The Eminence ll May 2016

Š EMINENCE - Freecopy ISSUE 19-May 2016

THE

EMINENCE

KONSO

A land Steeped with Cultural Mosaic, Architecture and Heritage Unchartered Territory: Online Booking in Ethiopia

Two years on: Is ETO Promoting Tourism of Ethiopia?

Tradition Matters: How the Kunama Tie the Knot

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CONTENTS Eminence Spotlight

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8. Unchartered Territory: Online Booking in Ethiopia 12. Discover the Discoverer 16. ETHIOPIANS for ETHIOPIANS: AgapeMED, care with love

Hospitality 3600

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18. Lions to roar at a new Zoo 20. Castelli: A little piece of Italy 22. Two years on: Is ETO Promoting Tourism of Ethiopia?

Cultural Panorama 24. KONSO: A land Steeped with Cultural Mosaic, Architecture and Heritage 28. Ethio-Italian Relations: Time to Pivot 30. Let Dire Reads: Promoting reading through book fairs

Made in Ethiopia

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32. Addis’ Condo Lifestyle: Adjusting from Communal Living toward Seclusion 34. Young designer showcases traditional influence in modern apparel line 36. Challenges in Fitting Local Interior Design Concepts in Traditional Establishments 38. Tradition Matters: How the Kunama Tie the Knot

Reflections

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40. What You Should Know before Investing in Ethiopia 41. My second, but better experience unlike the first one’s

Entertaiment 42. The Eminence Pick of the Month 43. Recipe and Tourist Corner 44. Classifieds

http://www.theeminencemagazine.com/

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Asnake Amanuel ( Founder ) aamanuel@eminence-se.com

EDITOR’S

NOTE

At the moment, conference tourism is the largest and fastest growing segment of the modern tourism sector. Conference travelers on average spend roughly 400-500 percent higher than leisure travelers which makes the sector earn higher revenues. Unlike tourists with significance disposable incomes, conference attendee’s expenses are often paid by the different organizations they represent.

For a country like Ethiopia, facilities and trained man power are fundamentals for the development of conference tourism. Though conference tourism has a very young history of development in Ethiopia, the need for organizing big international conferences is increasing from time to time. The peace and security of the country, the abundance natural tourist attractions and its’ being home to the AU and UNECA are among the major factors the country is becoming a growing conference destination.

Among the many requisites towards competing as a top conference destination include having basic and up-to-date conference and accommodation facilities feature prominent if the country is to see itself reaping the benefits of conference tourism.

When it comes to Ethiopia, tapping into this growing niche market allows for smart planning and commitment.

Taking this into consideration, the government of Ethiopia is working very closely with investors especially with those who are involved in the tourism sector to strengthen the burgeoning conference tourism sector. In addition the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Tour Operators Association, Addis Ababa Hotel Owners Association and Ethiopian Tourism Organization are also playing their part for the development of the sector.

In fact there are new hotels being constructed especially for this purpose in the capital Addis Ababa. However, apart from building many hotels it is ever more being noticed that these establishment lack amenities such as parking lots, swimming area, gym& related facilities or even outdoor facilities like green area (garden) and children’s playground. @EminencEthiopia

Eminence-se Entrepreneurs

Dawit Kebede ( CEO ) Dkebede@eminence-se.com Managing Editor Tsewaye Muluneh tmuluneh@eminence-se.com Editor-in- Chief Frehiwot Gebrewold fgebrewold@eminence-se.com Lideta s.c Woreda 04 H. No 175

On the other hand, when it comes to convention centers and conference rooms, Ethiopia is not even there yet. The country only has the AU and UNECA to count on for big conferences and meetings. Most of the conference halls in the hotels cannot accommodate more than 300 people at a time leaving potential venue seekers to look for other venues for their meetings and conferences.

The government has started hotel grading and standardization based on the hotel’s facilities. This is very much appreciated since it forces the owners of the hotels to give special attention to the facilities in addition to raising the building’s standards. It is believed that the grading and standardization will benefit many of the newly constructed hotels. They will have a lot to learn and take from what has been missing in the hotel industry regarding facilities.

On April 16, 2016, The East African, a weekly Kenyan newspaper, reported that Ethiopia and Kenya are the top 10 African countries in planning to construct the highest number of hotel rooms in the year 2016. The main reason behind this plan is the rising need of conferencing and tourism facilities in the two countries. This is a very good plan for Ethiopia as the tourism industry is playing a vital role in the economy and development of the country.

The country’s conference tourism income is increasing from time to time. According to a report from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism about 35,510 foreigners came to Ethiopia to participate in different conferences in the past six months of 2015/16. From this the country has earned around 132 million USD. The number of tourists visiting Ethiopia is increasing by more than 10 percent year after year.

Hence, the sector is very much important in supporting the economy of the country.

As the same time, it needs the governments’ as well as all stakeholders’ full attention towards providing quality services up to the expectation of the clients.

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Deputy Editor-in- Chief Fasika Tadesse ftadesse@eminence-se.com Nifas Silk Laphto s.c Woreda 12 H. No 747 Senior Editor Helina Abraham habraham@eminence-se.com Reporters Henok Solomon hsolomon@eminence-se.com Ruth Girma rgirma@eminence-se.com Regular Contributors Brook Abdu jambong52@gmail.com Kaleab Hailu khailu@gmail.com Lucy Kassa lucykassa6@gmail.com Contributors Andualem Assefa Omowale Dipeolu Eden Mengisteab Editor Samson Haileyesus samsonfikre@gmail.com Copy Editor Carolyn Curti cutyrmc@yahoo.com Graphics and Layout Design Atnafu Yilma Website Administrator Samson Tegegn Photographer Sentayehu Bekele Sbekele@eminence-se.com Finance and Administration Tizita Paulos Distribution Tariku Tessema Editorial Address:

Tel. +251-118-678-187 Mob. +251-939-858-724 P.O Box 794 code 1110 contact@eminence-se.com/ social@eminence-se.com Web:www.theeminencemagazine.com www.eminencemagazine.com Bole s.c Namibia Street, Behind Edna Mall, Adika Bldg 5th Floor This edition is printed at Central PP Kirkos Subcity, Woreda 03 H.No 414 Addis Ababa, 2016 - TheEthiopia.

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Ethiopia settings its sight on MICE Ozzie Business and Hospitality Group, is to host the first Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibition (MICE) East Africa Expo and Forum,which is expected to widen Ethiopia’s potential of hosting many international events and exhibitions, between June 9 and 11, 2016 at Millennium Hall.

The event is expected to draw international event organizers, travel agents, and destination management companies, hosted buyers, airlines, conference and hotel resorts, international booking operators and professional conference organizers (PCO).

In addition to that the event is expected to be attended by corporate and event planners, loyalty program innovators, government support authorities, travel and event planners and MICE business professionals.

Major Sponsors of MICE East Africa 2016 The African leader airlines, Ethiopian Airlines started celebrating its 70 years anniversary starting from April 8, 2016. Leading the way in the past, present and the future; Ethiopian has been an aviation technology leader in Africa and has introduced many new aircraft and systems to the continent. The result of such a long journey of dedicated service has now culminated in connecting 51 cities in Africa with the major trading centers of the world in five continents and 41 cities around the world. It also operates Africa’s largest cargo service, largest and most advanced Aviation Academy and best MRO services.

Dashen Bank is the biggest private bank in Ethiopia. It operates through the network of 192 branches, five dedicated Forex Bureaus, 220 ATMs, which gives services for people with Master Card, Visa Card and American Express and hundreds of Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals spread across the length and breadth of the nation. It has established correspondent banking relationship with 480 banks covering 71 countries and 176 cities across the world. Whenever business takes customers around the world, Dashen Bank is already there.

Exclusive Local Media Partner of MICE East Africa 2016 “The Eminence” is a monthly English language magazine produced by a skilled set of journalists, designers and external contributors. The magazine covers a variety of issues regarding the business side of Ethiopia’s unique hospitality, tourism and culture. The publication is circulated domestically with a wide readership among stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector, government officials, Embassies residing in Ethiopia, UN Agencies, AU, international hotels, supermarkets, local residents and foreign expats in Ethiopia. We are drastically expanding our visibility and reach across Ethiopia.

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EMINENCE SPOTLIGHT: ETHIO-TOPICAL

Unchartered Territory: Online Booking in Ethiopia As the number of hotels in Addis Ababa is increasing the sense of competition has developed among them. To penetrate the market all accommodation service providers, including hotels and guesthouses, have started using online booking sites to reach foreign tourists, which is helping them to find many guests. But hoteliers and experts are claiming these new sites, especially Airbnb, which rents rooms in people’s homes in addition to hotels and guesthouse rooms, are threatening the hotel industry.

The Eminence’s contributor LUCY KASSA explores the emerging trend of online booking in Addis Ababa and the debate behind it.

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These days Addis Ababa is becoming a tourist destination thanks to the combined efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT) and industry operators, including hotels and tourist services providers such as airlines and tour operators. To attract tourists and to smooth their stay, hotels across the country are expanding in numbers as well as raising the level of their services both in terms of variety and quality.

Hotels are using various methods to win over the market and to increase their occupancy rate. To achieve that, one of their tools is using online booking sites such as Booking.com, Expedia.com, Javago.com, Trip Advisory, and Airbnb. com in addition to their own websites as a marketing strategy. These booking sites

enable tourists to book rooms online before they arrive in the country.

Rubertson Alexander, a 76 year old Irishman, who is a retired chef and his Kenyan partner Maurine Khakash are good examples of tourists who booked rooms online before their arrival in Addis Ababa. They booked a room at Kaba Guest House using Airbnb.com, the San Francisco based website. The partners were in Addis Ababa in March 2016 for their second visit.

They would have loved to book at star rated hotels; unfortunately they could not make it as they had budget constraints.

The online platform helped them to see a variety of options and finally they managed to book a clean and comfortable

room for a low rate of 39 USD.

has made a deal with Airbnb.

In addition to making it easier for visitors to plan their vacation by widening their choices, these sites help to boost the occupancy rate especially in small or unknown establishments like Olympia Guest House located near Meskel Flower.

The guest house joined the hotel business a year ago. They have eight rooms with a room rate of 25 USD per room.

“Such sites help hotels which are not promoted like we are,” Haymanot Asmamaw, general manager of the hotel told The Eminence. According to him the benefit of dealing with these sites is not only getting more guests, but it also helps tourists to develop confidence in the hotels.

The guest house has a working relationship with three online booking websites; Airbnb, Booking and Expedia.

And 90 percent of its guests come through these sites even though it has its own website, according to Getahun Assefa, manager of the Guest House.

The Addis Ababa Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) also sees the potential of online booking for the success of the hotel business. “The Netherlands are well known for their hotel service. And online booking is behind their success,” said Lude Abiy, General Manager of the Association.

“So that [is why] the Association is now giving training for hoteliers to use online bookings,” explained Lude without hiding her discontent that most hotels in the city are not aware of the importance of online booking.

Even if hotels have not fully accepting and utilizing online booking as a marketing strategy, Oasis Hotel Apartment, a non–star hotel located at Hayahulet, is enjoying the business with the support of these sites. The hotel has been using Expedia and Booking since it was established two years ago. But it recently

Airbnb joined the business in 2008 and currently operating in 34,000 cities of 190 countries.

“The guests who come through Airbnb and other online booking sites have confidence on the quality of the rooms and all the services compared to other guests,” Haymanot added.

As a matter of fact there is no hesitation among stakeholders that online booking creates accessibility, brings exposure for hotels to promote their rooms and services, and encourages competition between room service rendering businesses. It may also increase occupancy rate which attracts more visitors and conference organizers.

In Addis Ababa, whose star rated number of hotels is limited to just 97, and the

annual number of tourists has reached close to one million, online booking sites are also promotional devices. This is why online booking sites are getting attention from hotels. The relatively new Airbnb is growing in Ethiopia. It is getting more visitors and the number of Ethiopian facility providers using Airbnb is increasing.

Airbnb joined the business in 2008 following the footsteps of Booking and Expedia. It is currently operating in 34,000 cities of 190 countries. It is visited by 60 million guests worldwide.

Unlike other booking sites Airbnb not only helps to book rooms in guest houses or hotels it also books vacant rooms or extra spaces in people’s homes as well.

So anyone who has signed up for Airbnb can monetize his/her extra space in his private room for visitors.

It is a new phenomenon for Ethiopian service providers but it is well utilized

by Europeans. Two years ago Alexander visited and had a great time in one of the most expensive cities, Dublin. He had a limited budget but by booking a room using Airbnb in the house of a married couple, he was able to afford it.

“If Airbnb had not help me, I would not have visited Dublin,” he stated.

But Airbnb listing is not completely foolproof. Alexander and his partner Khakash were dissatisfied with the location of the Ethiopian guest house.

On Airbnb it stated that Kaba was located very close to the British Embassy. But that was not the case; rather it is located very close to Shola Gebeya, forcing one to walk

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EMINENCE SPOTLIGHT: ETHIO-TOPICAL

across various curves and passing through back alleys in several neighborhoods.

“Though it was not as per my expectation in terms of location, the rooms were clean and cheaper,” Alexander told The Eminence. His partner Khakash thought the place would be a better place with reservations and said, “The nearby neighborhood was poor but I didn’t think it would be bad for security.”

Both of them did not expect that the exact location of the guesthouse and the one written on the website would not accurate.

At the same time, industry insiders have uncertainties over the new booking site.

Kumneger Teketel, founder and managing director of Ozzie Business & Hospitality Group explained, “For the benefit of both the guest and the establishment, visitors should not go to a place they do not know.”

Kumneger said, if online booking is going to work, laws that specifically regulate such deals should be drafted. In addition to the security issue he is afraid overbooking private rooms would threaten the country’s hotel industry which is in its infancy.

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Million Belay, sales representative of Jupiter International Hotel, one of the four star hotels in Addis Ababa, shares Kumneger’s sentiment. He strongly believes these sites could threaten the hotel business in Ethiopia. His hotel is currently using six online booking sites.

He has no doubt that online booking has created accessibility and has a promotional advantage.

But he fears what would happen if disagreements arise between hotels and such sites. “These sites have millions of customers and are more influential than the brand hotel websites. At some point if our deal is terminated the number of guests that visit our hotel will definitely decrease,” Million shared his fear.

Kumneger said the other major concern that makes these sites a risk for the hotel sector is that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism does not have a controlling mechanism to follow up on the quality of the rooms which are advertised online.

Tewdros Derbew, Tourism Services Quality Assurance Coordinator at MoCT admits to Kumneger’s claim. He said “We can only regulate the sites which are

licensed here in Ethiopia, but those sites are not licensed in Ethiopia.”

But some star-rated hotels do not share Kumneger and Million’s concern about being threatened by online booking sites for the Ethiopian hotel industry.

“There are people who only prefer starrated hotels and hotels that are in good locations,” said Fasil Alemayehu, sales and marketing manager of Nazra Hotel, the four star hotel which is located around Olympia.

According to Fasil the negative sides of online booking only comes if the hotels do not promote themselves properly and if they exaggerate their services and prices.

Moreover he said there is a relatively higher number of cancellations when rooms are booked online.

Even if Ethiopian hotel managers reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of online bookings, tourists like Alexander and Khakash who travel on a limited budget but want quality, will stick to online booking sites which makes vacation planning easier and better increasing their choices

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EMINENCE SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEW

Discover

the Discoverer Berhane Asfaw (PhD) is a paleoanthropologist who conducts research on human evolution. He received his BSc Degree in Geology from Addis Ababa University (AAU) and Masters and PhD Degrees from the University of California at Berkley in Physical Anthropology and African Prehistory. Berhane is the first paleoanthropologist in Ethiopia. He has worked for over 30 years in the field and contributed in the organization of the paleoanthropology research and casting laboratory, which is located within the premises of the National Museum of Ethiopia. The laboratory is currently a world-class standard with many antiquities and research facilities. Berhane is happily married and a father of four children. The Eminence’s FASIKA TADESSE interviewed Berhane to learn about his career and to share his experience researching human evolution and related work in Ethiopia.

You are the first anthropologist in Ethiopia, how did you become a paleoanthropologist?

It was by chance that I became a paleoanthropologist.

While I was attending class at the Geology Department at AAU in 1976, my then girlfriend, now my wife, was an active member of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP) Youth League struggling against the military regime (Derg) like myself. Unfortunately she was targeted by the Derg officials and became a fugitive.

I quit college and went to Gondar where she joined me to live in a rural district. I took a teaching job in Nefas Mewucha High School and we were able to successfully hide ourselves for about a year. During the school’s Christmas break in 1977, I received information that we were going to be arrested. I then secretly sent my wife to my parents’ home in Gondar and promised to meet her the following day. Unfortunately, I was arrested the same day and imprisoned for seven months. Out of the seven prisoners sent to Gondar city prison, five were finally executed. I was released in 1978.

career opportunity for me.

While I was a fourth year student at AAU, a professor from the University of California visited the CRCCH and offered an Ethiopian candidate a PhD training opportunity in prehistoric archaeology at Berkley. My boss and Professor Getaneh recommended me for the training. Thus, I joined the University of California to pursue my PhD training in 1981.

You were the one who established the first paleoanthropology laboratory in the country. Please tell me about that?

Soon after, I went back to AAU to finish my college education. In 1979, my wife got pregnant and I decided to take a part-time job at the then Ministry of Culture, Center for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, (CRCCH) during the three months of summer break to support my family.

While I was attending my PhD studies in California, I used to come to Ethiopia every year to do research work. During that time, there was no research laboratory in the CRCCH. In 1984, I consulted with my advisor Professor Tim White, and a Japanese graduate student named Gen Suwa about how I could organize a research laboratory facility in Addis Ababa. They were very supportive of the idea and offered to assist. I also shared this idea to Tadesse Terfa who was the head of CRCCH, and he was co-operative. My advisor, friend and I, flew to Addis and started to organize the fossil collections which were stored in crates in different stores at the National Museum. We also established the first casting laboratory.

My involvements in archeology started at CRCCH. My first assignment was to write a summary of Ethiopian archeological sites and findings. This assignment helped me develop an interest in the field.

I compiled the report and it was edited by the Geology Department head, the late Professor Getaneh Assefa.

My boss was satisfied with my work and extended the duration of my part-time job. This opened a lifetime

Field researchers in Ethiopia were all foreigners at that time. They collected fossils from different sites and took all the fossils to their respective countries for further research since there were no facilities in Ethiopia. Conducting the research in other countries was not beneficial to Ethiopia. It would never enable us to develop local manpower and scholarship. In addition, there was a possibility of losing antiquities.

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There were cases where some were not returned.

When we started organizing the laboratory, two young Ethiopian history graduates, Yonas Beyene and Sileshi Semaw, were working in the National Museum and they joined us. Yonas and Sileshi were left in charge when we returned to the US. This is how I planted the first seeds to have local professionals. Currently, Yonas and Sileshi hold PhD and are prominent researchers in archaeology and paleoanthropology.

During my trips to Addis Ababa every summer, I used to bring lab equipment to further develop the laboratory facility. When I returned to Ethiopia after completing my studies at the end of 1988, the laboratory was operating satisfactorily. Soon after, I was assigned as a coordinator of paleoanthropological research in the laboratory.

The Ethiopian government recognized the value of paleoanthropological research, and in 2003 invested on a huge building that accommodates the vast collection and different laboratory research facilities. The development of the laboratory continued for years with the support of international donors from the US, Japan and France; and the laboratory has reached the highest standard.

What was the first research you undertook when you returned to Ethiopia?

Photo by: Sintayehu Bekele

My first research program was surveying the Rift Valley and the adjacent areas. The main objective of the survey was to find new paleoanthropological sites and to locate their distribution on a map. Besides other benefits, the mapping helps to protect paleoanthropological sites. For instance, while constructing infrastructures such as roads, dams, railways and so on, the map could be used so that we do not unknowingly bulldoze important sites.

During the construction of the Melka Wakena hydroelectric dam, we lost an important archeological site at Gedeb. The site was immersed in water after the dam was constructed. My concern was to reduce such kind of damage from ever happening again. Therefore, I launched the research by soliciting the support of my colleagues.

We joined forces and were able to identify many new archeological sites.

You were once the Director of the National Museum. I heard that you had some challenging times. Could you please tell me what these problems were and how you overcame them?

I took the position of Director of the National Museum a year before the downfall of the Derg. In 1991, when the EPRDF army was approaching Addis Ababa, I started to think about what a possible chaos that could befall the city and the damage to the relics in the National Museum. As I was responsible for the fossils and historical collections that were stored in the Museum, I planned to purchase safe boxes to rescue at least the most important antiquities. So I obtained a grant from the Institute of Human Origins

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EMINENCE SPOTLIGHT: INTERVIEW

Reconstructed skulls of A.Afarensis, an extinct hominine that lived between 3.9 & 2.9 million years ago

(IHO) and managed to buy four huge safe boxes and used them to keep the hominid fossils, including Lucy, just before the battle got close to Addis Ababa.

What were your responsibilities after the change of the government?

In 1992, I left my Museum director position. However, I stayed in the same laboratory to carry out research activities in collaboration with my colleagues. In 1992, our Middle Awash project team discovered Ardipithecus Ramidus, the world’s oldest fossil of that time, and in 1994 we discovered the 4.4 million year old skeleton of Ardi. In 1996, the team discovered a 5.8 million year old fossil named Ardipithecus Kadabba. The following year a 2.5 million year old hominid, another new species named Australopithecus Garhi, probably the first tool maker, was found. In addition, we discovered another species, Australopithecus Anamensis, which was known only te be from Kenya. Our team also found remains of Homo sapiens of great antiquity which we named Homo sapiens Idaltu, which dated to 0.165 million years, the first modern human.

Overall, the Middle Awash research team found five new species of human ancestors in five years.

I heard that you described and named a new species, Australopithecus Garhi.

Please tell me about it.

Together with this new species, Australopithecus Garhi, we found some animal bones that showed cut marks. This

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indicated that they were using stone tools to exploit animal meat. To my surprise, the species had a small brain. The assumption was that ancient humans who could use stone tools would have a bigger brain size. I was very surprised by the overall cranial features. So to name the fossil, I asked the locals how to say ‘surprise’ in the Afar language. They said it was ‘garhi’. Hence, the name has been given for the new species, which literally means “unexpected.”

You led several paleontological surveys.

Could you please describe the major ones and the findings as well?

I have been a member of the Middle Awash Research Project for 35 years, for which I am the Co-Principal Investigator (CO-PI).

In total, of the 11 new species that were discovered in Ethiopia, the team found 10. I also led the inventory team which discovered the Kessem Kebena, Konso Gardula and Fejej paleoanthropology sites.

This team conducted extensive surveys in almost every place in the Rift Valley stretching from the Afar to Omo. What are your major achievements in your career?

The discovery of 11 species is the major one. The establishment of a world-class research laboratory is another achievement.

In addition, the effort and achievement in developing an important human resource in the field is worth mentioning. In this regard, I contributed to the training and development of 12 Ethiopian PhD holders

in the field. There was no one in Ethiopia when I started in this field.

Your colleagues say that, you are very strict and serious about science. Where does this saying come from?

When I do things, I try to be strict and as serious as possible. I developed this personality following the hard times I lived during the Derg era and after I survived the military government’s line of execution.

Basically, I do not want to be a bad example for my children as well as for my colleagues.

Where does Ethiopia paleoanthropology?

stand

in

In general, archeology in Ethiopia is making progress, which is encouraging.

However, the field has several challenges including a lack of trained manpower, poor site management, and lack of institutions which could organize these. We need to build an institution for sustained benefit since Ethiopia is a country that harbors a major part of human history.

You are a member of some academies of sciences. Would you please mention your responsibilities in these academies?

I am the founding member of Ethiopian Academy of Sciences. I am also a member of The National Academy of Sciences of the USA; and I am a member of World Academy of Sciences. My responsibilities in these academies are promoting science academically and bringing science closer to the people

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Eminence Spotlight: Society

ETHIOPIANS for ETHIOPIANS: AgapeMED, care with love In March 2016, a group of Ethiopian born US citizens and Americans doctors came to Ethiopia. The purpose of their visit was neither for a vacation nor for touring the county. Rather, they had a mission of providing free medical services. This was not the first time for AgapeMED outreach ministries to come to Ethiopia and provide their services. They had been here in 2014 and 2015. The Eminence’s FREHIWOT GEBREWOLD talked to the leader of the group as well as the patients they treated to learn more about the services provided.

AgapeMED outreach ministry is a ministry with the mission to reach out to those who are struggling to get basic medical care because of a lack of access to health care and poverty. The volunteers are from Minnesota and around the world. The ministry’s goal is to expand the free blood pressure clinic in Minnesota and traveling to different rural areas of Ethiopia annually to provide medical care to low-income communities.

“During the annual gospel mission of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church in Minnesota it was evident to us that along with the desperate need to hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the people’s physical needs were beyond what we could imagine. There were HIV positive children who were going for days without food and elderly people who have never visited a doctor in their lives.

There was no question that the Church’s yearly Gospel mission trips could not ignore the physical needs of the people,” said Bethlehem Atoma International Volunteer Coordinator at AgapeMED Outreach Ministry of Ethiopian Evangelical Church Minnesota (EECMN). This was how the free medical services came about.

Photo by: AgapeMed

The 2016 free medical service was provided in Melka Oda Hospital of Shashemene town, in the southwestern part of Ethiopia in the Oromia Regional State. The group had been in Shashemene previously.

Daniel Bekele is seen in the picture unloading the equipment those were donated by AgapeMed for the Melka Oda Hospital of Shashemene.

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“In 2014 we had a gospel mission in Shashemene and the need of the community was beyond what we could comprehend. At that time we set up a tent to provide screening services to those who were coming for the crusade. We found a lot of people who needed medical attention, but they were not able to receive it due to financial burden and lack of adequate health care centers in the community,” said Bethlehem when explaining on the need for their return to Shashemene.

The group provided almost every kind of medical care except emergency and gynecological treatment. Medical, surgical, eye and dental care were given during this mission.

A total of 3,372 patients were provided the service. Of those, 1,336 were treated for eye related problems and over 700 of them were provided with eyeglasses. The dentists saw 172 patients and of those 78 had tooth extractions. Fortunately the hospital had two operating rooms which enabled the group to perform major surgeries on 17 patients; 11 of them had goiters removed. In addition, 35 minor surgeries were performed during their six days stay.

Besides providing medical services, the group donated medical equipment and supplies. Abdi added, “We hope to use the equipment for a long time since they are permanently donated to the hospital. These include patient beds, modern stretchers, examination beds, ultra sound, ECG and other similar items. The hospital serves between 300 and 400 patients per day, so the supplies will be used based on the services that we have available at the hospital. The donated supplies include gloves, syringes, clothes to be worn in the OR, dental accessories and the likes.”

The main objectives of the ministry, according to Bethlehem, include giving medical and nonmedical services, evangelism, equipping hospitals with medical equipment and skills and community development. They also support some of the homeless and HIV positive children by providing financial support that will help them start small businesses to begin making a living.

Bethlehem stated that they have been successful beyond their goals. She elaborated, “We were able to see patients who would not have a chance to get medical treatment elsewhere. We were also able to support the hospital with a 40 feet container filled with medical equipment worth half a million dollars that arrived at the hospital on March 17, 2016. The equipment was donated by a Minnesotabased organization. No words can explain the welcoming spirit we received from the hospital staff as we work hand-in-hand to improve the health of the community.”

The entire medical services budget was provided by the Ethiopian Evangelical Church. The budget depends on the size of the project each year. Since the Ministry is based in Minnesota, the majority Almaz Wegayehu, 40 years old, is a mother of five living in Shashemene township. She was one of the beneficiaries who had her goiter removed.

She said it had been almost ten years since she learned about her illness. “I went to a hospital two years ago and I found out that I had double goiter. However, I didn’t get any treatment as there was no specialist. I thank the team very much. The treatment was amazing and I am feeling no pain now,” she added.

The rest of the patients received medical care, and all patients who required medication received free prescriptions as well. Patients who were admitted to the hospital also continued to receive free medication and are being followed up by the hospital staff after the group returns.

“As our hospital is a public hospital, we provide services for the public. Hence what AgapeMed did for us is marvelous. They helped us in two ways: donating equipment and supplies, and providing free medical service. The service helped those who couldn’t get medication because of different reasons including poverty and a lack of equipment and supplies. In addition, since our doctors were working jointly with the team, they were allowed to share experiences,” said Abdi Legesse (MD), CEO of the Hospital.

Without including hospital’s staff and nonmedical volunteers, there were about 50 medical doctors who participated in the current mission.

The group consists of 18 members who came from Minnesota. They were all volunteers.

“Usually people sign up through our website (www.AgapeMED.org) to volunteer, and if they live in the US they are able to travel on our yearly medical mission trip to Ethiopia. However, a mission like this requires as many resources so we are able to reach a larger population. That is what Christian Doctors and Dentist Fellowship (CMDDF) does for us. We partner with them to increase our potential to reach as many people as possible,” Bethlehem told The Eminence.

Wondemagegn Hailu (MD), Betelem Atomsa and Tariku Assefa (MD), working on a surgery for one of the beneficiary with their assistances.

of the group’s financial needs were covered by donations from there and from other parts of the world as well. Some contributions were also made by volunteers who traveled with the group. The group organized different fundraising events to raise money and awareness among the community they live in.

There will always be challenges for big projects like this one. One of the major challenges the group faced was managing the large number of patients according to Bethlehem.

“On the first day we didn’t have as many patients, but as the week went by, we started to get an overwhelming number of patients. We used all the resources we had, including additional security guards, but patients were eager to be seen. Part of the problem was the hospitals registration system was not prepared for the large number of patients,” said Bethlehem. “In addition, many patients were not prescreened before the mission started. We also had issues with the autoclave system that is used to sterilize surgical and dental equipment. However, the hospital worked hard to resolve it and all services were resumed,” explained Bethlehem.

The group is planning to return to Ethiopia in 2017 and do the same thing in the town of Holeta.

“We are working with the city health officers to facilitate this project. We believe that God will continue to give us success. We are humbled and excited that God has continued to use us to reach those who are in need,” concluded Bethlehem

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HOSPITALITY 3600: HOSPI-TOURISM

Lions to roar

At a new Zoo Addis Zoo Center was established 70 years ago and houses unique species of lions and other animals. Serving decades as the only zoo in Addis Ababa the zoo had fallen on hard times and was badly in need of maintenance. Finally, for the past couple of years it has been under renovation to better cater to the needs of zoo goers as well the animals housed in it. In addition, city authorities have budgeted for the construction of a new zoo with modern and better facilities while also maintaining the old zoo. The Eminence’s contributer EDEN MENGISTAB visited both the new and the old zoo to present this.

The 36 year old, Read Surfoonnun, came from Mauritius to Ethiopia for the first time. He was visiting the Addis Zoo Center commonly known as the Lion Zoo on the morning of Wednesday April 6, 2014. He went to the zoo which is located at Sidist Kilo area close to the Addis Ababa University to see the lions and other animals. He was especially interested in seeing the lions with all their power and grace, which always fascinates him.

He liked the area but was not comfortable with the old zoo with most of its facilities in disarray. The cages for the lions are very narrow and do not allow the lions to move

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freely so he could not see full splendor of the lions as he had imagined. Beyond that he was expecting to visit more wildlife at the zoo but could not because the number of species at the park is very limited.

The Zoo at Sidist Kilo lies on 1.2 hectare plot of land and was founded in 1947 by Emperor Haile Selassie. It currently houses eleven species of animals which include 13 lions, five Tortoises, two Gelada baboons, two Patas monkeys, two Grivet monkeys, two Egyptian geese, a Lesser kudu, a Guinea fowl, a Common duiker, three eagles and a Marabous stork.

It is led by a board made up of members from the Addis Ababa City Administration, Addis Ababa Culture and Tourism Bureau, Addis Ababa Communication Affairs Bureau, Addis Ababa Environmental Protection Authority, Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), Addis Ababa University and the Addis Zoo Center.

During its establishment only two couples of lions named Molla and Lulu with three cubs were donated by Emperor Haile Selassie.

The lions were collected from the western and southern regions of Ethiopia including Wellega, Elubabur and Sidamo. Some of the animals were given as gifts to Emperor

Photo by: Sintayehu Bekele A lion in its cage at the old Lion Zoo

Haile Selassie while the remaining were brought to the zoo by different individuals in order to give shelter and care for them.

According to data from the zoo, on average 50 foreign tourists and 2,000 adult and 500 children visited the zoo in the past five years. The number might go higher during peak seasons such as, on weekends, holidays and summer breaks, according to Fikadu Urgessa coordinator of the zoo.

Even if it has many visitors, the zoo does not have an attractive environment for tourists.

It is shabby, untidy and unattractive. The facilities in the zoo are very old and the animals are treated poorly, especially the cages where the lions are kept. They are very small and uncomfortable for them. The zoo does not have a playground for kids and lacks sanitary facilities. Furthermore the distance between the animals and visitors is far, so that it is not suitable for guests to watch the animals closely.

Though the zoo had been maintained, it was not comprehensive. And now it has been quite a while since it has been updated because there has been lack of ownership. So in its current condition, the zoo is a source of disappointment for visitors like Tiku Gebrehiwot.

The 60 year old local tourist, Tiku, came from Mekele. He was visiting the zoo for the second time when The Eminence found him. “The animals are not treated well; they are not clean and the zoo lacks hygiene,� he told

The old lion cage located at the Sidist Kilo Lion Zoo

The Eminence.

made more convenient for tourists.

But these stories are coming to an end, according to Muse Kiflom (MD) director general of the zoo. The management has decided to expand the zoo to another place as well as to renovate the existing zoo. Currently a modern zoo is under construction in the Bole area. It will be named Peacock Park. Peacock Park has been serving as a green area and used for wedding ceremonies and other occasions.

The zoo that is under construction is modern and comfortable for the animals as well as for visitors. It will have additional species of animals including the hippopotamuses, crocodiles and jackals and it will include a waterfall. The lions are not going to be kept in a small cages like the existing park, according to Muse. The lions will move freely during day and night time as they have a wider space. Tourists will be able to watch the animals moving freely but they will be covered with safety glass. There will also be a modern maintenance room and adequate parking space for tourists.

The Addis Ababa City Administration allocated 500 million birr for the new zoo The new park will include a playground for kids, and an area that is comfortable to the animals and convenient for the tourists, according to Muse.

Peacock Park will have six phases including the Blue Nile River Bank, Simien Mountains, Harenna Forest, Awash Canyon, Omo Valley, and Danakil Depression Eco systems. It will lie on 26 hectares of land. Of the six phases the Blue Nile River Bank Eco System is under construction with a budget of 92 million birr. The Defense Construction Enterprise is undertaking the construction after signing the contract in April 2012 under the supervision of the Addis Ababa Construction Bureau. It is expected to be finished by December 2016.

When the first phase will be finalized only four lions will be moved to the new zoo for the first round. The others will stay at the former zoo after it has been renovated and

After the finalisation of the construction of the new zoo, according to Muse, visitors will be told about the relocation. Different promotional works will be done to let visitors know about the change. According to the director, the promotional platforms include developing a new website, a documentary film, magazines, and brochures in different languages. Plus they will distribute information at the information center located inside the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, and at hotels and other locations where tourists often visit.

Once the facilities are finished the zoo will be a convenient attraction for both local and international tourists. Ethiopia’s tourism industry will benefit. It will also build the image of the country to the rest of the world

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Hospitality 3600: Facilities and Accommodation

Castelli: A little piece of Italy Among the global cuisines that are common in Ethiopia, Italian cuisines are well-known and easily recognized by many Ethiopians. That is why most of the high end specialty restaurants in the city offer mainly Italian meals and Castelli Restaurant is one of them. The Eminence’s HENOK SOLOMON reviewed the pioneer specialty restaurant in Addis Ababa, Castelli.

An Italian family, Castelli, who had run a catering business in Piedmont, one of the 20 regions of Italy, entered Ethiopia during Italy’s second attempt to colonize Ethiopia.

In 1936 Francisco Castelli set foot in Ethiopia for the very first time, along with the Italian army.

Francisco Castelli, who had a passion for cooking, did not want to leave Ethiopia when the Italian army was forced to leave in 1941.

He stayed in Ethiopia for several years, before he could finally open Castelli, his high-end Italian restaurant, located in the heart of Piassa. Castelli opened its door on January 7, 1957 pioneering the high-end Ethiopian restaurant business.

At the time of establishing the restaurant 59 years ago, the current uptown areas, including Bole, were part of the countryside which had not yet been developed. Francisco decided to open his restaurant at Piassa (now in front of Mehammud Music Shop) which was then the center of the city, according to Tiziana Castelli, current owner and manager of the restaurant.

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Tiziana, who was born and raised in Ethiopia, has been helping her parents in their business throughout her childhood until she took over the restaurant in 1980. Since then she has been running the restaurant with her uncle Carlo Castelli.

When entering the restaurant, one cannot help but notice the classical natural feeling of interior of the restaurant which is made of wood. The wooden floors and the furniture’s classic architectural designs feature the common house styles people know from the old western movies. This design clearly shows the history of the restaurant.

When someone enters the eatery, one will find Tiziana sitting in front of a colorful restaurant buffet. Opposite side the buffet there is a mini-bar containing a variety of wines from Piedmont. Behind Tiziana’s seat, multiple framed photographs of celebrities including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and some western politicians including former US President Jimmy Carter and other influential people who had visited and dined at Castelli Restaurant, are hanging on the wall of the

restaurant.

When one crosses the front door of the restaurant Tiziana welcomes the guests with greetings and asks how many are there in the party. After seating the guests, she wishes them to have a good meal saying the common French word “bon appétit.”

There are four rooms inside the restaurant. they have diffrent size and set ups. The rooms are situated parallel to each other. The restaurant has been redecorated and painted since Francisco established it 59 years ago.

The current managers painted it white and had some renovations made to the initial design, according to Tiziana.

“We did not make any major renovations to the restaurant as we didn’t want to lose the classic spirit of the restaurant which many people love the most about the restaurant,” Tiziana told The Eminence. “We always get compliments from our customers about the restaurant’s classic house look of the 1950s model. So I believe the ambiance of the restaurant is our identity,” she added.

Photo by: Henok Solomon

The restaurant opens its door for customers from Monday to Saturday starting at 12:00 a.m. for lunch time until dinner time.

The colourful buffet of Castelli, which the restaurant is well known for, it is served as a starter meal or as a main dish for vegetarian diners.

When the restaurant first opened, Tiziana’s father hired 20 Ethiopians who were trained by him. Currently the restaurant has 25 Ethiopian staff of which seven of them are chefs. The restaurant serves over 50 dishes made of meat, fish and pasta which dominate the menu but, they also offer vegan dishes.

Castelli Restaurant is best known for its pasta dishes but it mainly offers foods that are popular in Piedmont, Italy, except for the pizza. Its main customers include the diplomatic community, Ethiopian officials, business people, expats and tourists who visit Castelli for their Italian meals, according to the manager.

“We designed the restaurant for everybody; we welcome everyone who likes good food,” Taizina told The Eminence. “When we opened the restaurant our main customers were Italians, but that has expanded to include many Ethiopians who love Italian food and are becoming our major and loyal customers,” she added.

Seifu Amerga is the main chef. He has worked there for more than 20 years. He learned how

to cook at Castelli without going to a cooking school. Under him there are three pasta chefs, three main course chefs and four additional assistants. The number of dishes they service daily varies from season to season, according to the main chef.

The number of customers who come to the restaurant increases when the city hosts international conferences and during the peak tourism season. On the other hand, the number of guests decreases during lent and rainy seasons, according to Tizinia.

Castelle’s price range from 80 ETB to 300 ETB. Most vegetables, desserts and starters begin at 80 ETB, but one starter dish made with imported ingredients is priced at 300 ETB. The price of pasta dishes range from 140 ETB to 190 ETB. Other main dishes made with fish, meats and chicken have a price range between 120 ETB to 230 ETB. At Castelli wines are sold anywhere from 500 ETB to 650 ETB while other drinks are sold at a price up to 90 ETB per glass.

The owner claims that their dish portion is

large and one dish can easily feed two people.

The restaurant opens its door for customers from Monday to Saturday starting at 12:00 a.m. for lunch time until dinner time. It is closed on Sundays and all public holidays.

Castelli doesn’t give catering services outside of the restaurant but if one plans to have a small event in the restaurant the restaurant will negotiate a price based on the menu, according to Tiziana.

The same as Tiziana’s adolescence, her son is now assisting his mother and his mother’s uncle in managing the restaurant. As she took over the restaurant from her father, her son will someday take the reins. And he may pass it on to his children, making it the fourth generation to maintain the classic features of Castelli including quality foods and services with attractive ambiance that have passed through the generations.

Castelli is a place where you will definitely be returning to pacify your cravings for Italian gourmet

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Hospitality 3600: E-Depth

Two years on: Is ETO Promoting Tourism of Ethiopia?

Developing and assisting the tourism industry of the country has been entrusted with the newly established Ethiopian Tourism Organization (ETO) since 2014. Starting from its establishment the ETO is undertaking several activities showing mixed results.

The Eminence’s RUTH GIRMA weighs in on ETO’s plans and performances as well as discusses with industry operators.

It was in March 2014 that the government of Ethiopia announced the establishment of the two bodies; the Tourism Transformation Council (TTC) and the Ethiopian Tourism Organization (ETO) to transform the tourism industry.

During the announcement it was said that their establishment was necessitated to coordinate activities of various stakeholders within the tourism industry.

Among the major activities ETO has been working on includes capacity building in the role of developing new tourism products and destinations for Ethiopia. They are doing this by exploring new niches of regional tourism destinations to help the country earn more foreign currency. In addition the organization is working on registering these destinations under UNESCO’s world heritage sites.

The Council and the Organization’s board is chaired by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The board members include the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, heads of Regional Culture and Tourism Bureaus, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chairperson of the Addis Ababa Hotel Owners Association, President of the Ethiopian Tour Operators Association and the President of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association.

In a bid to preserve the cultural heritage and tourist destinations, the organization is working with regional culture and tourism bureaus by signing Memoranda of Understanding that enables regional tourism destinations to engage in developmental activities.

Incorporating all these stakeholders in its board, the newly established ETO oversees the development of the Ethiopian tourism industry by focusing on five major pillars to make Ethiopia among the top five tourist global destinations by 2020. The pillars are: building the hospitality capacity, developing tourism destinations, promoting and marketing services, strengthening relationships with stakeholders, and fortifying service excellence.

Even though it might seem a bit early to gauge the performance of the organization it carries several urgent responsibilities. It is a fact that ETO is striving to catch up with the country’s plan of boosting the tourism and hospitality industries, but it has some gaps which will have negative impacts on the sector.

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According to Solomon Tadesse, CEO of ETO, so far the organization has developed five northern tourist routes. And in the long run they plan to include recreational activities at tourism sights; including paragliding, mountain biking, and tracking which can potentially grab the attention of tourists and encourage them to visit these sites.

The other task which the ETO has been undertaking is changing the image that Ethiopia which is perceived as a poor country. ETO has provided ample attention to promotional and marketing services of the tourism sector. It has also undertaken several research projects in this area. It set off an introduction and familiarization of the country’s image by distributing information throughout the world, according to the CEO. Furthermore, determined to reach the world, ETO has succeeded in participating in the World Travel Market in London, International Tourism Fair in Berlin, and the Road Show in Tokyo, Japan.

Photo by: ETO

These have prompted the nation’s tourism sector to be ranked as the top fifth Africa country in terms of quality service, according to Tadesse.

Keeping famous Ethiopian runners, such as Abebe Bekila and Haile Gebresilassie, in mind the organization has collaborated in organizing several different races to let tourists have the opportunity of experiencing racing in Ethiopia which is known as the land of runners.

Solomon said ETO’s latest promotional achievement is the production of brochures of Ethiopian landmarks and cultural heritages with destination map guides for tourists.

These brochures are available in-flight and distributed at several embassies. In order to reach a larger audience, tour guide information packages designed to showcase tourist destinations along with hotel guides, have also been launched.

As Addis Ababa is fast becoming a hub for international communities and the seat for the African Union and different United Nations agencies, it is enabling the organization to bring drastic changes through meeting and conference tourism.

Presently ETO is offering a short-term training program for hotel chefs, striving to improve the quality of service delivery.

The training aims to address quality-related challenges that tourists face when coming to Ethiopia. With a unique motto of ‘train the trainer’, ETO in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Addis Ababa Hotel Owners Association (AHA) is currently carrying capacity building training around to the regions of the country by providing training for chefs in order to add upto-the-date menus to fit tourists’ demands. The training lasts for 39 weeks. ETO has provided two international chefs for the training.

In addition ETO is supporting the Catering and Tourism Training Institute (CTTI), a catering-training institute which plans to turn Genet Hotel into a tourism training institution,

by creating a link with trainers abroad. Additionally Solomon states that ETO is collaborating with AHA to broaden the Association’s scope, by connecting it with hotels in Ethiopia.

However with all the achievements mentioned above, industry insiders have mentioned that ETO has also some gaps in its performance. According to Zenawi Mesfin, General Manager of Intercontinental Hotel and President of the AHA, ETO has poor performance towards, destination development particularly tourism site sanitation. He explains a number of popular tourism sites are not kept well resulting in turning tourists away.

Another problem Zenawi mentions is a lack of clear communication between AHA and ETO. But Solomon disagrees saying there are common members from AAH and ETO council, purposely to create strong links.

Not only hotel owners but also tour operators claim that ETO has failed to address their problems. They state that with the type of nomadic work (traveling), they face difficulties to reduce Value Added Taxes (VAT), and withholding tax that the law requires. Fitsum Gezahegne, a tour operator, said paying VAT from their commission is unjust. “As we are like service exporters we need to be exempted from VAT,” he explains.

But Solomon said they were not informed of this. He said that ETO would take a professional approach when looking into the issue.

Other gap that was mentioned by industry insiders includes not enough interaction with industry operators such as hotels, resorts, tour operators as well as consultants. In addition ETO failed to sell the image of the country by working aggressively to attract more tourists, especially business and conference tourists, after attending international fairs and exhibitions.

But Solomon believes that to boost Ethiopian tourism industry it will not only require ETO’s effort but a joint force is required from all of the industry players including the society

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Cultural Panorama : Traveling Ethiopia

KONSO:

A land Steeped with Cultural Mosaic, Architecture and Heritage Konso is one of the Ethiopian cultural sites registered by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a special cultural site. However, Konso has several cultural heritages and beautiful attractions worth visiting, the town has not received ample attention from the government towards infrastructural development. The Eminence’s FASIKA TADESSE, shares her travel experience to Konso.

Photo by: Sintayehu Bekele

If one decides to travel to the southern part of the country, Konso, located south of the capital Addis Ababa in the Southern Nations Nationalities People Region (SNNPR), is an ideal place to visit. The place has ample tourist attraction sites where some are registered by the the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.

Photo by: Sintayehu Bekele

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Photo by: Fasika Tadesse

Konso has a welcoming weather as it has a temperature between 16 and 32 degree centigrade. The Konso people belong to nine exogamous patriarchal clans spread into 41 villages providing home to 300,000 people. The Konso community is known for its cultural landscape, traditional village, Gesergio (New York), Konso Museum and Konso Clan Chiefs assembly.

Photo by: Fasika Tadesse

The place is located 600 kilometers away from Addis Ababa and 360 kilometers from Hawassa, the capital of SNNPR. It will take up to 12 hours drive from Addis Ababa to reach Konso. Another option is to fly with Ethiopian Airlines’ daily flights to Arba Minch which will take 40 minutes and then travel by car for three hours to reach to your destination, Konso.

Mora, a public gathering spot for only men and children.

The Konso maintain a tribal culture, dating back 1,000 years and are governed by clan chiefs and councils of village elders, the Konso live in nine different walled villages on the arid hilltops surrounding the town.

Konso is pre-dominantly a farming community cultivating for their own consumption; coffee beans, cotton, sorghum, mango and papaya with the moringa oleifera featuring as prominent product of the area. The area is

best known for its suitableness for crop and fruit production, even if the place is highly vulnerable to climate change and soil erosion.

In addition to the mixed farming the local of Konso also engage in petty trade, labour and artisanal works such as weaving, pottery and blacksmith.Their farming system is mainly dependent on rain and 60 percent of the yield is collected between the months of September and November.

Photo by: Fasika Tadesse A beautiful landscape of Konso which was made 400 years ago to terrace soil erosion (left). One of the poor roads in Konso which is inconvenient for tourists to travel freely (right).

In Konso community villages are divided into several sub communities, each centered upon the Mora, a public gathering spot where the Pafta, a large hut, and Olahitas (generation poles) the central location for cultural ceremonies. In these areas they would perform rituals, dances, food preparations, and weaving; all of the wonderful aspects of Konso heritage.

At the Mora the gathering include men, boys and girls – excluding women can relax and make important communal decisions, such as arbitration and exchange information about weather forecasts by traditional weather diviners. Mora is also used by the locals as a contraceptive method, when a wife gives birth, for one year her husband will stay the nights in the Mora.

The Konso society is structured around generation sets, inducted every 18 years when a new Olahita is erected in the ceremonial square. So one can tell roughly how old any given village is by counting the number of the poles.

In the town there is a well-organized Konso Museum which is located on the hills of Konso with an astonishing panoramic view of the area. Konso museum hosts some of the last remaining “Waka” (kings of the area during the past years), funeral totems commemorating Konso heroes. There are also the most spiritual places in Konso, the sacred forests next to where the Konso clan chiefs live, the most respected dignitaries in the community.

The locals of Konso has a favorite gastronomy which is made for a plant named Moringa, which is commonly served for lunch. The locals drink Chaqa, a locally produced alcoholic beverage made from sorghum. It is available at

local beer houses. The locals consider the drink as a food because it is has a high nutritional content.

The other attractive thing from Konso is the famed Konso scenery and terracing farming which is part of UNESCO’s world heritage sites.

Konso terracing landscape was designated under UNESCO’s World heritage site in 2011 for its over 400 years old farming system retaining the soil from erosion, collecting a maximum of water, discharging the excess and creating terraced fields that are used for cultivating different crops in the same land plot.

The other thing which Konso is well known for is, the trekking which is commonly named, Konso’s New York, Gesergio, a magnificent clay stone canyon reminiscent of the American city.

The bundles of trekkings really look like an assortment of well-structured buildings which earned it the moniker New York.

Even if the area is suitable for cultivation these days the locals are facing repeatedly crop failures and droughts. The rugged topography of Konso with limited flat lands and unreliable rainfall of 750 mm per year, an increasing population, low productivity of the land and less access to safe water have extensively aggravated food insecurity and poverty in the area.

The Konso are also famous for the carved wooden statues, known as Waga, that are erected at the graves of important men, and come complete with enlarged teeth made from animal bones – the latter creating a rather leery expression reinforced by the impressively proportioned male genitals where the deceased typically clasp firmly in his hand.

The other major issue of the area is that, the roads are not at par with the tourism sites as travelers are forced to maneuver the bumpy all-weather roads. As the place is also a route to Jinka and down to the Kenya broader and Omo which are also known for their tourist attraction sites, the place does not have a suitable infrastructure which connect Konso with its neighboring attractions.

Even more the roads within the town that connect the villages are very poor and are not suitable for tourists to visit the cultural heritages of the area which are situated in the different parts of the town. The overall locals of Konso are not beneficial from the revenue which is earned from the tourism sector.

Furthermore the number of hotels and accommodation facilities in the town are very limited, just eight. The existing hotels have limited number of rooms compared to the increasing number of tourists flowing to the town. But the recently opened lodge named Kanta Lodge is recommended as an ideal accommodation facility as it has 50 huts with private bathrooms.

Most of the hotels and lodges in the town have continuous power outages and water supply problems which forces them to use generators.

As they cannot turn on the generator for 24 hours tourists are forced to face a problem of power outages for some hours in a day.

With all the challenges once you get there, you will be amazed and satisfied with the natural resources and cultural heritages you visited from the area with the assistance from the very kind and caring Konso communities so your tour will leave ever lasting memories in your mind

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ErtAle Volcano - Ethiopia 26 | The Eminence - Issue 19 -May 2016

Photo by:ETO Issue 19 - May 2016 - The Eminence |

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Cultural Panorama : History and diplomacy

Ethio-Italian

Relations: Time to Pivot

The latest Italian invasion of Ethiopia during Emperor Hailesellasie is believed as the foundation for the relation of the two countries as it caused several interaction and exchanges between them. Now the relationship between the two countries has widened and it seems areas of cooperation are reaching new heights. The Eminence’s Contributor KALEAB HAILU, takes a look the ever mushrooming relations between the two nations.

Antonio Fiorente, is an Italian photographer who has been living in Ethiopia for the past 20 years. He was born and raised in Hawassa, the capital of Southern Nations and Nationalities People Region (SNNPR), but moved to Italy in his teens. He could not stay in Italy because he wanted to live a simple and peaceful life so he returned to Ethiopia.

The fluent Amharic speaker, Antonio can be a showcase to demonstrate the longstanding and close relationship of the two countries: Ethiopia and Italy. His family settled in Ethiopia during the 1950’s. His father is one of the Italians who decided to remain and continue living in Ethiopia even after the invasion.

The huge milestone in the historical relation between Ethiopia and Italy can be pinpointed to 1896 when Italy made its first attempt to colonize Ethiopia. But it failed after losing at the Battle of Adwa which dashed Italy’s ambition of expanding its East African colonies.

But Italy’s ambition of subjugating Ethiopia did not end. They came back in 1935, when Italy managed to occupy Ethiopia for five years (1936-1941). But this did not last as the Italian military was forced out of Ethiopia by a joint army consisting of Ethiopian, African,

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European and American soldiers.

During the five years of occupation several developments including road construction occurred in the country. At the same time many Ethiopians who revolted against the Italians were massacred. May 5 has been declared Patriot’s Victory Day in Ethiopia to commemorate Ethiopians who died during the occupation and to honor veterans of the resistance movement.

The brief occupation brought numerous Italian customs to Ethiopia including architecture, infrastructure, education and cuisine. During the time many houses and buildings were constructed using Italian style.

The earliest roads in Addis Ababa including the streets of Piassa (adopted Italian word) were constructed during that period.

More importantly, since then many Italians have lived in Ethiopia and engaged in different businesses like Antonio’s family. These Italians engaged in businesses such as construction, auto mechanics, trade, hotels, cafés and restaurants. Some examples include Castelli Restaurant, Nova Consulting, Seferian Automotive and Varnero Construction Plc have contributed their share in developing business in Ethiopia.

The history between the two countries might

have been overshadowed by the two instances of invasions but the current status of their bilateral relations is far from that dark past, according to Tewolde Mulugeta, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

“The relation between the two countries has spanned over a century. Their relations have gone through different levels of cooperation during different regimes. At the present time, the bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Italy stands at a very good place,” explained Tewolde.

According to data from the MoFA, the diplomatic relations between the two countries was established in 1889.

Giuseppe Mistrette, the sitting Italian ambassador to Ethiopia explains. “We want to overcome the critical past that still lingers, and look forward to a profitable future for both countries. We will project all our energy in the construction of the new EthioItalian relations with the pillars of economic cooperation and cultural integration,” he said.

In line with Mistrette assertion of intensifying the relation of the two countries, Italian President Sergio Mattarella made a five day official visit to Ethiopia in March. This made him the first sitting Italian president who paid an official visit to Ethiopia in the past 20 years.

Photo by: Sintayehu Bekele

Photo by: www.gettyimages.com Emperor Haile Selassie (second from left), on official trip in Italy with the King Vittorio-Emanuele III of Italy (center) and Italian crown Prince Umberto II (right)

Giuseppe Mistretta, Italian ambassador to Ethiopia

During his stay in Ethiopia Mattarella visited a developmental projects in Ethiopia. “Italy is refugee camp in Gambella and the historical site engaged in education, health, sanitation and of Lalibela. He also held discussions with senior other sectors,” he said.

Ethiopian government officials.

“Now we want to focus on the business sector Such kinds of visits show a growing interest in by focusing on plans of developing projects in Italy to develop its collaboration with Ethiopia, Ethiopia,” Mistrette said. according to Tewolde “There have also been other senior Italian officials who have visited According to Mistrette, the Italian government Ethiopia at different times in the past. This is currently financing project studies to shows Italy’s growing interest to enhance its establish a couple of industrial parks, most cooperation with Ethiopia in various fields,” likely agro-industrial parks. Italy is also working closely with the United Nations pointed out Tewolde.

Industrial Development Organization Ethiopia’s focus on bilateral relations is (UNIDO) to establish a trilateral partnership being steered towards economic and trade between Ethiopia, Italy and UNIDO. cooperation, increasing import and export trade volume and direct foreign investment all “So, over 15 million Euros from the previous development plan are set aside to foster the of which have been improving over the years. business sector,” the ambassador stated.

The economic relations of the two countries have grown during the past years with the trade In line with this, Italian investors have also shown keen interest in engaging in various volume reaching about 500 million USD. investment activities in Ethiopia. The amount “This is a huge improvement from the past, of direct foreign investment flowing from Italy but we believe there is still a potential to boost to Ethiopia has reached a total amount of 713 it, along with direct foreign investments and million Birr for 70 projects during the past 25 transfer of technology,” Tewolde told The years, according to data from the Ethiopian Eminence.

Investment Commission.

According to Ambassador Mistrette, beyond the “Our foreign policy is focused on economic economic cooperation Italy has also engaged in diplomacy which includes investor recruitment

through all our missions across the world,” noted Tewolde.

During the fiscal year of 2015, a total of 23 anchor investors from Italy have visited Ethiopia and conducted their own surveys and have moved to direct their investment to Ethiopia, according to data from the MoFA. “The visit of Italian investors to Ethiopia shows that they have a vested interest in involving and engaging in the investment sector of the country,” the spokesperson elaborated.

Ethiopia and Italy have also inked more than fifteen agreements since 1991 in social, economic, political and cultural aspects. “These agreements only serve as foundations that are testimonies of the interest of both countries.

The thing that should be underlined is the proper implementation of these agreements to truly bolster the bilateral ties of the two countries,” elaborates Tewolde.

After all of this effort and interactions, the chapter of conflict between the two countries has closed and they are undertaking a new chapter. The Italian Cultural Institute, Italian restaurants and the Italian schools are also playing a great role in strengthening the cultural and societal ties of the two countries

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Cultural Panorama : Art and Literature

Let Dire Reads: Promoting reading through book fairs

Dire Dawa was busy between the end of March and the beginning of April in hosting the 7th edition of a book fair organized by The National Archive and Library Agency with the aim of promoting the nation’s reading culture. The Eminence’s contributor KALEAB HAILU attended the 7th book fair and talked to organizers, vendors and attendees to learn about how the fair merits them.

On a sunny morning of Thursday March 31, 2016 at the Kezira neighborhood located in front of the railway station in Dire Dawa, a city located 515 Kms from Addis Ababa, the young school marching band was playing instrumental music. The music lightened up the small avenue where book vendors who came from different parts of the country were getting ready to display their books for the residents of this lively city who were eagerly awaiting the book fair.

The day marked as the opening date of the seventh national book fair organized by the National Archive and Library Agency in collaboration with the Dire Dawa City Administration Trade, Industry and Investment Bureau. The fair drew 17 exhibitors and more than 30,000 visitors during its four days stay.

The Agency has been organizing this fair for the past two years. So far it has organized fairs in Bahir Dar, Sebeta, Mekelle, Hawassa, Semera and Addis Ababa. Reading is the main source of gaining information and knowledge for a nation.

Mellesse Maru, a 26-year old bookseller from Addis Ababa whose shop is near the Mexico area, explained that to enhance society’s reading culture, attitudinal changes should be brought by organizing book fairs which help the society

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by creating and raising their levels of awareness.

Hence, the culture of reading should be supported in various ways including organizing these types of book fairs.

Supporting Mellesse’s argument, Eskedar Girma, Archives Ethiopian Studies and Legal Deposit Director explained that the fair was organized to improve the culture of reading and to create a societal movement. The Agency has been organizing book fairs to accomplish the objective of providing society with knowledge through developing the culture of reading especially for the students and youth -as reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

The culture of reading particularly helps improve the younger generation for the nation’s future sustainable development which is dependent upon an educated work force.

Students in schools need to have a strong reading culture in both educational and extra curriculum literary works. Following this the Dire Dawa book fair attracted a large number of students from both primary and secondary schools.

An eighth grade student at Sabean No. 2, Dagmawit Berhanu was one of the visitors.

She stated that the Fair was advantageous for students. “We can get different kinds of books which are very helpful for us, plus it will let

students from different schools share studying skills with their peers,” she told The Eminence.

In addition the Fair has significant advantages for the youth of Dire Dawa, who are known for the habit of chewing Khat in the afternoon.

The fair will motivate youth to develop a reading culture which will finally take them away from engaging in harmful habits such as chewing Khat and alcohol abuse, according to Yared Nega, owner of Nisir Book Store in Mekelle and who was participating in the Fair for the second time.

Compared to regional towns such as Dire Dawa, the culture of reading is relatively stronger in Addis Ababa, since most local books are published in the capital. Addis Ababa also has a greater degree of accessibility to foreign books. In addition, Addis Ababa has a public library which opened in 1936, giving more access of reading opportunities for the community. But when it comes to accessibility it is a major challenge for various towns and cities in regional states.

Elias Gebremariam, a book vendor near the Wabe Shebelle Hotel in Addis Ababa, believes book fairs in regional states will give access to the public living outside of Addis to get books that are not abundantly available in those regions.

Photo by: inhabitat.com

Meaza Gebremedhin, State Minister for Research Sector Development at Ministry of Culture and Tourism explained, “Information is becoming one of the cornerstones for a nation’s development. Literary works are information sources that reflect a country’s music, art and social aspects.”

She also stated that reading plays a pivotal role in creating well educated citizens who can positively affect the growth and development of a nation.

Since the beginning of organizing the Book Fair, improvements have been seen over time, according to Hailemicheal Getahun, ancient literary heritage expert at the Agency.

“We have gone to the regions where we organized the national book fair to do separate research, and we have come to see that there are a lot of changes that have happened after the organization of the fair. It is quite satisfying to see these changes due to the works done by the Agency,” Hailemicheal told The Eminence.

However, according to the organizers there are challenges which are hindering speedy progress in terms of achieving the objective of the fair. “We can’t be at all places at once.

Photo by: Frehiwot Gebrewold

Photo by: Frehiwot Gebrewold Displayed Ethiopian canonical and old aged cultural books.

Meaza Gebremedhin state minister of Culture and Tourism opening the seventh round of book fair with their co-organisers of the officials of the city administration.

That would need a large base of human and financial resources, so the regions have to take ownership of undertaking activities to improve the reading culture in their respective areas,” said Eskedar.

Effective promotion beforehand was also a major issue that was raised by participants and visitors of the fair in Dire Dawa.

The Agency has been organizing book fairs to accomplish the specific objective of providing the society with knowledge through developing the culture of reading especially for the students and youth -as reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body Elias, the bookseller from Addis Ababa, noted, “The promotion for this fair was not done well.

Promotion is necessary to create awareness about the event and to attract more visitors, but that has not been done.”

Negatu Tessema, a 15 years old student also shares Elias’s claim. “The event was beyond my expectation because I got many books I could not find in our vicinity. And it is really nice but I didn’t get enough information about it.

Since I didn’t get enough information, I didn’t bring any money and I can’t buy any books today,” said Negatu.

In addition to bringing various books for Dire Dawa students and community, the book fair inlcuded a wide range of sideline activities such as reading sessions at the sales booths.

Students from local schools recited poems in Amharic, Oromifa and Somali languages.

A general knowledge quiz competition that featured three students from secondary schools was held and prizes were presented to the winners.

Even if the Fair was organized in Dire Dawa without aggressive promotion about the event, it provided entertainment and gave opportunities for the youth and the students to get a wide variety of books. Since the fair lasted for four days visitors who were not well informed including Negatu got a second chance to visit the fair again so he could get four books that he had added to in his shopping list

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MADE IN ETHIOPIA : LIFE STYLE

Addis’ Condo Lifestyle:

Photo by: Eyoel Mamo

Adjusting from Communal Living toward Seclusion

Construction is booming in Addis Ababa, the capital of the country, and the city’s skyline is getting a facelift. In order to redevelop the city, the city administration is relocating the former dwellers in the center of the city to new condominium sites. These displacements has prompted lifestyle changes on the communities who are facing difficulties in coping with the new lifestyle in condos. The Eminence’s HELINA ABRAHAM, visited some condo sites and discussed with experts to presents what the communities are facing and the social and physiological effects on them.

For Michael Mekonnen, the 28 year old businessman, Teklehaimanot, a place where he used to live, meant more than a living arrangement rather it was part of his identity.

He describes the social life at his former residential area as living to share. People shared everything they had, even their food.

And he misses that since he moved to the Ayat condominium site a year ago.

“I wouldn’t even be bothered for a minute if I did not have food at my home because I knew that I could eat at my neighbour’s home,” says Michael. “If I had Injera, I would share stew with my neighbour,” he reminisced.

However, since moving to Ayat condominium, life has become more difficult for him, as he does not have opportunities for social interaction. He is facing the challenge of coping with the new lifestyle, living alone, at condos. For Michael spending the day alone without talking to anyone has become ‘a hard nut to crack.’ For him, leaving his former home where he was born and raised means losing a part of his identity.

Not only Michael, but also many other

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people who moved from the poorer areas in the center of the city, to the condominiums are facing difficulties in coping with the new living arrangements. Meron Webegziabher, a 27 year old businesswoman, is also facing this challenge. She used to live at Arat Kilo area but recently moved to one of the condominium sites.

She couldn’t bare losing her adopted family after the resettlement. She doesn’t have any blood relations. She used to consider her old neighbours as her family since they were always there for her.

“If I ever got sick my neighbours were there all the time to help,” she told The Eminence.

The Eminence found her at Arat Kilo to visit her former neighbors which she does often because she cannot cope with the condo lifestyle. She said she only goes to her new house to sleep.

Michael and Meron are part of the community that has been relocated for the redevelopment of the City. The City is demolishing the rundown areas located in the middle of the city. While demolishing the slum areas since

2003, the Addis Ababa City Administration Construction and Housing Development Bureau, has been constructing condominium homes as compensation for people who were forced out of their and for people who were living in rental houses.

According to data from the Bureau they plan to construct 271,000 houses on 22 sites. So far they have constructed 140,000 houses under the 10/90 and 20/80 housing schemes, which the homebuyers are expected to settle the 20 and 10 percent of the total cost of the houses as a down payment and the remaining 80 and 90 percent would be covered by the government and the homebuyers will pay through time.

In addition, during the current fiscal year, city officials have planned to relocate 39,000 households to these condominiums.

These condos have better quality and are more compatible for living than their former residential areas. However, residents who have been relocated are complaining, saying their new houses are forcing them to change their lifestyle which they do not like and hard to adapt to. Residents say they are facing challenges to cope with the current new

Photo by: Sintayehu Bekele Routine activities of the society in the slum and shanty areas of Addis Ababa which cannot continue when they move to the condos, because of space limitation and life style change.

lifestyle.

Arat Kilo, Arogew Kera, Merkato, Teklehaimanot and Piassa are the major redevelopment areas where residents were relocated. The inhabitants have had to give up activities that they could do in their former residential areas including grinding coffee, brewing Tella [Ethiopian traditional beer], baking Difo Dabo [traditional bread] and other they cannot do these things in the condominiums because of the close quarters.

The communal traditional coffee ceremony where the community gathers for discussions amongst neighbours do not also happen at condominiums, which are known for their closed-door lifestyle. Children are also affected by the relocation. The condominiums do not have playgrounds for children, so that the children cannot play as they used to at their old homes.

Ethiopians are socially oriented people, so the community go through difficulties as well as good times together, especially in those areas where the social life is stronger than other areas. They spend most of their lives supporting one another during funerals, weddings and graduations.

Michael Gebremedhin, a psychologist, said that Ethiopians have stronger social ties and

a sense of togetherness. “Our strong social life is manifested in relationships with our neighbours, schools and workplace. We tend to lean on others for support and share things in our daily routine,” he elaborated.

Michael claims Ethiopians are more extroverted, and friendly and enjoy social stimulants. Thus, he explains, losing this social circle may cause diverse psychological effect including depression, cultural shock, insomnia, attention deficit disorders and others. These phenomena can be seen mostly in the elderly population because they have deep values for the culture they grew in. It is almost impossible for them to adapt new trends, according to Michael.

Michael’s analysis is supported by Habtamu Atelaw’s research entitled ‘The livelihoods of displaced people in Addis Ababa considering the case of people relocated from Arat Kilo area’. Habtamu in his research explained that displacement directly affects the community leading them to lose their livelihood, traditional institutions, social networks, education, transportation, access to health services and financial capabilities.

As a result, the community members who have been displaced lose intimate bonds, increased alienation and low levels of cohesion in family structures. After the resettlement,

poverty becomes not just an absence of basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing; it also becomes the loss of strong social networks which makes the community think that it is powerlessness, dependent and vulnerable, according to physiologists.

Sociologists also explain the effect of the lifestyle change on the community. According to a study by Michael M. Cernea entitled ‘Impoverishment Risks, Risk Management, and Reconstruction: A Model of Population Displacement and Resettlement’, displacement destroys the existing social life of a community.

The study also found that displacement diffuses and fragments communities, dismantles patterns of social organization and interpersonal ties. Groups that function together become scattered. Cernea added, once social networks are scattered, it is difficult to create a network and communicate again which creates disconnection from their tightly knit neighbours.

But life will go on, and the communities will strive to use different methods to cope with the new lifestyle of condo living because redevelopment of the city is essential to create a positive impact on the national economy and the better look to Addis Ababa, which is becoming a major tourist destination

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MADE IN ETHIOPIA : FASHION

Young designer showcases traditional influence in modern apparel line

These days young designers are making Ethiopian traditional clothes wearable by the younger community through fusing traditional clothes with modern designs and other materials. Teshalech Tadesse is one of those designers. She makes shoes, dresses, bags and jewelry by mixing Tibeb [traditional weaving pattern] with Enset [False banana]. The Eminence’s RUTH GIRMA explores how Teshalech takes inspiration from traditional fabrics and designs to create contemporary looks.

‘Enset’, which is also known as ‘False Banana’ is a plant that is used to make a side dish in a very popular food among Ethiopians, especially in the southwestern part of the country. But astonishingly it took an artistic twist and a whole new production line created by the young designer Teshalech Tadesse, founder and owner of Adot Design.

A byproduct of Enset, is flat, fermented bread known as ‘Qocho.’ It is common in the Gurage cuisine and is served and eaten throughout Ethiopia. But it is also used by the locals to make baskets, shelter, and crafts. Additionally, part of the plant is used by traditional healers as a medicine for joint swellings, broken bones and for maternal health.

But Teshalech uses Enset’s byproduct to make bags, bookcases, jewelry, shoes and

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even clothes out of something that was once considered a waste product. She brought a new technique that transforms the disposable part of the false banana into modern threads.

Born and raised with her eight other siblings in the ethnic group of the Gurage, which uses Qocho as a staple, it was very easy for Teshalech to change the byproduct of their favorite dish into a business. To enter the business she mentioned two main reasons beyond the abundant availability of the raw material, Enset, in her area.

Helping her father to generate income by making and selling shoes during her childhood Teshalech developed her skills and creativity.

The second factor which led Teshalech to develop her skills and habits was her mother who frequently made Qocho as the family’s

main dish which made her familiar with the plant. Little did she know that other than generating a little money from making shoes at a young age and knowing how to make her traditional food, she was on a path towards her calling.

Before Teshalech shaped the business that is now branded as Adot Design, she earned her English and Amharic language diploma from the then Kotebe College of Teacher Education and a BA degree in sociology from Jimma University. After graduation she taught kindergarten and elementary aged children for 10 years in different private schools including the Greek School, School of Americans, New English School and Ethio- Parents School.

Although her job diverged completely from her goal, she said it didn’t prevent her from

Teshalech has participated in 15 exhibitions, 16 fashion shows and got coverage by 16 media outlets.

Photo by: Adot Design

coupled with her gusto for creativity paved her way of opening her own business, Adot Design. Even though she loved her former job, the sheer demand on her what she used to once call a “hobby” pulled her to another path. But the decision to quit her teaching job was tough for her and she was taking on a lot of risk, according to Teshalech.

Teshalech Tadesse, owner of Adot Design, costumed with her designs made for Enset (false banana)

She makes dresses, tops, jewelry (earrings, bracelets and necklaces), shoes, bags, and scarves, by fusing Enset with “Tibeb”, a traditional Ethiopian design on Shema. The touch of traditionally woven, multi-hued cultural designs, over the tranquil color of the Enset sticks gives her product a vibrant look. The threads she makes vary in sizes, shapes and designs.

Teshalech sells her own products. In addition she distributes some of her products to souvenir shops located in malls and grand hotels like Friendship Mall, Ellily and Intercontinental hotels. Dawit Adam who owns a souvenir shop at Intercontinental Hotel is one of her customers who sells Adot products.

“Most of my customers are foreigners; although it is difficult to explain what the bags are made of due to lack of common tongue, they can tell it’s handmade and natural,” says Dawit. “Their eyes flicker when they see the colored jeweled traditional scarves too,” he added.

Adot’s products have different price tags depending on size, quality and materials they are made from. Bags are sold from 50 to 700 ETB, while she sell shoes somewhere between 200 to 500 ETB. Tops are sold for 300 ETB, dresses sold between 600 and 2,000 ETB and jewelry are sold from 25 to 200 ETB.

Dinna Kigga, a South African tourist, was at a souvenir shop located in Friendship Hotel to purchase Ethiopian made products when making creative things. She used events that were The Eminence met her. She was attracted by connected to her former teaching profession Adot’s design products and expressed her to showcase her products and they gradually appreciation by purchasing a blue woven cultural patterned Enset bag with a matching caught attention. blue and white patterned woven scarf.

The increasing demand from her customers

In addition to the grand hotels where Kigga purchased her product, Teshalech showcases her products in fashion shows and exhibitions to introduce her lively products to customers, to attract the attention of both Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians. So far she has participated in 15 exhibitions and 16 fashion shows, and has received coverage by 16 media outlets.

Teshalech is a board member of Alliance Women Enterprisers Program (AWEP) and Ethiopian Fashion Designers Associations (EFDA). She actively participates with the belief that uniting people of similar innovation drives brings faster and more rapid change in the industry.

Teshalech gets her supplements - the part of Enset she uses, from the southern part of Ethiopia, Welkite. Teshalech currently has 15 employees who harvest and process the raw material and others who work beside her. She mentions that her business growth would generate more employment especially for villagers who are skilled in handcrafts who have not yet been fully utilised.

Regarding challenges, Teshalech points out that stereotyping is a major problem she faces. She said that most Ethiopians coming across cultural souvenir shops have an impression that the products are made exclusively for tourists and they presume that the prices would be unaffordable. Hence she strives to see these misconceptions alleviated and more Ethiopians wearing and using these items that polish Ethiopian culture as it is repackaged in a chic way fitting of the modern, daily lifestyle.

Now Teshalech aspires to develop Adot Design business into a more popular brand that is easily available and contemporary so that every Ethiopian would wear them and every tourist would take them back as souvenirs. Eco-friendly products that represent cultural food plants, authentic designs with a mix of fashionable trends, Adot Design is aimed to be a cultural brand everyone would be comfortable owning, wearing or showing off

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MADE IN ETHIOPIA : ARCHITECTURE AND INT. DESIGN

Hulet Shi Habesha is one of the better known traditional restaurants in Addis Ababa. It serves Ethiopian cuisines accompanied with a traditional musical band that has helped the restaurant to be one of the major tourist destination restaurants. It has an attractive exterior and interior look but has some flaws. The Eminence’s contributor LUCY KASSA analyzed the design of the restaurant with the help from designer experts.

Challenges in Fitting Local Interior Design Concepts in Traditional Establishments Located on the left side of a road from Bole Brass to Kazanchis on Namibia Avenue, Hulet Shi Habesha (2000 Habesha) Cultural Restaurant, is decorated with sculptures of an Axum obelisk, a Lalibela church with more than one edifice, the Fasilides Castle and the Harar Wall. All these sculptures attract the attention of anyone who passes by the restaurant which exclusively serves Ethiopian traditional meals.

The sculptures look like they are made of stone but are actually made for synthetic materials fixed on to the marble wall. The designs provide an attractive look for the restaurant which is popular among both local and international visitors including Hamet Mohamed, a Saudi Arabian businessman who loves to visit traditional restaurants whenever he comes to Ethiopia.

He was at Hulet Shi Habesha cultural restaurant on the afternoon of April 7, 2016 sitting in the corner of the restaurant enjoying

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his Ethiopian cuisine. It was his second time visiting the restaurant. He prefers to sit in the chairs at the corner which gives him comfort and a good vantage point.

Hamet’s favorite restaurant Hulet Shi Habesha lies on a 920 square meter plot.

It was constructed with marble, wood and straw. The front side of the restaurant resembles the Fasilides castle. The view of the castle at the front side of the restaurant looks better than the one at the gate. A large painting at the front of the restaurant gives it a brighter ambiance which grabs visitors’ attention.

When one enters the compound he can observe that the restaurant’s exterior is heavily influenced by the culture and traditions of the northern part of Ethiopia including Tigray and Amhara. Additionally the Harar is also depicted as part of the restaurant’s wall.

The colors of the sculptures complement each other. But the sculpture made to represent Fasilides castle is confusing because its colors look exactly like the stones of the Axum Obelisk not Fasilides. In addition, there are smaller sculptures of Axum on the castles which is an unrealistic uniting of the Axum obelisk with Fasilides castle.

Inside the restaurant, there is a large painting just behind the music stage. The painting is framed by the Harar wall showing the green countryside and the landscape, incorporating tall mountains and two thatched huts locally named Gojo Bet. To the right and left of the stage Fasilides Castle, Axum and Lalibela sculptures are seen.

In terms of representing the country’s diverse culture the restaurant is incorrect, according to Selam Tesfay, an architect and interior designer who is currently a project manager of a forthcoming Welde Hotel.

Photo by: Sintayehu Bekele Hulet Shi Habesha’s well etiquette traditionally made dining tables and chair having the design of Ethiopia’s well known cultural heritages is seen in the picture decorated with paintings showing ethiopian endemic wildlife.

“The restaurant should have represented the cultures of the country fully,” Selam told The Eminence.

But Aregawi Geberselasie, designer and general manager of the restaurant does not agree with Selam’s point of view, saying that representing all Ethiopian culture in one restaurant would give the restaurant a chunky interior look. He believes they have done their best to represent Ethiopian culture fairly.

“Even with its current design the restaurant looks chunky,” he argues. “So it is better that some of the dominating elements from the different cultures or historical sites are represented in one feature as most of Ethiopian cultures have at least one common element,” he added.

In addition to the historical sites the restaurant shows some of the country’s endemic wildlife species including birds, Walya Ibex, Nyala and the Red Fox by using paintings that are displayed on the wall of the restaurant that is roofed by thatched grass.

The paintings and the furniture in the restaurant complement each other and the light inside gives the room a relatively simple and bright ambiance. However the restaurant does not have any windows to provide fresh air.

“In interior design, rooms can be darker as there is no standard about that. But for the sake of customers, a venue should create a conducive environment and be comfortable.

But this restaurant’s interior design creates a sense of suffocation,” Selam noted.

Even if it lacks fresh air, the restaurant tried to mitigate the stuffiness by using ventilation and by elevating the length of the hall. In addition to not having any windows, it also does not have sufficient exit points including a fire exit.

The lighting system of the restaurant is not creative, according to Selome Dagnachew, general manager of Baroque Interiors and Events PLC. “The dining area does not have enough light,” she commented.

On the other hand its furniture is inspired by the Axum obelisks and Lalibela churches with their traditionally made eye-catching chairs and dining tables. But the chairs, especially those located in the middle of the room, are not comfortable to sit on and the dining tables are too short which is inconvenient to eat on.

“When a customer chooses a chair he would prefer a comfortable one not the one which has attractive design,” Selam explains.

In terms of space the furniture especially the chairs in the restaurant are placed too close together. This is contrary to the minimum standard set by interior design concept.

Based on the minimum standard the space between the chairs and the table should allow the waiters to walk in between while customers are either sitting or standing at their table.

The restaurant’s floor is decorated with smaller pieces of ceramics and cement which has a negative impact on the restaurant’s cleanness as cement is easily exposed to dust. Decorating a floor with marble is not part of the Ethiopian culture so it has become a source of criticism from experts.

“As long as the restaurant is a traditional one, its overall elements should reflect the traditional ways of decoration by keeping their functionality and comfort,” Selam commented.

The architecture and interior design of Hulet Shi Habesha in general is categorized under the vernacular architecture type of design, which uses local raw materials, knowledge and ways of solving inconveniences.

It would have been better if Huilet Shi Habesha used the carpets that are common in rural areas rather than using ceramic, according to Selam.

Selome of Baroque shares her observation about the unprocessed leathers products which were used to decorate the restaurant.

According to her leather is not easy to clean

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MADE IN ETHIOPIA : UNIQUE ETHIOPIA

Matters:

How the Kunama Tie the Knot

By Andualem Assefa

The Kunama ethnic group thrives in the northern corner of Ethiopia within the Tigray Regional State under the Tahtay Adiabo Woreda with Medabe, Geza Meqar, Adamit, Lemlem, Mentebteb, Shemebelina and Geza Adura Kebeles. Additionally, Kunama people live in the Qafta Humera, Adi Goshu and Adebay Koko areas which are fertile agricultural lands.

One of the unique traits of this distinct people is their traditional wedding ceremony that takes place with the full consent of the bride. In the Kunama culture the covenant of marriage is established with the consent of both the bride and the groom unlike some other Ethiopian ethnic groups.

The Kunama people have a custom of preparing a separate room for the bride to stay in seclusion in order to choose her potential groom before getting married.

When a young girl reaches marrying age her family will arrange for the construction of single, straw thatched hut called Atinga, for her.

This room gives the young girl a privacy to freely contemplate selecting her soul mate. Eligible bachelors who are interested

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Photo by: www.madote.com

Tradition

in marrying her come to that single room and chat with her while standing outside of the hut. If she is not interested she will not converse with him. On the other hand, she will engage in conversation with those who catch her fancy and talk about their life as a married couple.

Except for her brother, other family members are not allowed to come to her room. This is done with the intention of preventing family members from influencing her choice of a groom. The bride has the full privilege to marry the one she chooses.

When she finally chooses whom to marry, planning for the wedding goes into full swing. Then the family involvement starts after the couple set a date for their wedding party. The young girl will briefly confide to her family members, especially to her mother, why she chose the particular groom and her plans for the future.

Meanwhile for his part the prospective groom will explain to his father his plans with his fiancé . Then the father of the young man accompanied by two elders (with a

man and a woman) goes to the young girl’s house to discuss plans for the wedding feast with her family.

After reaching an agreement on the wedding date, the wedding ceremony is held in the bride’s family home. Her family slaughters oxen and prepares a traditional liquor called Ayfa for their invited guests and neighbors. In contrast the groom’s family throws a small party.

Then the groom goes to the bride’s family house accompanied by his uncles and his friends, chanting and dancing all the way to join his wife. They include female singers who play sweet tunes with them.

After a short while the wedding party who accompanied the groom returns to their home while the groom stays with the bride.

This ends the wedding ceremony.

This type of marriage ceremony is short and precise. It manages time and saves a lot of money. After the wedding ceremony the couple celebrates their honeymoon in a specially furnished hut called Solobeita for a month. They stay there with their bridesmaids and groomsmen. After a month

Photo by: ARRCCH A Kunama youth with one of the Kunama community’s traditional music instrument made up of animal horn

they start moving around going out from the Solobeita. After the honeymoon the couple starts a new life called Enshatela.

They throw a party by preparing meat, porridge and the traditional liquor Ayfa or Tela.

Finally the couple stays with the bride’s family for a year allowing them time to build their own home before moving out.

During this period the couple will be provided with ample support by the bride’s family so they have enough time to generate income for themselves. Throughout the entire time, the families of the bride and the groom have the opportunity to get acquainted and forge strong ties. This allows the newlyweds to be self-sufficient, economically balanced, financially secured and psychologically stable. And they are able to build up their social life.

While the couple is living in the bride’s family’s home, the family can evaluate how the groom is prepared to lead his new family. On the other side, during her stay the bride’s mother will impart sufficient wisdom to tackle any challenges in her marriage. If any conflict or disputes occur,

the bride’s family is on hand to help address any disputes.

This period is the foundation for the couple’s new life. During their stay in the bride’s family house, the couple have time to figure out their potential threats and challenges of married life before living on their own. This makes the foundation of the marriage stand firmly.

The groom helps the family of the bride during his year’s stay. He also purchases agricultural tools for himself. Above all, by purchasing a herd of cattle or through donations, the groom consolidates his economic status. Finally after strengthening his economic status the groom announces his plan to build his own house and leave the family.

The couples’ close relatives help build the house. They will throw another party when the couple moves into their own home.

During the party, all the relatives bring present such as goats, cattle, agricultural tools and other household utensils. From then on, the couple will be self-sufficient.

This unique marriage ceremony allows

the Kunama people to save time and money. Their culture also promotes gender equality because the bride is allowed to embrace the love of her life. Furthermore, it helps the couple to solely focus on their lives together instead of investing money on the wedding feast. This can be taken as a role that can be emulated.

Even if this is a unique and innovative wedding ceremony, it is threatened by the lack of an organized way to sustain the wedding ceremonial practice. The custom is mostly practiced at the extreme fringes of the countryside.

The other challenge of this culture emanates from the Kunama people’s settlement. They are being assimilated with the Tigray people so their wedding ceremony is gradually being eroded by neighboring communities.

The Authority of Research on Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARRCCH) findings indicates that their culture is on the verge of being replaced. The Authority is working with the community to create awareness to maintain and conserve their culture

Issue 19 - May 2016 - The Eminence |

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REFLECTION: LEGAL CORNER

What You Should Know before Investing in Ethiopia

By Tsewaye Muluneh

Many foreigners who come to Ethiopia do not have enough information on the investment environment in the country. The 61 years old Tim Laslavic, a retired Managing Director at the New York based Morgan Stanley Investment Bank, is one of them. Whenever he decides to invest in Ethiopia, Laslavic puts Morgan Stanley Bank in his major option list with the belief of the bank will inform him well about Ethiopia’s investment environment and legal frameworks.

As a tourist after visiting Ethiopia you may decide to explore the investment possibilities and opportunities in Ethiopia. So your major option could be visiting the website of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), www.investethiopia.gov.et. The EIC is the government organ that regulates and puts policies in place for investments; on the website you can get ample information about investment opportunities in the country.

According to Selamawit Tamru, legal expert at the EIC, Ethiopia has some investment areas which are reserved only for nationals in a bid to protect fledgling local companies from being dominated by big multinationals. This means that Ethiopia doesn’t have a completely open door for every area of investment and this is one of the reasons why Ethiopia is not a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) yet even though the country is in the process of joining the WTO. According to article 3 of the regulation 270/2012 entitled ‘Investment Incentive and Investment Areas Reserved for Domestic Investors,’ banking and insurance, micro finance, packaging and transportation are among the areas that are only reserved for local investors.

40 | The Eminence - Issue 19 -May 2016

Summary of all licensed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Projects in the past five years.

Furthermore there are some other investment areas according to Investment Proclamation number 769/2012 that are reserved exclusively for government. These include postal service, courier services, transmission and distribution of electrical energy. While telecom and the manufacturing of weapons are considered a joint venture between the government and an investor.

all other investment areas with a total of 2,442 operational projects worth 90.4 billion ETB for the past 25 years. In terms of country investments, Chinese investors stand head above shoulders from other nationals with investments in 1,064 projects and outlay of 19.4 billion ETB investment capital.

To decide in which areas you are going to invest, it is better to know the investment incentives and privileges. Some of the investment incentives, guarantees and protection stated on investment proclamation no 769/2012 under article 23-26 including ownership of immovable properties and exemptions from custom duty while importing.

For the selected investment areas under manufacturing sector the state owned policy financer, the Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE) offers loan facilities under 70/30 scheme. If one came up with a feasible investment proposal and 30 percent of the investment capital, he can secure the remaining amount in loans from DBE. The priority areas by the DBE includes commercial agriculture, agro processing, manufacturing, mining and extractive industries.

Once you have decided to invest in Ethiopia you need to prepare an investment capital. If your area of investment goes in accordance with the policies of the government of Ethiopia the minimum investment capital for a single investment project is 200,000 USD.

DBE provides short, long and middle term loans with lower interest rate of 8.5 percent for priority investment areas and 9.5 percent for non-priority areas against the average private banks’ interest rate on loans which is over 11 percent.

After fulfilling the investment capital your next step will be processing your investment permit from the EIC which is located on the African Avenue. Besides processing your investment permit you can process additional requirements as the EIC provides a one stop shop service. At the window you can process your registration for tax and tin number, register your company name, open a bank account and process loan facilities.

Investing in the manufacturing sector could be your priority investment area as the country offers cheap labor force and Ethiopia is part of The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) which creates a common market with the free movement of capital and labor and with no tariffs levied on goods. Through it, Ethiopia enjoys preferential access to 19 countries with a combined population of 390-million.

Manufacturing attracts more investors as the incentive given to the sector are attractive, according to Selamawit.

According to a data from the EIC foreign investment in manufacturing sector exceeds

With all these opportunities in the investment sector of Ethiopia, we hope you get an insight about the investment opportunities and environments in Ethiopia which will help you to make a decision

BIO Omowale Dipeolu lived with her husband and children in Addis Ababa for 10 years. They moved to Ethiopia from Geneva,Switzerland in 2005 when her husband got a job with the UN. She and her husband have since moved back to their home country Nigeria.

Dear Ethiopia:

My second, but better experience of Ethiopia.

I have to say though that this would be our second coming to Ethiopia because my husband and I began our married life here and had our first child at Zewditu Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa.

My first experience of Ethiopia was not very positive. So, when we had to come back after 17 years, I wondered what it would be like and what changes might have occurred to change my feelings about the country.

When we arrived I discovered that it was pretty much the same Addis as I remembered, with sights like donkeys, cows, sheep and goats crisscrossing the roads, and folks stopping to exchange pleasantries right in the middle of the road. One big change was the new supermarkets Bambis and Shoa Piassa branch, that were opened. There were also new houses and some ‘new areas’ in terms of residential houses.

I found to my consternation that the people were still very much ‘Ethiopian’ seeing others as Africans and “Feranji”. Not much appeared to have changed in terms of infrastructure as the major roads still being the Churchill and Bole road.

We experienced what I will term as a catalyst for change; the opposition riots of 2005 following the national election. We had just settled in our new home, the children were at school, my husband was at work and I was home with the domestic staff when gunshots were heard and people were running helterskelter so I asked “what is happening?”

None of the people who were with me could speak English, which was a major problem.

Luckily the driver spoke good English and he explained what was happening that day and the following few days before calm was restored.

I say that this incident was a catalyst, because within a year or two of this incident, remarkable changes began to take place. Before our very eyes, roads were being constructed first by Habesha, then the Chinese came and took over. We saw ‘confusion junction’ become the first ‘mainland’ bridge linking Bole to the Old Airport. A spate of high-rise buildings and hotels sprang up and are still coming up and the Bole road was transformed into the eight-lane Africa Boulevard.

It’s truly mind boggling how the city has become a bustling place with abounding number of shops and plazas and traffic bottlenecks on practically every road. A lesson for me is that where there is political will, there will be a way for development.

So I must say my second experience in Ethiopia has been much better. I have met lots of great Africans, non-Africans and Habesha friends.

One unique experience in Addis is the joy of celebrating Christmas, New Year and Easter festivities two times a year; however, the down side to this is that for us ‘Feranji’, our own celebrations are low-key and quite boring for the same reason.

An intriguing phenomenon for me is the ‘Time element’ of Ethiopia. Ethiopians operate a six or is it a twelve-hour clock system so one has to make a concise effort at clarity in making appointments with Ethiopians. Equally remarkable is the fact that Habeshas are ‘proudly Ethiopian’ in everything, like their cultural celebrations of Timket, Adwa, National Flag Day and of course the weddings, just to list a few.

Ethiopians do have a rich culture which they are fiercely protective of. The colorful Habesha fabrics and scarves are being updated daily, but I think that the traditional styles are more authentic.

Injera hmmm!!! The food of all foods to the Ethiopian, but for others, it’s either you like it or you don’t. As for me, I acquired the taste for Injera during my first stay in Ethiopia and I do say that was all I missed when I first left in the late 1980s. Injera and Ambo Wuha, oh how I miss them both now that I am no longer in Ethiopia.

So what do I miss? The cool weather, which could be miserable during the Kiremt season.

And also I miss my Ethiopian families and my beautiful sisters. I surely don’t miss the driving. I am truly grateful to God for a second opportunity to live in Addis Ababa.

It has greatly enriched me

I say, woudachehualehu, Egzierber yistilin [I love you and God Bless you].

Issue 19 - May 2016 - The Eminence |

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ENTERTAINMENT:

THE EMINENCE

Pick of the Month Book

d.gr-assets.com

Part autobiography and part social history, Notes from the Hyena’s Belly offers an unforgettable portrait of Ethiopia, and of Africa, during the 1970s and ‘80s, an era of civil war, widespread famine, and mass execution. Mezlekia, who survived all the hardships, eventually immigrating to Canada. In Notes from the Hyena’s Belly he bears witness to a time and place that few Westerners have understood.

Notes from the Hyena’s Belly

Movie

Director: Bryan Singer Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Olivia Munn, Lucas Till Length: 1h 27 minutes

www.google.com.et

X-Men: Apocalypse is an upcoming 2016 American superhero film based on the X-Men characters that appear in Marvel Comics. It is intended to be the sequel to 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past and the ninth installment in the X-Men film series.

Music Henok Mehari 790 One of the members of the popular Mahari brothers band Henok Mehari dropped his most talked about album on April 10, 2016. The album is named 7 90 and already got heat single Ewedishalew from the album and getting good acceptance and buzz in the streets. Mahari brothers has done all the production to the album and contains love and other social issues as well.

16 -May -February 42 | The Eminence - Issue 19 20162016

Food Recipe www.birminghambluenilerestaurant.co.uk

Needed ingredients • • • • • • • Direction

Beef Meat (Red is preferable) Nitir Kibe (spiced butter) Berbere (Ethiopian red pepper ) Injera for serving 1 clove of garlic 2 large red onion ( finely chopped ) Salt

1. Wash the meat and slice it in to pieces 2. Peel and chop the onion 3. Put the onion in the cooking pan and cook it for until it absorbs its water.

Add the garlic and cook it together with the onion.

4. Add oil to the onion and let it be cooked till the onion turns light brown.

5. When the onion turns light brown, add the berbere. The berbere needs to be cooked well with the onion. Don’t forget to stir it up by adding small amount of water now and then for about 15 minutes.

6. Now it’s time to add the sliced meat. Cover the pan so that the meat can be cooked well.

Sega Wot (Beef Stew)

7. And salt and nitier kibe as per your preference. Cover the pan and lower the heat for a while.

8. Serve the stew with Injera. Have a great meal!

Enjoy!

Sudoku

Tourist Corner Name: Alexander Goettlicher Age: 57 I’ve been in Ethiopia for: There and halfyears I am from: Austria I am in Ethiopia because: I am working as tour operator An Ethiopian concept or way of thinking that you don’t understand: I can’t stay I don’t understand but the big difference between here and Europe is the work Ethics. Europeans are stricter when it comes to work. Here everyone gives an excuse to delay work. But I am getting used to it now.

Something that has been hard to find here but easy to find in your home country: Is shopping. In Ethiopia shopping can take the whole day. But in my homeland it is just takes my 30 minutes engagement.

Something that has been easy to find here but hard to find in your home country: Is good Ethiopian coffee.Your most favorite thing about Ethiopia: Coffee and the weather.

Your least favorite thing about Traffic 16 - Ethiopia: February 2016 The Eminence Issue 19 May 2016 -jam The- Eminence |

|43 43

ENTERTAINMENT: CLASSIFIED Best Halls in Addis Ababa Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Available Rooms: 12 Accommodates: From 30 - 500 People African Union (AU) Available Rooms: 40 Accommodates: From 35 -2, 500 People Sheraton Addis Hotel Available Rooms: 9 Accommodates: From 40 -450 People Hilton Addis Ababa Available Rooms: 8 Accommodates: From 20 -650 People Radission Blu Addis Ababa Available Rooms: 2 Accommodates: From 12 -120 People

Places for Retreat Kurifitu Resort & Spa Location: Bishoftu (Debrezeit) Things to do: Restaurant & Bar, Swimming, Kayaking, Spa, Rooms Kurifitu Resort & Spa Location: Bahir Dar Things to do: Restaurants, Rooms with Lake Tana View, Fireplace, Swimming, Spa Adulala Resort Location: Bishoftu (Debrezeit) Things to do: Restaurants & bar, Spa & Gym, Bungalows, Horse riding, fishing at Babo Gaya Lake & much more African Vacation Club Location: Langanoo Things to do: Restaurant & bar, Swimming, Kayaking, Spa, Rooms, Horse ridding, Game Zone and Different Beach Games Yaya Village Location: Sululeta Things to do: Restaurant & bar, Horse Riding, Rooms & High Attitude training Liesake Resort and Spa Avanti Blue Nile Hotel Location: Bahir Dar Things to do: Bar and Restaurant, Rooms with overall city view, massage

Immerse yourself in Ethiopian Music and Dance Fendika Location: Kazanchis Time: from 7:00 PM- Mid night 2000 Habesha Location: Bole Time: from 7:00 PM- Mid night

What to see in Addis Ababa?

Holy Trinity Cathedral Location: Arat Kilo

Beautiful Scenic and Wildlife in Ethiopia

National Museum Location: Amist Kilo

Ethiopian traditional clothes and jewelry market Location: Shiro Meda Panoramic view of Addis from Entoto Location: Entoto

Hangout Spots Edna Mall/ Bob and Bongos Things to do: Watch box office movies, Skating, basket ball, cafés, 7D movies Lafto Mall Things to do: Read your favorite books & enjoy hot drinks Balageru Coffee Things to do: Read your favorite books & enjoy hot drinks Bilos Café Things to do: Some of the best pastries in town

Night Life in Addis Gaslight Night Club Location: Sheraton Addis Club Illusion Location: Next to Ambassador Theater Black Rose Location: On Boston Building Champion Bar Location: On Boston Building Liquid Lounge Location: Next to Intercontinental Addis Hotel Club H2O Location: On Yolly Building, “Chichiniya” Suba Lounge Location: Wollo Sefer on Ethio-China road Gravity Lounge Location: Next to Bole Medihanialem Church Fendika Club Location: Kasanchis

Ethiopian Korean War Veterans Association Location: Afincho Ber The largest open market in Africa Location: Merkato The gold jewelry market Location: Piassa

44 | The Eminence - Issue 19 -May 2016

Al Mendi Location: Meskel Flower Specialty: Arabian Restaurants

Four Seasons Location: Bisrat Gabriel Specialty: Japanese, Thai and Indian

Ethnological Museum Location: Sidist Kilo Park (Anebesa Gebi) Location: Sidist Kilo

International Cuisines in Addis

Caribo Resturants Location: Mekinisa Specialty: Caribbean and African cuisine Simien Mountains National Park Location: Semien Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region Some of the animals that can be found: Gelada baboon, Simien fox & Walia Ibex Nechisar National Park Location: SNNPR Some of the animals that can be found: Burchell’s Zebra, Grant’s gazelle, Guenther’s Dik-dik, Anubis Baboon & Grey Duiker.

Awash National Park Location: Southern part of Afar Region and northeastern of Oromia Region Some of the animals that can be found: Beisa oryx, Hamadryas Swaync’s Hartebeet Omo National Park Location: SNNPR Some of the animals that can be found: Burchell’s Zebra, Gerenuk & Kudu Mago National Park Location: SNNPR Some of the animals that can be found: buffalo, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, hartebeest, leopard, lion and zebra

Bale Mountains National Park Location: Oromia Region Some of the animals that can be found: Topi, Lelwel Hartebeest, Bustards, Hornbills, Weavers & Starlings

Castelli Location: Piassa Specialty: Italian Restaurant Chez Fasil Restaurant and Bar Location: Meskel Flower Specialty: Specialized in Nouvelle & Fusion Cuisine German Restaurant Location: Near Japan Embassy Specialty: German food and beer Kuriftu Diplomat Restaurant Location: On Boston Building Specialty: “The ultimate global cuisine” Hahn Khuh Restaurant Location: Atlas Specialty: Korean Aladdin Location: Near Japan Embassy Specialty: Middle Eastern

Some of the best Coffee house Tomoca Coffee Abissiynia Coffee Alem Bunna

Gambella National Park Location: Gambella Region Some of the animals that can be found: Nile Lechwe,White-Eared Kob, Roan Antelope, and Whaleheaded Stork Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park Location: Oromia Region Some of the animals that can be found: Great White Pelicans and Flamingo Yangudi Rassa National Park Location: Afar Region Some of the animals that can be found: Beisa Oryx, Dorcas gazelle, gerenuk and Gravy’s zebra

Your Home Away from Home for Your Extended Stay Beer Garden Inn (Guest House) Total Rooms: 21 Location: Bole Medhanialem Road near Edna mall GT Guest House (Guest House) Total Rooms: 13 Location: Kirkos kifle ketema, 200m in from Dashen Bank on Sierra Leone Street Yeka Guest House (Guest House) Total Rooms: 14 Location: British Embassy across the street from the Bio-Diversity Institute Addis Guest House (Guest House) Total Rooms: 12 Location: Bole road 5 minutes from Bole International Airport

“Please let it be noted neither the editorial team nor the company is liable for any errors or mistakes on the sources of information. The list is in no specific order”.

PHONE SERVICE Toll Free Information Service Federal Police Commission National Operator Fault Report Dial Up Internet Pre Paid Mobile Service/Bill Inquiry/Lost Mobile Registration/ Number Change Information Broad Band Customer Service PSTN Service Voice Mail

PRIVATE HOSPITALS 997 916 998 994 900 994 980 980 908

COURRIER SERVICE DHL EMS(Ethiopia) Federal Express TNT Skypok UPS Trans Express Ethiopia

011 662 16 00 011 515 20 72 011 618 63 83 011 551 41 54 011 662 13 09 011 551 41 54

UN United Nations Development Program United Nations Children Education Fund United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

011 663 35 82 011 518 40 00 011 551 72 00

BANK Abay Bank Addis International Bank Awash International Bank Bank of Abyssina Berhan International Bank Buna International Bank Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) Construction and Business Bank Cooperative Bank of Oromia Dashen Bank Debub Global Bank Development Bank of Ethiopia Enat Bank Lion International Bank Nib International Bank Oromia International Bank United Bank Wegagen Bank Zemen Bank

011 552 88 51 011 557 0502 011 557 00 00 011 551 41 30 011 618 57 32 011 158 08 67 011 122 87 55 011 551 23 00 011 552 27 59 011 467 18 03 011 467 40 87 011 551 11 88 011 550 49 48 011 662 60 00 011 550 32 88 011 557 21 13 011 465 52 22 011 552 38 00 011 550 11 11

AIRLINES British Midland (BMI) Egypt Air Ethiopian Airlines Emirates Kenya Airways K.L.M Royal Dutch Lufthansa Saudi Airline Yemen Airways

011 665 04 94 011 156 44 93 011 665 66 66 011 518 18 18 011 551 42 58 011 552 55 41 011 551 56 66 011 663 81 37 011 551 50 76

FIRE BRIGADE Station Menilik II square Station Addisu Kera Station Mekanisa Station Nifas Silk Station Akaki Station Megenagna Station Bole

011 156 70 40 011 466 34 20 011 276 91 46 011 442 55 63 011 434 00 96 011 663 03 73 011 664 85 80

POLICE STATION Police Information Federal Police Commission AA Police Commission

Addis Cardiac Hospital Addis Hiwot Hospital Bete Zata Hospital Landmark Hospital Hayat Hospital Kadisco Hospital Broad Band Customer Service PSTN Service Voice Mail

011 663 47 20 011 618 04 49 011 551 41 41 011 552 62 29 011 662 44 88 011 629 89 04 980 980 908

COURRIER SERVICE DHL EMS(Ethiopia) Federal Express TNT Skypok UPS Trans Express Ethiopia

011 662 16 00 011 515 20 72 011 618 63 83 011 551 41 54 011 662 13 09 011 551 41 54

PUBLIC HOSPITALS Black Lion (Tikur Anbessa) Hospital Menilik II Hospital Ras Desta Hospital

011 551 12 11 011 123 42 72 011 155 33 99

LIBRARY Academy of Ethiopian Languages Addis Ababa Municipality Library Alliance Ethio-Française British Council Economic Commission for Africa library German Cultural Institute Italian Cultural Institute J.F Kennedy (A.A.U) National Libraries & Archives

011 551 59 26 011 155 01 11 011 155 02 13 011 155 00 22 011 551 72 00 011 155 28 88 011 111 34 27 011 111 04 33 011 551 62 47

ART GALLERY Asni Gallery Ersas Art Studio Goshu Art Gallery Gigi’s Afro Asian Design& Fine Interiors Makush Gallery

011 123 32 44 0913 66 02 30 011 661 03 97 0912 20 43 37 011 552 68 48

Sudoku Answer

TOUR AND TRAVEL Eminence Social Entrepreneurs Koreb Tour Operators Kibran Tours Plc Rainbow Car Rental and Tour Services

011 823 71 82 011 662 3179 011 662 62 14 011 371 79 40

PHARMACY Abader Pharmacy Bata Pharmacy Ethio German Pharmacy

011 662 43 97 011 655 21 34 0911 20 94 88

ONLINE CLASSIFIED 2 Merkato Latest Ethiopian Tenders and Bids Buy and Sell ( Ethiopia) Gulit Online Market Mekina Online Car Market Kaymu Whats Out Addis?

www.2merkatos/ tenders buysellethio.com wwww.gulit.com www.mekina.ney et.kaymu.com Whatsoutaddis.com

991 916 011 157 21 21

Issue 19 - May 2016 - The Eminence |

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Condolence We are very much saddened by what happened to our brothers and sisters in Gambella. May their souls rest in peace and may God comfort their families.

We are hopeful to have the kidnapped children back to their home safely.

Eminence Social Entrepreneurs PLC

Rest in peace

To place an advertisement on The Eminence Magazine, Please contact us: +251- 118-678-187 contact@eminence-se.com social@eminence-se.com

46 | The Eminence - Issue 19 -May 2016

Issue 19 - May 2016 - The Eminence |

47

Phone : +251 115 158278 / 507074 Fax : +251 115 151338 / 504948 P.O.Box: 18401, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Address: Kirkos sub-city, woreda 8, in front of Yordanos Hotel.

Email: info@enatbanksc.com SWIFT Code: ENATETAA

48 | The Eminence - Issue 19 -May 2016