2013-2014 Mudula Construction Projects

The second installment of our last day in Kembata Tembaro.

We made our way to Mudula to meet with the local officials, visit the Degale library build site, and further pin-down where we will be building next year’s KG/library.  Our first visit was with Ato Desta at the local worader office. Ejigu and I have a long and positive history with Ato Desta, so it was nice to catch up with him and his assistant.  We spent nearly 40 minutes talking through this year’s accomplishments and next year’s Mudula based projects.  Desta and his office are very supportive of the planned work, and our proving to be the most reliable officials Ejigu and I have worked with to date. 

Since Ejigu and I's first visit 6 months ago, Desta and ER have worked together deciding where the One Moon KG will be placed.  Through the process we have made sure to involve many layers of the local community.  His office personnel,  Ejigu and I have traveled to numerous communities in the area to preform ER’s needs assessments.  The process involves many steps, some of which are visiting the community, meeting village elders and community leaders to discuss demographics, population numbers, and land availability.  We have come to identify the obvious; KG's are needed everywhere.  Thus placement is critical.  

Within 18 kms going south of Mudula, there are 6 different communities ranging in size from 2- 4,000.  We spent time in each of these communities and found that each's population could nearly fill a KG on its own.  Families from communities like Koatana, Ferzano and Sigazoo seem to have 7 children on average, and those children have next to no opportunities for early childhood education.  When the children reach the age of 5 or 6 they can then start making the pilgrimage to either Mudula's  1-8 schools or Ferzano's.  The 12 or so km's between, offer nothing outside of a few scattered locations for informal and irregular and preschool tutorials.  The need is everywhere... but available land is not.

Mudula and its surrounding communities are snugly tucked within SW Ethiopia’s densely wooded and farmed highlands.  Open unused flat spaces are almost nonexistent, and for good reason.  Timber is coveted, and agriculture largely sustains the families of the region.  The few meda's (open field) that do exist, are owned by a very select few that sadly have no interest in giving up their prized grazing areas.  Ideally the KG would be located in between Ferzano and Mudula, but there is simply no where to build but the schools 45- 40 meter (minimum) foot print.  So ER, the worader office  and the south of Mudula communities are discussing whether the best location is within Ferzano's very large 1-8 compound.  We at ER feel that the location meets all of our KG/library criteria, and the community and worader office will finalize their own decision in next month’s mahabar (town hall like meeting).  I’ll be sure to share.

One thing to note (because those familiar with how Ethiopia politics work are probably shaking their head thinking the community will have little to say in such matters), Ato Desta went out of his way to tell Ejigu and I that especially when working in education, involving the community is key; because as he put it, without popular community support any school will fail.  A strong sentiment that hits home with ERs field team.  

We spent an hour re-visiting the Ferzano school compound and meeting with school officials and teachers. Plenty of the following photos will help you get a feel of the potential site.

On the way out we also made sure to visit the Degale library site.  The land is ready to be fenced in, and Ato Desta assured Ejigu and I there would be no issues in starting that work before the raining season.  Another very positive trip to Mudula.

Meeting with the head Worader official Ato Desta  and his assistant... also named Desta

Everyone's favorite tree... Sorry just a lazy drive by 

The usual greetings 

Meeting the school director 

Potential KG land for next years build

The school's compound is set up similar to Azedabo's.  Lots of farmland rented
out to the local community to help finance some of the school's costs

Taking numbers of students, teachers, and dropout rates 

Ferzano's very small and under-stocked library 

Close enough...

I dont think many folks in Ethiopia feel the same way

Talking shop outside a home sometimes used for informal KG schooling

The Degale library space. 

Covered Walkway

Last couple days of work are consumed with cleaning, paint touch ups, and the last of the cement.  Today, 12 of us dedicated our days to either mixing, carrying our applying the top coat of cement in the covered walkways.  The rest beautified the buildings and the grounds they are perched on.

Tafassa and Tashala smoothing out the top coat 

Not what you think of when one says rural african build

All the posts will be cleaned of their cement dust tomorrow afternoon

Proud of our days work

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Boomshockalaka

Ethiopia has got a knack for the art of getting even.  All is going peachy keen and then you wake up to a rat in the bed, or your waiters always take the to liberty to tip themselves through providing improper change, and then you got your bacterial infections…   My buddy Xavier and I (the tall fella that helped me out with Kololo last year for a few months) used to refer to this concept (more of a reality for the two of us) as a seemingly unwinnable game.  Ethiopia is the Harlem Globetrotters, and we are  their perpetual foe. 

To outsiders of living a rural habasha life as a ferengi, this stance may come off as negative way to look at things.  But then again, if you lived through some of the events that X had the misfortune of suffering through, you might also feel like that you were getting worked over in the paint to no avail.   Hopefully X chimes in on the comment section.

I've always done my best not to dwell on the things that go wrong, I honestly at this point expect them to.  When they don’t, I'm content, when they do, well that’s just another poster-izing clip for ESPNs Sportcenter highlight real.  That all said, things are going great out here.  We have our daily problems, and sometimes pretty huge issues arise, though we're mostly accustomed to the precarious ebb and flow of our work. 

Today I got dunked on pretty viciously; a mammoth crowbar fell out of the sky and landed on my back.  I had it coming; the roof is now finished and we started the second layer of cob.

Take a gander at that buttery finish 

Lolo being lolo

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A trip down to Azedebo

The following entry is offered up by Jim Mitchum, an avid Ethiopia Reads supporter that was kind enough to pay the Azedebo community a visit a couple weeks back.  He's more then a tad flattering when it comes to descriptions .. shucks, thanks Jim.

Wede bollager eheadallo (Down country I am going) by Jim Mitchum 

We are driving down a bumpy asphalt road about 150 miles south of Addis and come to a complete stop for a herd of sheep walking in the opposite direction. Nothing unusual in that. It's taken about 4 hours to get this far, and we still have a ways to go in our hired Toyota van driven by a nice guy named Tesfai. We swerve around women bent over with enormous burdens on their back (usually firewood) and sometimes there are donkeys carrying the same. Not much difference here between a woman and a donkey other than the donkey can carry a bit more. You don't see many men carrying burdens...probably too busy doing manly things.

It's getting warm now and not a cloud in the sky. The ancient volcanic landscape of the Rift Valley is sparse...a few eucalyptus and acacia trees, lots of reddish rocks and some small fields of grain being harvested. Men are cutting teff (similar to wheat) on small plots of land using hand sickles...nothing mechanized. We keep rolling through small towns where down-country buses stop to let off and pick up passengers traveling cheap.

The two lane road is fairly wide so there are often 3 or 4 vehicles abreast. No lane stripes or "do not pass" signs here to confuse you! We go around overflowing carts pulled by donkeys, slower cars, buses and fuming diesel trucks when we can. Tesfai pushes the van as hard as the road allows, sometimes playing "chicken" with vehicles coming at us. Seat belts you ask? Ha!...you've got to be kidding.

A couple of more hours and we turn off the paved road onto a "gravel" road that lost most of its gravel to the rainy season just ended. Now there is just a washboard of ruts. For the next 25 km (about 15 mi.), Tesfai negotiates the rough road, moving from side to side to find the way least likely to break an axle.

Dust swirls in the windows and we are soon coated from head to toe. It’s too warm to leave them closed; too dusty to leave them open. A large crowd appears in the road ahead, and we slow to a crawl as Tesfai respectfully nudges aside people in what turns out to be a funeral procession with the nose of the van.
The land around us is mountainous and has a primeval beauty that is hard to describe. Finally we see the village of Azedebo where ER is building new buildings (for a pre-school, kindergarten and library) next to an existing government school (grades 1-8) and today's destination. After a cool morning start, it is now 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) outside.

We attend a ceremony to mark the building progress...already one of the buildings is framed, an outhouse dug and chicka pit ready to go. The walls will be covered in a fermented mixture of mud, straw and manure, called chicka in Amharic, and the pit is where 14 guys will stomp the mixture until it is ready to apply to the frame...something like stomping grapes but you wouldn't want to drink this stuff! After the chicka is applied, a cement coating is added to protect it from the elements. If it is maintained, cement covered chicka over eucalyptus, the indigenous building materials of Ethiopia, will last for decades.

The construction manager is Cien Keilty-Lucas, a 28 year old from South Minneapolis who could easily be mistaken for Brad Pitt with a crew-cut. Amazingly he has been in Ethiopia leading school construction efforts for ER for the past three years, living in conditions where most of us wouldn't last a night. The current project has been underway for less than two months and will conclude around the end of February 2013. After that, he and his small team of 3 Ethiopians managers will move to a nearby town and build a similar school and library there.


As I listen to one of the village elders (who is also a teacher in the adjacent government school) make a speech about the project, I realize that Cien has won their trust and hearts by hiring local labor, showing up each day before anyone else, working harder than anyone else and leading
what they see as the most helpful project in their village.


He mentions that other groups, like UNICEF and World Vision, have come in with people who didn't involve them, stayed in hotels and drove big vehicles...but the projects were sometimes of low quality. He spoke about how Cien is living simply (he rents a room from a local family) and has organized the entire village to build something that will benefit their children for many years. Later he takes the opportunity to tell us that they could use a water well and a clinic too...you never know what these ferengies will come up with if you just ask!

Later the same man asks me to tell him again the name of the organization, and he writes Ethiopia Reads down on a piece of paper. He still can't believe that ER (an organization he has never heard of) is accomplishing so much and that its people are so dedicated. I take a picture of him with his brother and another man and show it to them on my camera. I tell him he looks like Haile Selassie (the former emperor of Ethiopia). He is delighted with that and tells me that from now on he will call himself Haile Selassie. We all get a big laugh from that but somehow I think he is serious!


Later we head back the same gravel road, needing to get back to pavement before the sun sets. I open the side window of the van and the acrid smell of burning eucalyptus hits me in the face. I look over to see wraith-like ribbons of smoke leaking from the conical-shaped thatched roof of a nearby gojo. Boy, does that brings back memories from my youth.

In the van we get into a discussion with Cien about the creative construction techniques he came up with for the massive outhouse hole they hand dug. They had to be careful to avoid contaminating the unusually high water table and also figure out how to keep the soft mud walls from collapsing (with wire mesh and eucalyptus supports). Using a little basic math, we calculate how many years the pit should last with about 200 little daily contributors.

Just as soon as we reach the pavement the sun sets, and Tesfai starts playing "donkey dodge" on the dark road, occasionally coming to a complete stop when obstinate animals try to cross in front of us. My butt is killing me sitting on van seats that seem to have no padding left in them. An hour later we are in the town of Hosanna and pull into the hotel parking lot. I just pray my $10 a night room will have hot water and not fleas.

A few of Jims shots from his trip out:

Me and the boss man Dana

I was given the honor of cutting the bread

ER group shot.  Left to right.  Temesgin, Tesfahoune, Dana, Menna, Me and Ejigu

Bringing in the felt

A few students hanging out on our scrap pile

Lolo's days on the job

Lolo is spending about half her days with us at the jobsite.  Her days off are shared with my family in their compound full of barnyard animals. She seems to enjoy herself in both locals, but shes really taken to the day's with the work-crew.  Most of those days are spent relaxing in the shade, or playing security guard.  The picture below catches Lolo napping at her post, though the community will attest to the fact work-site intruders are not welcomed by the 4.5 kilo Lolo.  It will be a few months until shes taken a little more seriously, though for the time being her effort is appreciated by everyone.  I love that shes all ready so protective over, what she must be assuming is Lolo's jobsite.  

Tired out after a long morning of security work 

When Lolo's not standing guard shes usually searching out one of the cob mixers's shoes.  Notice most folks are hanging theirs on the fence these days. 

I never show up on here. Here I am, after one of my log and stone exercise routines. 

A day ends and new day begins

Not so fortunate me is still sharing a pint sized cot with my quickly growing baby gal.  Lolo and I get along pretty well in the late evening, we are both exhausted,  so its easy getting comfortable and knocking out.  Sleep has been working fairly well.   There is the occasional bathroom break, or awkward late night rollover, but we manage…  it’s the mornings that are little unnerving.  Lolo, like clockwork starts playing tug-a-war with my sheets at  6:30.  In an attempt to make the most of my fleeting opportunity for rest, I let her win, and snatch another 10 or so minutes.  Shortly after, were both up, I horridly find my work wear and take Lolo out (puppy potty training is not for the impatient). 

Like my mornings most anywhere, its just going through the motions.  Stretch, hydrate, email if internet allows, and then its breakfast and ginger tea with a welcoming morning read (Azedebo motions are a little nicer than usual).  Right now I'm flipping the digital pages of the Talking Heads’s old front man, David Byrn’s Bicycle Diaries.  Its good. But wow do I miss my bike. Kololo has some fresh milk, with a side of the same bread, and scraps of eggs if my appetite allows.  It’s just the two us at the table, me beside it and her below. The morning is refreshingly quite, my father and mother are often still snoozing, everyone else is getting ready for school or taking care of chores, so outside of a couple rooster flare ups, Lolo and I enjoy in peace. 

By about 745 I’m brushing my teeth and filtering the last bit of  few liters of water for the days consumption. Work and school  begin at 8, so we are sure to be on our way no later than 7:50.  I then have the pleasure of escorting Meta and Sahi (two of the young ladies I live with, one family, the other a house maid) to school.  The mornings are pretty brisk at 2,400 meters, so Lolo is happy to be ushered to the work site inside Meta’s sport coat.  It’s a symbiotic relationship; Lolo stays cozy while Meta absolutely cherishes her task. The school compound is but a short jaunt across the main road and the sports field, but after just a couple minutes the four of us are usually walking in a huddle of 40 or so curious and a bit envious students.  Lolo is the only puppy around, and the only clean dog for that matter, Meta, if she wasn't already, has definitely become one of the “cool kids.”  Once inside the school property Lolo, Meta and Sahi say their goodbyes, Lolo leaps to the ground and the two of us jog the 100 meters to the jobsite.  Most of the crew is usually already there, and happy to see the both of us.  Her more than I… of course.   

Freshly made habasha bread, eggs and potatoes with plenty of hot sauce, tea, and my ipad. Not exactly roughing it.

Meta and Sahi on our way to the school compound.

Those smile are for the little pup running their way.

Final Durame and Shinshicho Regional Assessment Trip

 On October 16, 2012 I traveled to Kembata-Tembaro to finalize the Ethiopia Reads need assessment process begun in May.  In addition to determining a recipient community, we used this trip to thoroughly train 3 Ethiopia Reads project officers in using an enhanced process in assessing and mapping potential beneficiary communities.  The entire trip lasted 4 full days, and at its conclusion I have determined that we have 1 definite and 3 prospective beneficiary communities. 

During this trip we worked with woreder , kebele , local finance and local education officials.  We also called on the expertise of local community leaders to discuss community needs in the region.  In total, we   visited three previously assessed communities, as well as one new.   The areas visited were located just outside of Durame and Shinshicho.  Each of the potential build community’s location was marked using a GPS apparatus.  I am currently in the process of uploading this data to create an online map of that will show the exact location of each of the sites.

Three of the four communities that were visited could greatly benefit from both an Ethiopia Reads sponsored library, or the construction of a school.  While it would be more appropriate to just offer Ethiopian Reads library sponsorship in one potential beneficiary community.   We are currently waiting to hear a few site related updates from a couple of the local officials to make our final decision on implementation time line.  So for the time being I can share photos from the trip, Ill share the big news of where and what by the end of this weekend.  

The AzeDabo School director, kebele, teachers and a couple ER staff

Potential KG land

Checking the library measurements

A bit ofWenko from the road

Tesfahoune taking down school and local community population numbers

Leaving Wenko

We had a few friends for our walk into the surrounding communities

The guys using the GPS to mark where exactly we were

Plenty of hyena holes to go around in Washo

A touching community meeting

Washo folks showing us around

Beautiful surroundings

Fundamo Children

A great example of the usual rural south school library, not much to look at...

Plenty of green pastures in our future