elderly and more seriously disabled. We have been working closely with the authorities, who are administering this program, to ensure that the more active disabled are included in the allocations for work. This type of ‘awareness-raising' has been a major part of our work.

Take care,
Helen
8th October 2005