Mulu Eco-lodge: Pioneering Unique Trend in Ethiopia

Mulu Eco-lodge: Pioneering Unique Trend in Ethiopia

By Aklile Tsige

Photo by Mulu Eco Lodges

Responsible tourism can be a driver of sustainable development and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage, but if unplanned and poorly managed it can be socially, economically and culturally disruptive and cause damage and degradation to sensitive ecosystems, landscapes, monuments and communities.

Indigenous and local knowledge and cultural traditions can contribute to climate resilience. There is widespread recognition that indigenous and local populations have unique and valuable local knowledge, traditions and cultural practices that can contribute to effective management strategies in the face of rapid climatic change.

Very recently an Ethiopian young entrepreneur and a German environmentally-minded woman unexpectedly met in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa and came up with an idea of establishing an eco-village at the birth place of the former. The couple had the opportunity to introduce and promote their uniquely designed eco-village and -lodge at the 7th.Africa Hotel Show and Hospitality Show held at the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa a month or so ago .ABN Editor-in-Chief Aklile Tsige speaks to the newlywed couple behind the realization of their childhood dream.

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The Tale of Two Dreams

Abiy Alem, an Ethiopian visionary was born at a small rural village called Ta’eme kebele in West Gojam Zone of the Amhara Regional State. After having studied only for a year at his birth place, he has moved to the nation’s capital, Addis Ababa with his brothers, joining Lazarist Catholic Mission School until he has completed 10th grade.

He then joined School of Tomorrow where he had completed his

secondary education. The hardworking Abiy has successfully passed his matriculation and got the opportunity to join Mekelle University, and received his BSc degree in Computer Science in 2011.

Valerie Seitz was born and grown up in Munich, Germany. After having completed her education, she has made attempts to realize her dream of visiting Africa by applying to an organization to do volunteering work. She then joined

a non-governmental organization working on environmental protection in Addis Ababa. But Valerie was not very happy working in this NGO due to various reasons.

Two dreamers, a German and an Ethiopian met few years ago in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa when both Valerie and Abiy were living at the residential area called “Gotera Condominium”.

“I was living in Gotera condos with some other volunteers. Abiy also had

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a room there. So we met there and started talking and strengthening our relations; we’ve understood that we had a common dream of engaging in eco-tourism to support rural communities. So we’ve decided to establish an eco-lodge and -village.” says Valerie.

Abiy who earned his first degree from Mekelle University was not happy in his life though he tried to do various businesses with his friends. He simply kept on chasing his childhood dream. He then joined a hotel and tourism school where he has got his diploma in tour and travel; he has also received the ´Foundation in Travel and Tourism from IATA correspondence diploma` from Canada so that he could gain more insight into eco lodges and ecotourism.

Equipped with relevant knowledge and skills, Abiy realized the fact that he was only on the threshold of the intended business. There had to be feasibility studies and community conversations for reliable implementation of the long-awaiting project.

Abiy explained, “I did more research on ecotourism which helped me develop a better understanding of the concept. So I had to do something, to start a project as I believe ecotourism has a good potential. Finally I have designed a small proposal.’’

Abiy was not doing things alone, his soul mate, Valerie was working with him tirelessly and energetically to achieve their common dream from the onset.

“We’ve spent nearly three years to get into the project, discussing, thinking and exchanging ideas. So we decided to go to the countryside

where Abiy was born. We have travelled several times to Ta’eme to undertake research in the area,’’ Valerie recalled.

Now the remaining task was to go through the monotonous, intolerable bureaucratic process of getting business license from regional and local authorities; this may be the last chapter to make a dream come true.

“For me it was really amazing because farmers in Germany are often conservative, not open for new things; it was completely opposite here.”

“Before contacting both regional and local authorities, I had to talk to my family about our plan; we were also in the community discussing the issue, gathering different information on support and cooperation we might get.” said Abiy, adding, “I went to Bahir Dar where the regional Culture and Tourism Bureau is situated, then to the Zone, West Gojam zone. Fortunately, I’ve got the investment license very quickly within three hours.”

Nevertheless, the going got tough as moving to the lowest administration level. Here at the Woreda (local administration level) the dream team had encountered rigorous hurdles which took them nearly a year to leap over the bureaucracy.

Sol Image

Interestingly enough, the local farmers played a pivotal role in the project implementation, working closely with Abiy and Valerie. They were pushing them to start the project as quickly as possible. This, in deed, attributes to the unforgettable and good deeds of Abiy’s father who has undertaken various socioeconomic development activities in the locality.

Apart from his father’s social contribution to the local community, Abiy was also doing some kind of social responsiveness. “Whenever I went to the village with my clients or visitors, I used to take books to the local school

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CONTEXT

The realities of life on our planet dictate that continuous economic development, as we know it in the form of global capitalism, cannot be sustained. This is due to presentday forms of economic activity that have rapidly undermined two other processes which are essential for survival of human life and civilization: environment and community. The compromising of these two processes by current economic activities has destroyed both the vitality of human communities and the quality of human life [ICLEI 8 IDRC 1998].

libraries, and facilitate medical treatment access to the most disadvantaged members of the community.” Abiy noted.

“For me it was really amazing because farmers in Germany are often conservative, not open for new things; it was completely opposite here.” Valerie appreciated the local farmers.

Taking credits for those deeds, farmers and other community members became one of the most important pillars to kick off the project, to make a dream come true, and eventually lay the anchor. The foundation to erect

the uniquely designed Mulu Eco Village has now become a reality.

Concept of Eco Villages

FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

An Eco village is an intentional

community

with

the

goal

of

becoming more socially, culturally,

economically,

and

ecologically

sustainable.

It

is

consciously

designed through locally owned and

participatory processes to regenerate

and restore its social and natural

environment.

Scientists around the world almost unanimously predict that, without serious policy and lifestyle changes, the world is about to face a great uncertainty and new risks threatening our ability to anticipate and plan for future adaptation needs [World Bank 2012]. Preventing this expected environmental, economic and social consequences, is undoubtedly the biggest challenge for human security in our century. Clearly, there is an urgent need for sustainable human activities on our planet, which will require alternative forms of sustainable living and societal organization. Two movements operating on a global scale h are critically involved in the ‘research and implementation of sustainable alternatives: the Eco village Movement and the Global Eco village network.

Description

The Eco village movement is growing worldwide. Governments, new communities and inhabitants of existing villages and suburbs are consciously choosing the path of sustainable development.

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Photo by Mulu Eco Lodges

Today thousands of Eco villages exist all over the globe and share their successful experiences. In the face of both ecological and economic crises, poverty and social crisis, people are coming together to assume joint responsibility for their region, its resources and their social surroundings. In this process they find themselves actors and creators of their own territory.

Today Eco villages are models of lived sustainability; they inspire their region and pass on their experience. In a very practical form, they show how an ecologically and socially sustainable way of living tremendously increases our quality of life. Their examples make clear points: our ecological footprint can be significantly reduced and it is possible to revitalize regional economic and energy cycles.

This constitutes an important counterweight to globalization. Eco villages enrich regions with

ecological business and employment opportunities, cultural activities, and enhanced attractiveness for families and travellers.

They are; therefore, an active contributor to positive demographic

change. Eco villages and communities worldwide combine modern and traditional knowledge with sustainable innovative initiatives in agriculture, energy, resource management, democratic governance, conflict resolution, education and economy. They are making a decisive contribution within our society to the quest for local solutions to global problems.

The Mulu Eco Village-Ethiopia: An Inspiring Model

The Mulu Eco village is an outstanding example of an efficient implementation strategy of an interest-free Eco village in a rural area. The creation of an Eco lodge, in 2017, was made possible through a close partnership with farmers of the area. The Eco lodge holds the precious principles and knowledge of Eco village structural and permaculture aspects and is the key to restore an autonomous and sustainable lifestyle into a weakening community. It is a bridge with the outside world, a place to share and learn new ways of valorizing local lifestyle and it is the keystone of a fair and positive social, environmental and economic development of the area.

The Eco lodge is turned towards a community-based tourism and regularly hosts community events. Eco villagers are actively taking part in the management of the eco lodge and its environment, learning to protect nature, to improve and diversify their agricultural activities, to develop handicraft, to share their knowledge and to positively connect to the world. Travellers are integrated in the community and are not just passing

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Sol Image

by. They are here to encounter and connect with the culture in its whole dimension. Eco villagers benefits socially and economically from rich exchanges, and improve their quality of life.

Kicking off

Located in the Amhara Regional State in Choke Mountains, the

Mulu Eco lodge takes an hour by plane from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar, then 3 hours’ drive to a small town called Dembecha which is 205 km away from the region’s capital, Bahir Dar. Another option: about 7 hours’ drive on a beautiful road that stretches 360 km to Dembecha from Addis. From Dembecha town one has to travel 1 and half hour on dirt road and pebbles to the Lodge of the Mulu Eco Village. There you

go now to enjoy an environmentally friendly eco lodge: Mulu Eco Lodge.

Opened in 2018, the lodge was named in honor of Abiy’s mother, Mulu, which is to mean in Amharic language full, complete or integrated. Establishing a partnership with the villagers who are highly involved is the main pillar of the project. Abiy and Valerie are working for the efficient and reliable implementation and sustainability of this pioneer project in Ethiopia.

“The Mulu Eco Village is not only the ideal place to rest and walk while admiring the landscape, but also to meet local communities. Indeed, very quickly, visitors will be part of the family”

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What makes the construction of this lodge different is that all the construction inputs are organic, and have been exploited and produced from the local sources by the farmers. The greenery landscape coupled with the varieties of indigenous plant species surrounding the lodge is so breathtaking and marvelous.

Their goal is to enable villagers to improve their living conditions and they hope to build a school for the village children in the coming years. They already have the support of a small German NGO called Enat Ethiopia and built a grinding mill run by the farmers’ cooperative with the initial support of the German Embassy Addis Ababa.

The Mulu Eco Lodge is not only the ideal place to rest and walk while admiring the landscape, but also to meet local communities. Indeed, very quickly, visitors will be part of the family. For example, the Gojo for cooking is open to the outside and allows visitors to participate in the preparation of meals of traditional cuisine based on Injera (large pancake made of Teff, a local cereal). The Gojo for the common dining room not only welcomes travelers but is also a meeting place for locals. Immersion with local communities is at its maximum.

The Mulu Eco Lodge is made up of several traditional round huts known as Gojo Bet, built of dried soil with a thatched roof, scattered over a huge field. The Gojo Betoch for travelers are very spacious and some are decorated in a very original way with multicolored pieces of recycled glass bottles, which gives them, from the inside a little magical light. Moreover everything is thought to protect and respect the environment: permaculture concepts, compost, and beehive for the production of honey, solar electricity, and dry toilets.

Trekking in the surrounding mountains, horseback riding, participation in local ceremonies, observation of flora and fauna (birds, monkeys), visits of the village houses, school, and participation in local daily

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Photo by Mulu Eco Lodges

activities like work on fields, cooking, and crafts are the most enjoyable activities carried out with the local community.

“For a lot of people it’s a unique experience. They can stay there in the country side with the highland farmers; real traditional Ethiopian life. I think it’s a very unique opportunity.” Valerie explains.

This community-based tourism activity, Mulu Eco Lodge appears to be different; it facilitates ways to help farmers form their own associations and come with feasible project ideas that aim to solve their socioeconomic problems like food diversity, solar powered electricity, processing their harvest in grinding mills, education, and the like.

“ For a lot of people it’s a unique experience. They can stay there in the country side with the highland farmers; real traditional Ethiopian life. I think it’s a very unique opportunity.

”

Valerie explains.

Mulu Eco Lodge wants visitors to experience one of the most beautiful and undiscovered parts of Ethiopia: the Choke Mountains. Anyone who plans on travelling along the famous northern route can take a detour and visit the site located at over 3,000 meters altitude at the source of the Blue Nile! Mulu Eco Villages philosophy: Culture, nature and society form a natural unity. This cozy Eco lodge is a community center full of genuine activities where guests and locals get together.

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