Project Trust - Field Diary Entry 2
Saturday, June 1, 2007
For week two of Project Trust, my uncle, cousin, brother and I traveled north to a small Ethiopian town called Aseem in a region locally known as Wollo. Because of its exclusiveness, Aseem allowed me to assess where and how water is used in remote towns that lack access to electrical and plumbing systems. During the course of the trip, I interviewed locals and gained an insight on how difficult their day to day life is.
The trip to Aseem began early. We woke up at 4:00 A.M. for preparation and had to be on the bus ready to go at 5:00 A.M. The bus ride to Aseem made me realize how much I did not know about Ethiopia outside of its capital city. The beauty of the farmlands and landscape took me by surprise. It felt as though I was in a different world. Rolling hills, mountains, rivers and streams; all of which my mother bragged about, but I never found it believable.
Ninety percent of the farms I saw were small subsistence farming that had the capacity to support a family, with little to spare for sale or trade. Their livestock consisted of sheep, goats, cows, oxen and chickens. The livestock was usually herded by the youngest of the family members, while the father farmed and the rest of the family collected water.
After a grueling 10 hour bus ride on our way to Aseem, we spent the first night in a small city called Dessie. Dessie sits in a valley surrounded by beautiful mountains. At the center of the city is the business district where there are shops, restaurants, banks, hotels and even dance clubs. The entire city seems to be under construction. Everywhere we looked there were new buildings under construction. On the outskirts of the city there is a new university being built. The two major religions in the city are Islam and Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. There was no sense of conflict between the two. Although the infrastructure of the city is not impressive by United States standards, it offered the modern conveniences that are required to do business. Electricity, running water, telecommunications, internet, and a fair transportation system were all part of the package with more innovations on the way.
Upon spending two nights in Dessie, because of miscommunication with travel arrangements, we set off for our next city called Waggel Tanae on our way to Aseem. Although the road to Waggel Tanae was not as pleasant as the road to Dessie, because of the roads not being paved; the beauty of the Ethiopian farms and landscapes kept us in good sprits. The good sprits quickly came to a halt when the bus started ascending the mountains and going through rivers. The roads were narrow and unpaved and the rocks on the side of the mountains seemed as though they could roll down at any time. In addition, going through rivers with a bus full of people was thrilling, as the rivers were rocky and the bus driver was in a hurry.
We arrived in Waggel Tanae around 10:00 P.M. Waggel Tanae is a small city on top of a mountain. It was clear that the city made the transition from a small town to a city in just the past few years. The electric power came from one single generator, and individual households have no control over when they could turn on or off their electric power. They have telecommunication capability, however due to its infancy it was outrageously priced. Because of the size and location, there was no city transportation to speak of other then the United Nations trucks that were there. At last, we made our way to Aseem from Weggel Tanae. Because of lack of transportation, we were forced to make the trip by walking. Although the scenery was breathtaking, the 30-kilometer walk was nothing to joke about. In addition to our 30-kilometer walk, we had to climb down a mountain, because Aseem was in a valley. The mountain tagged on an additional hour and a half, which altogether came to four and one half-hours.
Aseem was more like a village rather then a city. The houses were traditional Ethiopian houses that used stick for support, mud for insulation, and hay for roofing. The major economic base for the village is agriculture. The valley was anything but small. Every family had a good-sized farm plot, and each household had a great gap between them. The valley was surrounded by mountains, with only a river coming through. Because of the terrain they seemed to be relatively isolated. Because they have been isolated for so long, modern conveniences such as electric power, roads and a place to get supplies were not available. Despite its isolation, some humanitarian efforts have reached Aseem. A European group known as OXFAM has built a pipe from the mountains down to the valley, allowing the people of Aseem to receive running water at a single location. The Ethiopian government, in partnership with the UN, has built a small clinic staffed with two trained nurses. Talks of the possibility for electric power seem to be the primary topic and plan for the village’s future.
After the agonizing descent from the mountain, we were warmly welcomed by locals. A sheep was slaughtered in honor of our visit and the entire Aseem residents came to talk with us that evening. They told us stories and ancient tales and then we made our way to our bed. Because our backs were used to sleeping on soft mattresses, we stayed wide-awake the entire night. To our astonishment, the sun finally came up and we took a tour of the valley.
Everybody in the family woke up early for their designated task. Half the children went to school half the day, while the other half looked after the livestock. After six hours the children would switch roles. The father gathers his farming equipment, which consisted of a plow made out of wood and a stick to keep the oxen in line, and he makes his way to his farm plot. The mother and whomever are left in the house usually look after what needs to be done at home, which includes cleaning, cooking, washing what needs to be washed, and fetching water. Although there is a location they could get running water, because it is a single location, some families have to walk a long way to get to the water.
At first impression, the quality of life in Aseem seemed to be poor. The children had to do manual labor daily. Most of the people, including the adults wore torn clothing and have no shoes. Marriage is a contract between two families rather then a contract between two individuals. Education was not a priority, rather a luxury. However, amongst all this, the people were well fed, they had relatively clean water, and their location deters any aggression from the government or groups. On the way back to Addis Ababa, I had a chance to interview a few locals on their water situation, details of which I have recorded on camcorder. I also had the privilege of visiting a few water wells and seeing how people in Ethiopia manage to obtain their water supply.
I will have additional reports upon the conclusion of the next phase of this mission.
Buey