Global Team for Local Initiatives

February Field Update

2012-02-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

Much to share - many activities in the field are starting to produce exciting results.

Three rotary clubs (Edina MN, Kirkland WA and Snoqualmie Valley WA) have joined forces with several kind individuals and are now supporting Hamar orphans. Ilu Orgo’s smile says it all. When I met her 4 months ago, her solemn stare was heart-wrenching. Now – her hugs and kisses fill my heart with joy.

Ilu Orgo, female, age approximately 5 is anxious to move to our camp in Wonga Bayno.

The elders of Wonga Bayno have said “yes.” They agree we can raise orphans (traditionally considered to bring misfortune to the tribe) in their community. This is a gigantic first step.

Still needed: adequate funding to eradicate the practice of child abandonment in Hamar.

It’s very encouraging to see the outcomes of “Self-Reliance thru Small Business” grant funded by 11 Rotary clubs, 4 districts and Wolfgang Seiler estate:

The school is finished and students are learning Amharic and English. Unfortunately, since female attendance is directly connected to bead-making, when production slowed down to match sales, female school attendance decreased.

Beading is ramping up, in preparation of 2012 sales; so once again, young girls are coming to school.

Chicken farming is in full-swing in Wonga Bayno. Under the watchful eye of Gedion, Livelihood Coordinator, our chickens acclimated to the wind and heat of Wonga Bayno, 40 adults proved they use pit latrines; attended school; built chicken coops and 10 days ago, received 5 chickens each. They also participated in an egg-eating feast! Eggs are new to the Hamar diet.

Seyu Elu is a model woman. She is active in Wonga Bayno’s women cooperative, is a community leader in Hygiene and sanitation training, and now is a chicken farmer. She’s one of my close friends.

Efforts to perfect goat-skin tanning are being led by the builder of our school and benefactor, Peter Seiler. If we can tan the goat skins locally, Hamar have potential to earn good money. We are still in the “figuring out stage.”

Creating lye out of ashes to easily remove fur is in the experimentation stage. Currently, four strong men alternate scraping the skin for three evenings.

Next step: making the skin supple WHILE eliminating all odor.

The Women’s Cooperative of Minogelti is actively buying and selling products for their rural trading center.

They recently gave our field purchaser, Bayu Ferede, 7,000 birr ($405) to take to Addis Ababa to purchase a list of items. This is a huge step – selling product, saving money, planning what/how much to buy.

Learning to speak Amharic and do simple calculations at the FAL (Functional Adult Literacy) school made this possible (and funding from the US Embassy of Ethiopia).

We are still waiting for the 3^rd shallow well drilling contractor who has promised to drill the final two shallow drilled wells currently under contract – many promises but no performance. The still to be constructed wells are in Itu, Minogelti (funded by Rotary) and Bala, Wonga Bayno (funded by USAID.) Fortunately, we still have plenty of time to construct these wells, but it is frustrating, to say the least.

AMAZING NEWS:

GTLI has just been awarded a grant from USAID/OFDA to refurbish 15 water schemes and train 7,200 people in healthy hygiene/sanitation behavior. The challenge is to accomplish this in 4 months.

Our strategy: employ Hamar ergas (community facilitators) who have developed leadership skills while participating in our previous CBLA (Community-based Learning in Action) hygiene/sanitation projects and facilitate Hamar teaching Hamar.

Meet Lingo Askar. He is the leader of the Household Inspection Team in Aldo, Wonga Bayno. He’s committed to healthy hygiene/sanitation behavior, regularly lectures other community members on the importance of pit latrine usage, and is now one GTLI’s newest community workers.

Lingo and 14 other Hamar men and women (yes, WOMEN) will spend the next four months working in 15 communities promoting healthy hygiene/sanitation behavior.

The opportunity for “uneducated rural Hamar adults” to be employed as Hygiene/Sanitation experts AND earn money will benefit Hamar in countless ways.

We are incredibly excited and honored to be a part of this transformation!!

Hamar community members (male & female) employed to teach other Hamar outside their community healthy hygiene/sanitation behavior.

“Helping Hamar Help Themselves” is becoming a reality!!

Practicing What I Preach

2012-01-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

My family, friends and colleagues often hear me talk about my personal goal to become an endless source of Love, Peace and Harmony. NOTE: this is a very slow, bumpy work-in-process...

My first work week back in Addis was cut short by Timkit (Epiphany), an elaborate celebratory time for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The empty field, ½ block from my house in Addis, is a popular gathering spot for numerous local churches. Try to imagine, religious music and preaching broadcast non-stop for over 40 hours, so loud it is difficult to hear a normal speaking voice. Being a person who combats mental fatigue with quiet solitude, I find Timkit challenging.

At 3AM the second night, while reflecting on the meaning of Love, Peace and Harmony, I had my own “epiphany” I’d like to share:

Love = facilitating the discovery process of JOY, HAPPINESS for others

Peace= empathically understanding needs, concerns, belief system of others (which requires TOLERANCE)

Harmony= collaboration, balance, respectful co-existence

My take-away:

1. Timkit celebration is a good opportunity for me to practice “tolerance”

2. AND, the Hamar are experts at Harmony. Collaborating and sharing with others are “knee-jerk” reactions for them. During these past four years, I have never witnessed one Hamar ignoring the needs of a neighbor.

I’d love to hear your thoughts...

Biggest Event Since Elton John Concert!

2012-01-23T14:10:00.000-08:00

That’s the buzz in northern MN regarding the upcoming “Do YOU have what it Takes?” competition on Saturday, February 11, in Duluth MN, sponsored by Drops of Hope.

Drops of Hope is a group of high school students and business advisors from Duluth MN who have partnered with the Rotary Club of Duluth and GTLI to bring clean water to Hamar people of Ethiopia. www.whatittakes.us

These wonderful young people from Proctor, MN’s DECA club have organized an amazing “Have Fun, Do Good” fundraising extravaganza. On February 11, the “best” singing and/or dance groups from 46 high schools in northern MN will compete for top honors. All proceeds from the event will go directly to GTLI clean water projects in Hamarland.

And, watch out “Guinness Book of World Records,” another world’s record is about to be smashed. On 18 February, thousands of hardy Minnesotans are gathering to create over 5,100 SNOW ANGELS! Providing even more “Hope for Hamar.”

I always knew MN was a special place. Of course, I’m biased. It’s my birthplace (Mahnomen, MN) as well as my 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

2 Suitcase = 4 Months

2012-01-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

One of the questions asked during my last lecture in the states was, “Have you packed any items in suitcases Americans might find unusual?” My reply was, “I still need to pack and can’t remember what I am supposed to take!” As is often the case during my two month in the states, “stuff” is accumulated in a closet and at the last minute, packed.

This trip, the contents included:

	Approx weight	Notes
200 clown noses	Not much but bulky	Make believe fun items
Candles	20#	Dark nights with no electricity
Food items	5#	Almonds, tea, Balance bars
Beading supplies	30#	Wire cutters, crimpers, misc supplies for IGA program
Toys for orphans	10#	Books, wood animals, Qwirkle board game
Personal items	20#
Gifts & office supplies	10#

Early trips included multiple tents, tools to fix vehicles, medical supplies, etc. The load varies each trip.

There is much to accomplish before I return in early May. WASH (water, sanitation hygiene) project for 6,000 people is in full swing and a new project for an additional 7,200 scheduled to start by February 1; our new primary and adult literacy school’s grand opening will be in February; microenterprise projects in chicken farming, beading, goat skin tanning and vegetable gardening are ramping up; 8 “mingi” orphans need to be moved into a better facility; and funding for the Mother Child Health program and Abandoned children (Mingi) project needs to be secured.

Meanwhile, activities in the USA and Europe are expanding as well: our wonderful volunteers sold record number of Hamar shikinee (beaded products); 7 Rotary clubs and a Seratoma club have indicated interest in our Mingi project to date; the first outcome of GTLI-Carleton College relationship, African studies, featuring Hamar and GTLI’s work, will be tested in a Northfield, MN middle school this spring; Martha Paas, GTLI’s newest Board member, is spear-heading fund-raising in MN and Christine Walsh is keeping us organized. And, thanks to Nemer Fieger and Michelle Schindler, our just released 2011 Annual Report is now available on the web: Annual Report

Stayed tuned for weekly updates with new photos – my New Year’s resolution!

Wayne Eddy Affair | Lori Pappas

2012-01-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

By Terri Lindgren, on January 6th, 2012

Today Wayne interviews Lori Pappas Founder & Executive Director of Global Team for Local Initiatives. Lori spends over six months a year in Africa working with the Hamar Tribe of southwest Ethiopia she shares her stories of building a school to educate the Hamar women, as well as the trials of teaching the people basic hygiene and sanitation as preventative illness practices.

Lori ‘s background is as a specialist in strategic planning who has served as a strategy consultant, turnaround consultant and executive vice-president of a multinational software company. A successful software entrepreneur as well, Pappas is the founder of JobBOSS Software Inc., a developer of software packages for the manufacturing industry.

Lori Pappas, NGO Ethiopia, Global Team for Local Initiatives, Public Talk at Carleton

“The Magic of Yes: Stepping Beyond Fear and Embracing the New,” an illustrated, exciting, compelling and immediate talk about global outreach and Lori Pappas’ work in Ethiopia. Sponsored by the Economics department and The Humanities Center at Carleton.

Date: Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Weitz Center 236
Contact: Nikki Lamberty, The Humanities Center, x4217

Check out GTLI’s website
Click here to listen to the show!

Listen in to the Wayne Eddy Affair every weekday. Monday through Thursday, 9:00-11:00 a.m. Fridays from 9:30-11:00 a.m.

Learning in Hamarland . . . a whole different ballgame

2011-12-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

Here in America, when we want to increase our chances for promotion, assume additional responsibilities, have new experiences, we have options. We can enroll in night classes, take an on-line course or participate in a convenient workshop. It’s much more difficult in Hamarland.

First, you have to get to class . . . which means cross the Keske river.

Even though this area is experiencing severe drought, rains in the highlands cause havoc in the lowlands. Flooding of the sandy river beds is unexpected and deadly. I’ve seen many large Isuzu trucks severely damaged when trying to cross the Keske River, pictured above. Several weeks ago, while I was driving our vehicle, it sank up to its front axle and had to be pulled out by an Isuzu truck AND pushed by 5 strong young men.

Workshops must be held in daylight, as there is no electricity. Be prepared to be crowded, table space and chairs are limited.

All the materials are in a non-native language, unfamiliar concepts are presented and participatory discussion is expected.

But, at the end of four days, you are incredibly happy that you had the opportunity to learn.

GTLI staff recently participated in a 4-day workshop in Turmi, the market town, 30km from our field camp, across the Keske river, conducted by Keith Aulick and Rufael Fassil of FHI 360.

2011-11-29T09:20:00.000-08:00

We planted 250 orange flesh sweet potatoes in May in our demonstration garden in Hamar.We are hopeful this will be a viable option for nutrition.

Nutrition: A Sweet Potato a Day...

Northfield Middle School to Pilot Hamar Unit

2011-11-21T07:09:00.000-08:00

Four educational studies students at Carleton College are spending winter term developing a unit for 7th graders on Africa and the Hamar which will be used in the Northfield Schools as a pilot project this spring. Faculty members in History, Linguistics, Biology, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geology and Anthropology are advising the students about the content of the unit while the students put their knowledge of educational pedagogy to work formulating the lesson plans.

Seventh graders will learn about the Hamar in the context of African history and will study their culture, language, and challenges for survival in the modern world. They will learn about the GTLI projects and will hold a fund-raising activity for the Hamar at the end of the unit.

This new initiative of partnering GTLI with Carleton College to provide educational outreach to students will introduce students to the challenges of developing nations in Africa as they grow into global citizens. By helping the Hamar they will be participating in a concrete effort to help people in need through academic civic engagement.

The unit will be made available to 7th grade social studies teachers throughout Minnesota next year free of charge. What a wonderful way to spread the word about GTLI's work with the Hamar and to give children a chance to become involved as well.

Volunteer – As You Like It

2011-11-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

Volunteer Suzie Mara Nadler at Broadmoor Alternative Trade Fair in Colorado Springs

Have Fun and Do Good as part of GTLI ‘s wonderfully creative and caring volunteer team. Time commitment and activities performed are tailored to your comfort level and interests. Suzie likes telling the GTLI story and raising money by selling Hamar hand-crafted beaded jewelry and goat skin products. Her favorite part (besides raising money) is chatting with new, interesting people

You and your computer. Help us drive more traffic to our web site www.GTLI.us and blog www.gtliconnect.blogspot.com. Or, help research possible donors for our projects in Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene; Functional Adult Literacy and Livelihood; Mother & Child Health; and Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

One-to- one. Create awareness and generate donations from individuals, church groups or civic organizations. “Support a chicken farmer,” $100 donation (or Christmas gift?) allows a Hamar family to help themselves. Adults learn to build chicken coops safe from snakes and wild cats and receive five pairs of chickens after they demonstrate healthy hygiene/sanitation behavior and attend school.

Fun with Friends. Invite friends to learn about GTLI projects and shop for Christmas presents in your home, church or favorite “hang-out.” Hamar girls love to bead, and their parents need the money they earn to buy food for the family. GTLI will send you a “party in a box”. Beaded bracelets make great stocking stuffers.

Speak to groups. Many organizations, such as Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Seratoma, school clubs and colleges want to Make a Difference. Our abandoned babies and child care project needs sponsors.

Please call Kate Billings; US Volunteer Coordinator for more information

Cell: 404-513-1233 Office: 813-381-3381 Email kate@gtli.us

Creating “Mingi-Friendly” Communities

2011-11-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

According to government estimates, approximately 40 children are abandoned to die each year in Hamar woreda (districts). These children are labeled “mingi,” which means unwanted, not needed, the cause of misfortune, unlucky and associated with bad occurrences. Mingi is carried out by community members but is dictated and managed by ethnic elders who wield absolute control in Hamar society. In accordance with Hamar social values and norms, parents are forced to abandon or kill their “mingi” child as a prerequisite to stay in the community.

Children are considered Mingi if born before marriage; born to a married couple who did not fulfill customary rituals; the first born are twins; child’s milk teeth of the upper jaw appear before the lower jaw; or the child loses his lower jaw teeth by accident.

Two prominent Hamar government officials, adult Mingi children rescued by a courageous man willing to defy tribal pressure, Emnet Garsho (former Hamar woreda Chief Administrator pictured above) and Sintayehu Garsho (Chief Justice for South Omo zone) designed this project with GTLI. It has three objectives: 1) Intervene, care, support and reunify mingi children with birth families; 2) Facilitate eradication of Mingi Harmful Traditional Practice (HTP); and 3) Build capacity of local government to assume management of project with technical backstopping provided by UNICEF.

I returned to the US late October to raise money for this program, “Creating Mingi-friendly Communities.” Once we obtain commitments of $200,000, we can officially launch the project. Until then, we are providing rudimentary care for 8 children and will continue to scrape together funds to support as many children we can find. We need your help.

This article does an excellent job describing the issue, http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/05/world/africa/mingi-ethiopia/index.html?hpt=hp_c1. Even though only the Karo tribe (part of Hamar woreda), is mentioned here, Hamar also practice Mingi. The article mentions 3,000 children killed/year. The official estimate is 40 children/year. The discrepancy in numbers is immaterial, one child killed is one too many.

$50/month will support a child and help fund efforts to eradicate the practice

Do you know of an organization willing to raise $20,000 or more to help fund this project?

Would you like to help us stop this practice?

Hamar men engage all five senses when a cow is slaughtered.

2011-10-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Smell: the instant the cow is dead, a queue of men eagerly thrust (and I mean thrust) their nose into the bowels of the bovine. I’m serious – they smell the stomach!!! They believe that inhaling the aroma/fumes/digestive juices (whew!) provides some kind of healing powers.

Touch: the virile/warrior looking young men eagerly tackle the stomach. They rub the grassy contents all over their legs. Not kidding you. Suddenly, green legged men are prancing around the fire.

Taste: many young men cannot wait for the meat to cook. They pick and eat the raw meat still clinging to the cow hide. Of course, eating raw meat is common in Ethiopia. Two of the favorite dishes here in Addis Ababa are kitfo “ground raw beef” and qurt “raw steak.” Both are considered special treats.

Sight: the men gather around the fire, watching the meat roast from indirect heat. It’s quite an art form in Hamar. They spear slabs of meat (the four quarters are still attached to the hoof) with sharp sticks, pound the sticks into the ground next to the fire so indirect heat from the flames roasts the meat.

Hear: the community begins to sign and dance (gadi-kerba, it’s called in Hamar) while the meat is cooking. The men huddle together, singing several melodic notes before the clapping, jumping and thrusting starts. The women rub their metal arm and leg bracelets together to enhance the beat with percussion. No drums are used in Hamarland, the beat of their song is provided by the clap of the hands, stomp of the feet and click of the bracelet.

P.S. I am a strict vegetarian in Ethiopia!!!

Traveling with Rhona

2011-10-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

A team of Rotarians from host clubs Addis Ababa West and Hawaii recently visited us. See a wonderful description and some great photos from Rhona Slingerland's blog, Traveling with Rhona.

Happy Birthday, GTLI!

2011-10-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, on October 3, 2007, GTLI was incorporated. I searched for a name that would reflect who we were – what we did – and was easy to remember. Guess which one of the three GTLI is not!!

It was just me – and several wonderful friends who agreed to serve on our Board because they believed my dream could come true. We wanted to:

1 – Figure out how to provide an option for the Hamar to have a healthy life.
2 – Create a model for sustainable development - measuring impact vs. tangible deliverables.
3 – Provide an easy “safe” way for people lucky to be born in a free society to assist people not so lucky in birth.

I never focused on "how much there is to do." I just started doing - and later realized the tremendous amount of assistance and broad-based involvement necessary to really make a significant impact, not only in the lives of the Hamar, but in the way development assistance is doled out. And, I truly didn’t know the “right” way; I just intuitively knew what didn’t work.

It’s one thing to have faith in one’s ability to make things happen. It’s something else, however, when the right people show up at the exact moment when you most need them. And believe me – I am definitely needy!

So, I’d like to say thank you to some of the people around the world who have not only helped my dream take shape, but who truly make us a Global Team: Margaret from Australia, Henrique from Brazil, Delphine from France, Peter from Germany, Weynshet, Solomon (pictured above with his helpers), staff from Ethiopia, and my wonderful family and friends from America.

I’m sure Asia will soon join our team but what about Antarctica??

Gulu, Ama, and Dina...Hamar Pioneers

2011-09-27T05:45:00.000-07:00

This picture of Dina, Gulu, and I is one of my favorites. These two women faced severe opposition from their husbands in order to learn Amharic and perform simple calculations. In fact, Gulu's husband, Dobe, threatened to kill her several times. I am in awe of the courage and determination of Dina, Gulu, and Ama (widow, mother, and supporter of 8 children) to learn and change the life of Hamar women.

Gulu Bola proudly introduced herself as the chairwomen of the Minogelti women’s cooperative when I first rolled in under the big tree in April 2008. I had been interviewing elders, women, men, government workers, farmers, teachers, etc. for 40 days and eating spaghetti every night! Needless to say, I was exhausted, and quite frankly, discouraged. I really had no idea how I was ever going to craft programs that would make a sustainable difference. Then I met Gulu, Dina and Ama. They are the three women who “opened the door of possibilities for Hamar.”

Because of their pioneering spirit, the Minogelti Women’s Cooperative now operates the 1st ever rural trading center in southwest Ethiopia.

'Bel' Is My Name

2011-09-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

One sunny, windy day in Hamarland, Solomon, GTLI’s program manager, Mayat, our Hygiene and Sanitation coordinator, and I accompanied the HIT (Household Inspection Team) on pit latrine usage inspection duty. Bet you wish you were there!

We trudged up a hill, plunged down into a ravine that used to be filled with feces but now, miraculously, is clean, up another hill to our first hut. Thanks to Mayat’s wonderful skill as a coach, the community HIT eagerly took charge of compound inspection – inside the hut, surrounding the hut, and of course, peering into the pit latrine. Lingo Askar, leader of the HIT, particularly relished giving the women of the hut suggestions on how to improve the sanitation of the compound and the hygiene of her family.

Suddenly, each of my arms was securely tucked into the body of two women I barely recognized. Elu and Myza decided to literally “seize their opportunity." They held on tight for the next two hours, even though our trek was up and down ravines, along the sandy river bed, and in and out of huts.

We bonded – more like stuck together! Now, whenever we see each other, we no longer use names in greeting. Instead, we call out “Bel” which tells everyone within hearing distance, that we are such close friends that names are no longer needed. We are simply “Bel.”

Helping Adults Learn . . . to Earn, a New School

2011-09-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

The need to earn money to purchase food is the motivation. The courage of pioneer women, Gulu, Ama, and Dina, of the Minogelti Women’s Cooperative, paved the way. And the energy of a German “angel” is making it a reality.

Building a permanent school versus a bamboo shed in Hamarland is a huge undertaking for a small organization like GTLI. We want a structure that will last (not collapse in 10 years because of termites), be cool, and use local materials without raping the environment. Fortunately, Peter Seiler, our German angel, is willing to make it happen. Check out his demonstration video at http://youtu.be/27-iIYGDK7k. Our school will have straight walls, electric lights powered by solar, and a thatched roof. The first of its kind in Hamarland!

The week of preparation in Addis was quite amazing. Peter expected to be in Addis three days, purchasing tools, lumber, etc. for the trip south. As it turned out, Tuesday was a holiday, Eid Al Fetir (the end of Ramadan), and instead of spending three hours at a Home Depot in the US, Bayu, Peter, and his helper, Elias, spent four long days scouring Addis for the necessary supplies, including 6,000 bags for earth and clay. And finally, a 5000 liter Roto (a heavy duty plastic water reservoir) we’ve been wanting for the past year was found, but no lumber for the roof trusses.

Even though it was five hours past designated departure time, at 4pm Friday, Peter and Solomon (GTLI Program Manager) squeezed into the cab of the ISUZU with Elias and the driver bound for Hamarland.

I received a call yesterday afternoon. They found the lumber in Sodo (half the distance to Hamarland). Thank goodness…but since the truck was full, half the load, including our long awaited Roto, was offloaded and stored in Sodo, waiting for an available truck.

The news that makes me most nervous, however, is that on Monday, Bayu and I are expected to purchase the solar panel system so Peter can install it. Gosh, talk about stepping outside my comfort zone. Strange as it may seem, I’m more comfortable living alone in Africa and implementing projects in a remote, hardship area than I am purchasing unfamiliar technology – and I used to run a software company!

Mosquito Nets . . . A Different Type of Protection

2011-08-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

The other day, when I was accompanying the community HIT (Household Inspection Team), I came across a new use for mosquito nets – protecting chickens from hawks. I’m just not sure how the chickens get into this coop – or access food.

There’s no litter in Hamarland. Absolutely everything is used, over and over again. Clothing for females is limited to goat skin aprons and skirts that are difficult to clean. This young girl is exceptional; she was able to snatch enough of a net to wind around her waist. (The women repeatedly ask us to provide washable clothing. Tough assignment, we want them to be able to wash their clothes but their current style of dress is intrinsic to Hamar culture. But, that’s a story for another day. . .) Oftentimes, I see men wearing mosquito nets as clothing.

Malaria is wide-spread in our area. Over 43% have recurrent malaria. There have been several mosquito net distribution programs during the past few years. The problem is complex, however. In an area of scarce resources, whatever is available is used for the need at hand.

There is no saving or planning for the future. Eating and trying to stay warm today takes precedence over everything. And since mosquitoes are not around during prolonged drought but hawks are, this family decided to protect their chickens.

P.S. GTLI chicken coops are on the ground – covered with wire mesh! We don’t advocate using mosquito nets!

Myza Wants To Be A Chicken Farmer

2011-08-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

Myza Wele has been a widow for about 8 years. She is not really sure, but she has 8 children and her oldest was about the size of her youngest when her husband died.

Myza has been a star student of GTLI’s CBLA training, proud that she and all 8 children now use their pit latrine. In fact, it’s full now. The family is going to plant a mango tree over the former latrine and eventually they will have mangos to eat. The prospect of future mangos makes pit latrine usage much more exciting!

Myza wants to be a chicken farmer. Her eyes are too tired for beading but she needs a source of income and more food. Her male goats have been sold and now her female goats are being exchanged for grain. Her eyes light up when she talks about chickens. She knows that her children can eat the eggs and when times get really tough, they can also eat the chickens.

Happy For Clean Water, Though Still Little Food

2011-08-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

The elders of Wonga Bayno started gathering early on Sunday morning, eager for our arrival. I had been gone for 5 months, the longest time away since we started working here. Twenty elders greeted me profusely, so happy that I returned to Wonga Bayno.

Today, they assembled once more but this time, it was to tell me their concerns and dire need.

They are desperate. The land is dry, the crops are dead, and there is no food. They told me this story. “In Hamar culture, when there is no food, the old mother is sent out to ask neighbors to share food. Sometimes, the mother is gone for a long time but she always comes back with food.” They consider me their mother – why did I not bring them food? Can’t I see that they are starving?

Tears of sadness and helplessness ran down my face. I had tried to mobilize food distribution prior to leaving for the states in March. Nothing happened. All food distribution is controlled by the government – fraught with constraints and complicated procedures.

Shari Askar, an influential elder who is a major supporter of GTLI programs eloquently explained the situation. “I attended all GTLI training. My family now knows how to prevent disease. We were ignorant before. Our environment was polluted, we drank polluted water. Now, we drink clean water. I am happy to have clean water. But, we only have water. We have no food. We thought our mother (Lori) might have brought something for us. Even our women were looking forward to Lori coming back. But, there still is no food. Hamar life is so miserable. We depend on nature. If there is no rain, we have nothing.”

This is how we responded to this tough, tough dilemma:

1. We met with the local government officials to make sure Wonga Bayno is on the list for the next World Food Program distribution. They are.

2. We slaughtered a cow which they roasted and ate, celebrating their successful participation in our hygiene and sanitation training programs. It was a win-win situation. They had food for a night, success was celebrated, and the community earned money by selling the cow.

3. Beading mania took over the community center for 6 days. 35 young women made 500 bracelets and 30 necklaces in 6 days. Immediate hunger will be eased by the purchase of thirty bags of sorghum. (Four months ago, 120 bags vs. 30 bags would have been possible. As the famine increases, the price quadruples!)

The community desperately wants to earn money to buy food. They hate being dependant on food aid.

New Students, New Steps

2011-08-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

When I left the field five months ago, we had a donkey who refused to carry water, a FAL school ready for students who seldom showed up, commitment from 27 families to build and use pit latrines, and no assurance that the promise would become reality. Our field boss had left GTLI to join another NGO for more money. Four discrete development projects were in process when I left the country to be with my pregnant daughter.

The GTLI field staff under the direction of project manager, Solomon Shewarega, accomplished miracles in my absence.

This morning, I witnessed 35 girl students attending our FAL (Functional Adult Literacy) school. The women's cooperative, 45 members strong, attends school every other day. Eighty female students going to school in Wonga Bayno...a community that didn’t allow women to speak in community meetings a year ago!

The Wonga Bayno community is starting to cross the “awareness abyss!”

The elders and women leaders get it. Thanks to the patent CBLA work of our field staff, Yehwalashet, Mayet, Gedion, Marco and Abraham – they understand that new skills are needed to feed their families long term. And, they are willing to do what it takes – even though it requires different skills than what their ancestors taught them. This is huge . . . very daring on the community’s part.

Bonus outcome – our donkey is carrying water – as significant of a cultural breakthrough as females attending school and 33% of our target beneficiaries are using pit latrines! (That may not sound like much to you but our stretch target goal was 20%).

My dream of helping them help themselves looks like it may come true – step by step.

Pictured above, elders and GTLI staff stand on the ground selected for our new school, as the community has outgrown the old.

Skinny Arms and Round Bellies Tell the Story of Malnutrition

2011-08-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

We are on our way to Hamarland; this is my last night with internet connectivity. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the field. I left Ethiopia suddenly last spring to be near my daughter, Melissa, who was having difficulties with her pregnancy. Thankfully, James was born on schedule without complication. A beautiful, healthy big boy!

This is going to be a very busy trip. The field staff has three new hires; construction of the rural trading center in Minogelti is complete and will soon be stocked with the start-up inventory loaded in the rear of our pickup truck. The Grand Opening will be celebrated with the women’s cooperative and local government stakeholders this week.

The people of Galcide have clean water for the first time ever – we hit water at 22 meters. Another celebration! We need to sort out challenges with the water contractor to ensure the remaining two wells are completed as scheduled.

We’re phasing in CBLA hygiene and sanitation training in 4 new communities, phasing out CBLA in the 4 communities who have begun adopting healthy hygiene and sanitation behaviors.

Field staff training along with several government meetings - a lot of moving parts. It’s tough to coordinate everything when distances are great and efficient telephone communication is a dream of the future.

The drought, and resulting famine, is severe this summer. I truly hate that we have plenty to eat in our camp but no matter how much we share our food, nearby neighbors are starving. This is really a tough time for many people.

2011-07-27T07:55:00.001-07:00

Last Week Barjo, This Week Goshpa

Goshpa in Hamar means “to cause to look beautiful, to adorn.” Women are adorned with butter and red ochre, iron rings on arms and legs and around the neck, with ostrich feathers, beads, etc., and men are similarly beautified with beads, bracelets, feathers, special hair dress and so on. *

Fascinating to me, the term goshpa has also received a metaphorical extension which pertains to the social domain: you may adorn someone by accepting her or him. You beautify others by expressing your liking for them. Furthermore, goshpa has a reciprocal element because it applies both to the host and the guest. The guest gains by the good things the host does for her/him and the host gains by the good sentiment s/he creates in the guest.

I am often invited to huts for coffee chaff (discarded coffee bean shells that are boiled repeatedly). I crawl into the hut (imagine - a 62 year old arthritic woman who barely fits through the opening which is a foot off the ground), sit on a cow hide and pretend to drink the coffee. After 15 minutes, I crawl out of the hut and off I go. Learning the concept of goshpahelps me understand the significance of the event. The Hamar host “beautifies” me by giving me coffee chaff and I “beautify” my host because s/he can tell others of my visit.

I marvel that a starving Hamar family gives away their last bit of sorghum (grain) when an unexpected guest shows up at their hut. However, this is a culture where all people know each other and they are willing to give away all they have. To be ready to give is held to be of great value. But you don't count the returns, you don't think like a merchant.

I wish I had understood goshpa when we first introduced CBLA (Community-based Learning in Action) in Hamar. Our behavior change consultant warned us not to provide coffee or incentives of any kind to motivate people to come to our training sessions. Giving incentives prevents sustainability. CBLA specializes in internal motivation. Hamar elders argued repeatedly that we had to provide coffee – there was no option. We finally agreed that when they come to a session we organize (our house) we provide the coffee. When the community organizes training (their house) they provide the coffee. This process would have been much smoother if I knew then what I know now. Providing coffee will not inhibit sustainability...it is only goshpa!

*excerpts from “Do the Hamar have a Concept of Honor?” by Ivo Strecker

2011-07-22T06:49:00.000-07:00

Why the Hamar?

I’m often asked, “Why the Hamar?” Until today, I answered by relating my discovery journey and how I became intellectually challenged to discover what could be done to help the Hamar adapt to their changing environment. Today, I discovered the real answer: my personal mantra and lifetime goal (to be the unending source of Love, Peace and Harmony) is congruent with Barjo, the most important Hamar value.

Reading an excerpt from “Cultural Variations in the Concept of Face” by Ivo Strecker* triggered my 'aha!' moment. It says,

“Barjo exists wherever there is well-being, harmony, good fortune. When well-being disappears, barjo has disappeared. Therefore the physical and social health of a person is a direct expression of his or her barjo. According to the Hamar, without barjo no development and continued existence is possible.

In their eyes, false humility is the greatest enemy of equality, and this is why they encourage boasting and self-elevation. Everyone should think of herself/himself as great and capable and act accordingly. At the same time, if s/he fails, if for some reason s/he does not reach the intended goal, s/he should not feel guilty or despised. This is why the Hamar have no concept of sin, shame or honor. A person should not be inhibited by the fear of losing face if s/he fails. The consequence of failure should only be positive, that is, the person does not continue doing what s/he is not good at. In Hamar people always make a clear conceptual separation between what someone is and what s/he does.

The practice of calling barjo is closely related to this: by calling barjo people bless each other. They do this especially after conflicts have occurred among them. When a bad deed has been done, it is not the offender who is condemned, but the deed, and both the offender and the offended are subsequently blessed. No one speaks of loss of face, shame, or sin in such situations. What counts is the barjo of people, that is, their well-balanced and harmonic power to live. If your barjo is rich, you will act well. You will be socially competent and able both to assert your own sphere of action as well as to respect the interests of others.”

Thank you, Ivo Strecker, for articulating this concept so clearly. And, as always, I owe heartfelt thanks to my Hamar friends who continuously enrich my life.

Click here for the story of how the Hamar graced my unknowing misdeed with barjo, instead of condemnation.

* (1993) In: Multilingua, 12: 119-41.

2011-07-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

Straddling the developed world (USA) and the developing world (Ethiopia) is fascinating. Each has its unique advantages and challenges. In the USA, I can access anything and everything on demand. And, such choice! Fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, whatever I want. Unfortunately, with so much emphasis on activities and acquiring things, time spent really listening to each other appears limited. Zoom, bam, boom. The more, the better and quickly, please.

There are limited options here in Ethiopia. The electricity goes out-light some candles; internet doesn’t work-try again tomorrow; there is no garlic-buy more onions. But, pass someone on the street, make eye contact and say “salaam.” See a friend; greet them with three kisses to alternating cheeks. In a friend’s neighborhood, stop by for a cup of tea. Relationship is everything, possessions are yours to share.

I took the local taxi (very old blue VW mini-van that belches exhaust as it struggles up the hills of Addis) to a new 5 star hotel to exchange dollars to birr in order to recharge my internet wireless card today. The cost for a 2 mile ride . . . about 7¢. Unfortunately, the phone system isn’t working right now so recharging isn’t available. I call the recharge number every 30 minutes or so. Maybe tomorrow it will work.

I stopped at a vegetable stand and purchased carrots, onions, jalapeño peppers, limes and mangos for 29 ETB ($1.71). I’ll sauté the vegetables and add them to dry chicken noodle soup I brought from the US which will feed me for several days. Fortunately, I’ve learned to eat for nutrition vs. variety of textures and taste! I have some nuts that I’ll add to the mango and limes for breakfast. My beverage of choice is spiced tea water infused with a well used tea bag. Not fancy, but safe to drink.

Life is good. I love my Northfield home in the US where I’m close to family, friends and internet always works. And, I love being in Africa, slowly doing my life’s work. I am blessed to be in excellent health and privileged to enjoy such a variety of experiences.

2011-07-11T13:04:00.000-07:00

A friend asked me a tough, but very relevant, question recently. “How do you feel about going back to Ethiopia after all these months?”

I have really enjoyed being home. I love living in my new (old) house in rural Northfield with my son, David. My daughter, Shayla, is able to come stay occasionally. My eldest daughter, Melissa, gave birth to a beautiful little boy, James Robert, in May and my granddaughter, Ella, is helping Mom take excellent care of him. Summer has finally arrived in MN, everything is so lush and green and the mosquitoes are very hungry! David and I now have two dogs, Charlie & Baxter, plus our wise old cat, Bucca. So – it’s tough to leave. I reconnected with old friends and have made some wonderful new friends. I’m delighted that Northfield is my home base in the US. I’m going to miss being here.

Nevertheless I leave for Ethiopia on Thursday. My Ethiopian staff reminds me I have been away too long! Email and Skype are a godsend but I’m anxious to interact personally with them (we’re up to 20 employees in Ethiopia now, you know), colleagues and friends. I love Ethiopians. They are so gracious and loving. I’ve never know a group of people who care so much about each other, including we “forengi” (their word for white person).

We have lots to accomplish both in Addis -new grant proposals, donor meetings, harmonizing activities with other organizations, etc., as well as in the field -three new wells are being dug, CBLA (Community-based Learning in Action) is starting in new communities, the Rotary project in Dore/Wassemu is phasing out, a new project is phasing in, the rural trading center in Minogelti is opening, etc.

The Hamar elders are asking, “Where’s Lori Jim?” They call me Lori Jim because my father’s name was Jim. In Ethiopia, each child receives his/her own first name, their second name is their father’s, the third name their grandfather’s. No one ever changes their name, unlike me who has changed my name three times (Lori Pappas, Lori Salewski, Lori Sweningson, back to Lori Pappas). Geez – what a confusing, dehumanizing process!

Conditions in “Hamar-land” are even more difficult these days. Have you seen the stories in the news talking about the severe drought and malnutrition in southern Ethiopia, Somalia and northern Kenya? Well – that’s what it is like in Hamar-land. It’s time for me to see firsthand what can be done to ease their situation.

And, This Is Called Communication

2010-03-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

I’m often asked how I communicate with the tribe. Answer: “it’s not easy!” It was particularly difficult in the beginning, before I knew any Amharic or Hamar.

My first extended stay in “Hamar-land” was February to April 2008 when we conducted our comprehensive needs analysis. Our program called for us to visit 10 Hamar kebeles (small counties) and interview elders, men, women, health workers, and others, with a series of open-ended questions that we hoped would identify the barriers between the Hamar and a healthy life.

Good plan. . . Tough to implement!

I was traveling with an English/Amharic translator, or so I was promised. Damtew was top of his university class in English communication, which meant he could read English – which is not the same as understanding a native English speaker! Fortunately, Fekade, our driver, could also speak some English. But neither of them spoke the tribal Hamar language. So in Turmi, the nearest town, we picked up Enyite – “the best Hamar/Amharic translator available.”

The interview process went like this:

Lori asks question in English

Damtew, Fekade and Enyite discuss the question for 10 minutes in Amharic

Enyite asks the question in Hamar – which takes 5 minutes

Hamar interviewee responds in three words

Enyite yells the question in Hamar – another 5 minutes

Hamar interviewee stutters his or her response

Enyite, Damtew and Fekade discuss the response in Amharic

Enyite says something in Hamar

Hamar interviewee clams up, seemingly afraid to respond

Enyite yells

Hamar mutters a response

Enyite, Damtew and Fekade speak Amharic

Damtew gives me the answer to a question I did not ask!

It took us 45 days to gather all the information – time in which I received the gift of a lifetime. Forced to be quiet, to listen, to observe body language, I learned simply “to be.”

And by sitting still, showing up day after day, proving that we really cared about what they thought, we laid a foundation of trust between the Hamar and ourselves.

A Humbling Experience

2010-02-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Don't you hate it when you make a stupid mistake that causes angst for an innocent person?

It’s even worse when the innocent party has visions of her daughter growing up without a mother because her mother has been left to rot in jail!

One day in the field, we were visiting Demeka, the tiny little woreda (county) seat, 86 km from our project site. It was raining, everything was taking 10 times longer than it should, so we decided to have coffee in a tiny shop.

We headed back to camp, stopping in Turmi to see Tuti. Remember the young woman I wrote about last time, who ran away to primary school in order to escape being married to an elder? Anyway, Tuti had typhus and I was worried about her. I reached for my purse to give her money for medicine and, darn, it wasn’t there. The only thing I could think of was that I had left it in Demeka, at the coffee shop.

It was dark now, still raining. We crawled back to Demeka, dodging potholes and goats. No lights were on in Demeka. We finally found the little shop, closed up tight. Fortunately, the husband of the owner was nearby and guided us to their home. The woman came running out when she saw us, in tears. She led us back to her shop and gratefully retrieved the purse. She made me check my money and passport while she watched.

She was terrified that I had gone to the police to accuse her of stealing my purse! Since I am white, and she is a Muslim, she was convinced that the police would automatically believe me, throw her in jail and that her daughter would have to grow up without a mother!

What an absolutely humbling experience!

Tuti Goes To School

2010-02-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

Sixteen years old, about to be married to an elder for fifty goats and cows, Tuti Dobe ran away to Turmi (a small town 56 km away) and became a first grader!

Before GTLI started working in her area, Tuti's only option to escape arranged marriage (which means being banished from her family and forced to support herself) would have been to become a prostitute in Turmi.

Two GTLI projects gave Tuti the vision and the resources to escape: the tiny school for the women's cooperative and the money-making shikinee (beaded bracelets) program. Tuti became the fastest shikinee maker on the planet!

But Tuti needs your help. It will be years before shikinee sales cover all her school and living costs. But with your help, she can stay in school - and model healthy alternative behavior to other Hamar girls being forced to marry against their will.

$10 will buy Tuti room and board for a month
$50 will buy her a year's worth of books and supplies

http://gtli.us/donate/help-tuti-stay-in-school/?searchterm=tuti

On behalf of Tuti - thank you.

Lori

"I was lucky with my career, but I failed retirement..."

2010-01-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

I started my software company when I was a single mom with 2 little girls - in a wide-open market – and sold it at the top of the tech-bubble in 1999. After retirement, I filled my time with volunteer work, golf, business consulting, and extensive travel. By the time I circumnavigated the Sahara desert in fall 2006, I had reached a crossroads. I was either going to ramp up my consulting business, earn tons of money and give it all away, or I was going to work for free. What I saw in Niger, Africa, convinced me to work for free!

We were in Timia, an oasis that is a miserable nine hour drive from the capital of Niger, Agadez. A little girl (around the age of six) came up to me, begging, with her three year old sibling on her hip. Flies were crawling across their faces. My granddaughter, Ella, was 6 that year. Looking at this little Nigerian girl I saw Ella. I realized that this child had done nothing "wrong" to be born into a desert teaming with flies, and Ella had done nothing special to be born into a US suburban home with running water. In a flash, I knew how I was going to spend the rest of my life. I was going to work to get flies off the faces of children.

I knew nothing about development work in Africa – but I knew how to analyze needs, create strategies, motivate people and make things happen. I heard about a small NGO (non-government organization) that worked primarily in Niger and Mali that wanted to tap into grant money. I made a deal with them. I would figure out how to get them grant money and in turn, they would give me open access to their books and educate me on doing development work in sub-Sahara Africa. Part of the deal was that I would accompany a group of their volunteers and two doctors to SW Ethiopia on a humanitarian trip that summer.

In July 2007, we visited three exotic tribes: the Mursi, the Karo, and the Hamar. I didn’t like the experience at all. I felt that what we were doing was a waste of time and money. It felt like we were "throwing a few vitamins" at people who needed much more. Instead of wallowing in frustration, I put energy into figuring out how one could really help these people have a chance to have a healthy life.

We chose to start this journey working with the Hamar, an ancient tribe who has been virtually untouched by the modern world. Global Team for Local Initiatives (GTLI) was born October 2007. Our overarching mission is to create a scalable and replicable sustainable development model. But right now . . .

Goal #1: get the flies off the Hamar children’s faces! Goal #2: apply lessons learned and move to the next group of kids.