Big Issues in Ethiopia

What are the things that really matter to people who live in Addis? Well, this is a small peek. Below are extracts (a few of them slightly edited to adjust for English not being a first language for anyone here) from ideas my students submitted for in-depth stories – this will be their final project for their reporting class. They perhaps provide a bit of a window on today’s Ethiopia – even without the full details. And the photo? It shows a few of my students hard at work as part of their newspaper design class, trying to master the intricacies of Adobe’s InDesign software.
* * *

The African Union head office is found here, and many international organizations. But Addis Ababa is suffering out of a garbage and sanitation problem.

The problem in condominium homes. A recent phenomenon in Addis city, where the government made things convenient to gather people in living together inside huge buildings, but, because it is a new style of living, people are facing problems.

The increasing number of missing children.

Newspaper vendors who do not sell newspapers at their actual price but charge 50 cents for “shallow reading.” [This is 50 Ethiopian cents, which is less than a nickel.]

The Oromo language is one of the most widely spoken languages in Ethiopia as it is the mother tongue of the largest ethnic group in the country. It has so far been given only the status of a regional working language. At the university it is studied as a minor subject [beneath Amharic, which along with English is the official language of Ethiopia]. Oromo students are pushing the Ministry of Education to recognize their language as a multidisciplinary medium.

Electric power cuts make citizens lose their dreams. Some residents of Addis Ababa express their disappointment over the recent scheduled and unscheduled power cuts for it’s forcing them out of their business. Backed by the government’s Small and Micro Business Development Institute, women engaged in secretary and photocopying businesses are unable to cover their house rent let alone gain benefit out of it.

“Lords of Poverty” are still taking food out of the poor’s mouth. An international NGO operating on various social issues in Ethiopia appears to be a giant monster. The case in point is the project assessment of the organization, which is found to be very annoying and inhuman.

Kaht fun in dormitories has special features. [Kaht, also called chat, is a narcotic plant, a stimulant that is chewed throughout East Africa, and who knows where else.] Frequently, students are addicted with it, they stick to it intentionally or unintentionally. Although they perfectly recognize the side effects, they make fun out of it.

In the last two years, prices of goods, particularly food items like cereals, have been persistently high. According to the Central Statistics Authority, general food inflation has reached 29.6 percent. A recent study indicated that Ethiopia is one of the most affected countries with the strongest acceleration in food price inflation. Everyone in Addis is surprised by the uninvited guest – “Inflation.”

Old age streetism and beggary has been increasing alarmingly in different towns and cities, particularly the situation is getting severe and worse in Addis Ababa. The real situation in the streets of Addis will be uncovered.

It is about a girl who is working for graduate students in Addis Ababa University. She is paid 180 birr per month [about $16] for cooking and cleaning. She represents many teenagers who preferred prostitution and ended up giving birth to children while they stopped learning. Most of them hardened their lives by becoming parents and victims of many problems including HIV/AID. Therefore she can be a good example for millions like her.

In every speech delivery/propaganda, the government is saying Ethiopia is progressing and growing from every angle. One of its pros of prosperity, according to government media, is allocating its people with pure water. But the reality is different. I am curious to see why people are suffering water scarcity and wander here and there in search of water. Why is the plight of pure water escalating?

“Quorale” are people who travel from home to home to collect old used materials and goods that are rubbish. When they move across the village they say “quorale,” telling the people that they are looking for goods that are out of service. I’m always wondering when I see “quorale” strolling here and there. What is the motive? What is the purpose? Who controls/supervises the routine? Do these people pay tax? What is the overall advantage of collecting trashes/rubbish materials? Do they participate in the sanitation process, protecting or reducing pollution?

Transport shortage and its impact on working hours in Addis Ababa.