How many times in a lifetime does one have a chance to save the life of a child?

How appropriated to spend Good Friday morning (April 14, 2017) as Jesus would have done, visiting sick children at the Zewdutu Hospital in Addis, Ethiopia.  We chose the Pediatric Ward.  Blessing, one of the participants from EWEA arranged the visit.  She is a trained Social Worker and works as a Pastor.  Three nurses met us to take us on the tour. 

Blessing (left), her brother Daniel, Lydia talking with the three nurses
who came in on their day off to take us on the tour.

 Blessing brings clothes for the children she has bought from used clothing stores.  
We go to ‘Neuro’ first.   It is sad to see such serious birth defects and to know that if the mothers when pregnant had had folic acid supplement, these hydrocephalic and spinal bifita babies would probably have been born normal.  Shunts are very expensive.  Government and other organizations donate the surgery.  Sometimes it is too late for surgery to be effective when the children are brought to this government hospital.   Complications from surgery can lead to paralysis we are told.   

We meet Selamanit, mother of a three month old boy who now weighs 3.5 kgs.  Her husband was killed in a car accident three months ago.  This baby needs special formula for low birth weight babies.   This later led us to a hunt for this formula.  Negist, our loyal guide took our taxi from one drug store to the next to the next.  The fourth drug store had it!  We bought two containers of powdered milk formula for premature babies. 

Negist reading the label for the Powdered Milk for Premature Babies
 as the Pharmacist and Lydia look on.

It will be used for more than Selamanit to help these little low birth weight babies to gain essential weight for survival.  Kidus, the Nurse, Public Health person, told us that problems arise when these children leave hospital and go home to poor water, lack of money to buy milk so no milk. 

Next we met a situation that, when presented to us, we immediately said we must act.  This little boy, Surafel, 9 years old had been on an antibiotic for meningitis and an abscess on his thigh.  His father was by his side.  The previous night, his antibiotic had to be discontinued due to lack of money.  His nurse left crying.  We immediately reached into our pocket and gave what we had, enough to carry his antibiotic one week.  This antibiotic is very expensive (almost $300 Canadian for two weeks).  You can see why the money is not available in a government hospital in Ethiopia to hopefully save one child. His father tried to lift him to say goodbye but we said 'No no' because it caused him such pain.  We thought about him all week.

Surafel with his Dad.  

The day we were leaving we received an email from the Dr Biruh Alemtsehay on behalf of the Zewditu Memorial Hospital Pediatric Nurses that set us to action.  It expressed their gratitude and said there were some ‘small issues like the lack of pulse oximeter, glucometer, BP cuff, and other basic instruments that will help us in better managing our patients’.  Allan immediately said, ‘I have a blood pressure cuff that I never use with me.  Let’s take it to them.’     As well, we had a bundle of ‘birr’ (their money) left that we didn’t want to take back to Canada.

With little precious time left, we made our way to the hospital.  I kept thinking, prepare yourself, that bed may be empty.  We made our way up the stairs to the forth floor.  There was Dr Biruh at the desk.  We gave them the blood pressure cuff and the bundle of money.  They took us to the ward.  No words can describe the look on Surafel’s face or the feeling we had in our hearts to see him smiling and so much stronger.  The nurses said he is receiving wound care and up and walking and is still on the miracle antibiotics.  I can honestly say I never thought we would be able to be instrumental in saving the life of a child when we were on a CESO assignment.  What a humbling experience.  I quietly gave him my CESO card with my email on it and said, ‘Maybe someday you will be able to email us.’

Surafel one week after being on the antibiotics looking much better!

Tour the Pediatric Ward with us:
https://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/visit-to-zewdutu-hospital-pediatric-ward-addis-ethiopia

Easter In Addis with Workaferahu's Family

How special to be invited to Workaferahu’s home for Easter.  She told us to be sure and not eat before we came.  We asked the door man to get us a yellow taxi so he went out into the street and hailed a taxi from across the road.  We dialed Workaferahu’s number and gave the phone to the driver.  After he hung up, he told us it would be 250 burr and in we got.  As we got nearer to her place, the driver pulled over no less than three times to find out from her where to go.  There are no street signs and it is a maze of streets once you are off the main road, not paved, lots of obstacles to go around, lots of turns to make.  The last round we could see Workaferahu with her phone to her ear looking for us!

Workaferahu’s two children are Blen 7 and Dawit 8.  They were dressed in matching Traditional Ethiopian dress. 

Blen and Dawit In Traditional Ethiopian Dress for Easter

They were quite excited to carry a bag with goodies for them.  We were able to buy an Easter basket filled with biscuits and bad things!  Their mother said they had to wait until after we ate to open it.

Little did we know that they had all been up all night because the Easter Orthodox tradition is to meet at church at 2am to worship until Jesus’s resurrection at sunrise.  Blen, who was so excited about us being there and the possibility of sweets hardly made it through ½ hour and she hit the sac. In addition to church, she had an appointment to have her hair done for Easter on Easter morning because the line ups were so long the previous day.   In fact, we didn’t see her the whole afternoon! 

Blen's Easter Braids

Dawit, on the other hand was eager to eat so he could have some sweets and that he did!  He was careful each round to offer to everyone and have one himself of course!

Workaferahu has had a nanny for 1 ½ years.  Together with her sister, they prepared an Easter feast!  Nine days previous they ground barley, added sugar and set a brew.  Nice flavor but must be careful, it does have kick. (Workaferahu phone the next morning to make sure we weren’t suffering from a hangover!).   They had popped popcorn in sunflower over the open fire.  Workaferahu prepared Traditional Ethiopian Coffee.

Workaferahu and Lydia visit as the coffee beans are roasting. 

As the Easter Bread is brought out (made by Workaferahu), we learn that Workaferahu's Father blessed the bread as is the tradition early in the morning.  Allan was able to take a picture from Workaferahu's Smart Phone.

Workaferahu's Father Blessing The Easter Bread

   Yumm.  The meal was set out.  Injera (East African sourdough-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. Traditionally made out of teff flour, it is a national dish in Ethiopia), both dark and light.  The fast for them has finished so all stops are pulled!  Chicken wat with hard-boiled egg.  Wikipedia is a great help! (Wat, we̠t’, wot (Amharic: ወጥ^?, IPA: [wətʼ]) or tsebhi (Tigrinya: ጸብሒ^?, IPA: [sʼɐbħi]) is an Ethiopian and Eritrean stew or curry that may be prepared with chicken, beef, lamb, a variety of vegetables, spice mixtures such as berbere, and niter kibbeh, a seasoned clarified butter.)

There were two kinds of chicken Doro Wat, one hotter than the other spice wise, both delicious.  Then cottage cheese (a treat because milk is very expensive.  In the dryness cattle and goats do not produce extra we are told!  Allan takes special note of the spice powder on the table because Workaferahu warns us it is very hot!  Allan likes hot! 

Injera, Cottage Cheese, Dot Wat, Mutton

Now for the story of the day.  We only learned the details when Workaferahu’s brother drove us home.  On the Saturday, Workaferahu’s brother went to the market to buy a sheep.  When we were outside I asked if they had a rabbit because I saw droppings that looked like rabbit.  No, it was the sheep!  So Workaferahu’s brother’s job on Sunday morning to slaughter the lamb.  Oh dear.  So, we had the special dish of mutton, very special.  It too was delicious. 

Workaferahu’s dear Father has been ill with depression for several months.  He is a cartographer by profession and suddenly several months ago he knew he was unable to do a job that he had committed to.  Workaferahu has been able to work with the hospital and obtain medication but the medication was giving bad side effects so they have changed medication recently and he has improved considerably.  He came out to greet us.  A man of great dignity.  He and Allan had a nice talk.  Later a friend of his came by to visit.  He comes every day.  Workaferahu is pleased to see him gaining his interest in life back.  Depression is a mean affliction robbing one of their jois de vive.  She talked of the sudden change in him that he himself noticed. 

Allan and Workaferahu's Father Having A Nice Visit.

Despite his urge to sleep, Dawit sprung to life as soon as ‘Easter Basket’ was mentioned.  There were little gifts for everyone.  Blen got a little shoulder bag from ‘Bali’ and immediately found something to put in it (she loves shoulder bags).  Although meant for Workaferahu, Dawit immediately latched on to a bright yellow bag which he immediately opened to find a reflectent vest that Jeff Yuill had given us.  Dawit immediately jumped into the role of policeman, perfectly directing traffic in the middle of the living room just like the Addis policemen in the middle of the crazy intersections.

Dwait Directing Traffic In His Mother's New Vest!

With everyone asleep, Workaferahu, Allan and I had a great visit.  She is a wealth of knowledge having worked with EWEA for the last 14 years.  She was able to give great insight as we talked about how the women could better work together to help each other and how businesses could improve their products and move forward to better market them.  Such depth of relationship.  I can’t begin to tell you how Workaferahu works to help this organization totally as a volunteer.

And to give a little insight into the dynamism of her other activities, she is on her way this week to work with a Sock manufacture (Star Socks) which is interested in setting up a factory south of Addis.  She has a new job with a consultant.  https://iba.ventures/iap/   

Along with this, she had some really exciting news for us.  EWEA is going to open a ‘One Stop Shop’ at the airport here in Addis.  Wow.  This will give all members a chance to sell their product through this airport shop.  Their aim is to open in two months.  I was pleased to hear that the plan is to hire one full time person and the other good news is there is an accounting system they will use to organize the complexity of running a business.  What a great move forward.  This will open new worlds.  It’s like Workaferahu’s recent experience of taking one of Root in Style’s leather bags to her Norwegian friend who put it in the hands of a retailer in Norway who immediately initiated a request for a substantial order for Root in Style.  She had more good news.  The Norwegian group will do EWEA’s web site free for two years. 

An organization here in Addis that is very close to Workaferaheu’s heart is AWSAD, Association for Women’s Sanctuary and Development.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/gallery/2016/jul/27/ethiopia-women-girls-safe-houses-shelter-ethiopia-female-survivors-violence-in-pictures

It is only when a person open’s their heart does another know learn of their life changing tramatic experiences.  So, friendships across the miles develop.  Such a special time together.

Workaferahu and Lydia.  Easter sharing at Workaferahu's.

Ethiopian Women's Export Association Completes Marketing Workshop

We have completed our time with EWEA (Ethiopian Women’s Export Association) and are now doing site visits with AWEP (African Women Entrepreneurs Program).  Our time here has been and is continuing to be an incredible experience.  Friday was the last day for the EWEA full day workshops.  I didn’t want them to end.  The participants were incredible.  Although they said they were not used to speaking in front of people, they came and sat in what we called the ‘hot seat’.  For each business, I prepared a slide show of their business and they talked about it to the group, sometimes in English and some in Amharic.  No problem for us because we had already visited the site and knew what it was about.  Then, the last day, we had a mini trade fair where they brought a display of their products.  Here is a link for you to have a look at our EWEA workshops, the participants and the mini trade fair.

https://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/ethiopian-women-export-association-marketing-workshop-march-2017

Leather Root In Style, Semhal Guesh and Amour Addis Ethiopia

Ethiopian Leather is incredible. Three businesses participated in the EWEA Marketing Program presented by CESO VA's Allan and Lydia Sorflaten. Visit Root in Style in their shop in the mall. Have a look at their original designs, many of which have an insert of Ethiopian traditional weaving in the purse. Semhal Guesh and Amour are ready with original designs and fresh ideas for the market. Semhal has researched and exported doting all her 'i's and crossing all her 't's' as we say. It will be interesting to see how each business develops.

https://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/root-in-style-semhal-guesh-and-amour

Mekedonia: Home For The Elderly, Disabled and Homeless Addis Ethiopia

Mekedonia:  Home For The Elderly, Disabled and Homeless

You know we have been concerned about the beggars, the homeless and the poverty stricken in Addis.  Negash, our go to man hired by AWEP to schedule us was available on Saturday, April 8^th so we hired him for the day.  One of the places he thought we would like to see:  Mekedonia.  This is the closest I have come to experiencing a Mother Theresa like home.  This home was begun by Ato. Biniam Belete in September 2011.  Mekedonia people (mostly volunteers) go out into the streets and pick up people who are destitute, sometimes almost at death’s door.  The stories of Before and After are bone chilling.    ‘Mekedonia welcomes people in desperate need with an open heart, to share God’s love together as a family. People who were once hungry are now fed; once naked are now clothed; once physically and emotionally abused are now in peace and once hopeless are now living a life filled with good memories and hopes for a bright future. Since many of our residents are bed-ridden and terminally ill, they are also provided with assistance in toileting, mobility, bathing and other daily activities’.  There are 400 in the village we visited.  This is one of four villages.  They are working toward building another which will include a hospital.                                                                                                                                                                      As you travel through the village, you will see a group watching a movie.  I watched a blind man all dressed in white being helped through the hall ways.  Several elderly men were out sunning themselves in their wheel chairs.  I was most interested in seeing how they prepare a meal for 400.  400 injera for starters and a humungous pot of cabbage soup.  A young fellow who cannot walk who was injured in a car accident asked us to pray for him.  The guide said if we knew of any medical supplies, even one syringe would be helpful.  

Visit Mekedonia with us:

https://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/mekedonia-home-for-elderly-and-disabled-addis-ethiopia-74817747

Tinsaye Peanut Butter & Food Manufacture: Addis Ethiopia

Tinsaye Peanut Butter & Food Manufacture:

We go to Hirut’s home where she employs six people (herself included) in the manufacture of Peanut Butter (25-50 dozen jars a week) as well as the grinding and packaging spices and nuts.  Hirut graduated in accounting in 1992, worked in a bank for a number of years but four years ago opened her own ‘factory’ in her own home manufacturing Peanut Butter and preparing spices.  First we watch the Peanut Butter being made.   We were surprised to find how hot the Peanut Butter was coming out of the electric grinding machine.  The cover goes on immediately creating a vacuum seal as the Peanut Butter cools. We had to wait several minutes to taste it to let it cool.  Delicious!  Organic.  No added sugar, pure roasted peanuts.  The hot bottles of Peanut Butter have to be put in a water bath to cool so the jars will retain their shape. 

She also grinds and packages spices.  In the slide show, we identify and taste berbere, chico butter and Seneff Kollo:  (yegebse kolo-roasted barley mixed with chickpeas and nuts), all her own products.  Not only that, Hirut had a full meal of injera ready for us complete with Traditional Ethiopian Coffee prepared by Hirut’s mother the Ethiopian way with the little charcoal stove in the living room.  She first roasted the beans in a little frying pan, then ground them, then put many tablespoons full in the Traditional pot, bringing it to a full steam before pouring it with the pot several inches above the cup.   This was our first taste of injera and first Traditional Ethiopian Coffee made extra special because it was at Hirut’s family home! 

Enjoy the visit with us:

https://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/tinysate-peanut-butter-and-spices

Kumneger Yishak Coffee Exporter Addis Ethiopia

Kumneger Yishak Coffee Exporter Addis Ethiopia:

Kumneger Yishak established as a Coffee Exporter June 2012.
In our visit to Kumneger Yishak coffee exporting office, we learned most from her Expert Coffee Taster, Asnake who speaks English well and certainly knows the coffee industry well.  The slide show shows different kinds of coffee that Kumneger Yishak exports.  We learn that most of Ethiopian coffee is exported as green coffee.  All Kumneger's coffee is hand-picked and sun dried, making the best of flavors!  Kumneger is considering getting into Roasted Coffee but this requires big investment with questionable profit margin.  Meanwhile, meet Kumneger and Asnake as they show us different kinds of coffee that they export.

https://www.slideshare.net/LydiaSorflaten/kumneger-yishak-coffee-exporter-addis-ethiopia