Hawzen - village life again

Went to Mekele ( about 2 hrs south from Hawzen) today with my colleague Delphin, with our local driver Yemane. He has a 12 seater van which he does taxi runs between all the surrounding villages for up to 200 km as well as take tourists to and from Mekele airport to the lodge I am staying in. Had a steak in Mekele as the the food is fairly basic in Hawzen - egg in the morning and soup/pasta/salad in the evening. We also visited our favorite Ethiopan coffee shop (Enku) in Wukro about 45 min north of Mekele.


Then in Wukro, we visited Father Angel Olaran, a Spanish priest who has lived in Wukro for 20 years and who established an orphanage/school.  http://www.etiopiautopia.org/en//menu,foundation/menu,who-we-are/menu,angel-olaran/.  We had last visited in September 2011, with a promise to return to help but alas have not made it. I hope I can make it over the next few weeks.  
He has volunteers coming all the time to help, mostly Spanish. May spend a week at this Orphanage teaching chemistry - they are always looking for help with the kids. they have established a large farm and look to be self sufficient as well as selling some of the foodstuffs. Much like a kibbutz.

Last night we had a farewell party for my Spanish colleague Delphine in Hawzen village. Most of the NGO people attended as well as new found friends from the village. A party in Tigray is not a good party without Tigrinya music and "shoulder dancing", a dancing style which requires just shaking your shoulder. The dance starts with everyone moving in a circle to the beat and then half way through breaking off into pairs (m-m or m-f or f-f). The dance style grows on you.

Back to Ethiopia

Its been awhile since I sat and wrote something, although I have been facebooking about my doings. After spending 5 weeks back in Australia for my daughters graduation and son's engagement, I headed back to Ethiopia via Tanzania. Briefly to say I spent a few days on Zanzibar, some more days climbing Kilimanjaro. It was not all fun as also worked on my Pulse assignment as well as look at dermatology in East Africa.

Arriving in Addis Ababa I settled in to the accomodation, and went to the Addis Ababa office of Millenium Village Project. I also had the opportunity to meet again with the head of GSK Ethiopia, who put me in contact with a number of dermatologists. I met these dermatologists at one of the largest dermatology tecxahning hospitals in East Africa. The number of patients seen per day by about 9 dermatologists was staggering - over 500 people crowding the corridors each day. Pharmaecuticals were given free, if they were available, which in most cases were not. A later visit in January to Mekele's Ayder hospital was distressing seeing children with deformities from skin disease which lacked effective treatments.

Back in hawzen, there was turn around in support for my project and after 3 weeks have managed to get it to a stage that the TB surveillance program will kick this first week of February. Two Health Posts in 2 villages have been identified for a pilot evaluation, and the Health workers trained in recognizing and asking about TB symptoms, and collecting sputum for transport to Hawzen Health Center laboratory for laboartory evaluation. Trying to find good data in the Health Center TB register archives is somewhat daunting as the data is "not clean" for useful statistical evaluation, so investigating it retrospectively.

Spent Timkat or Ephipahny holiday in Mekele  to see the lare celebrations. Enjoyed meals with friends Mullo and Seid in their houses. The religious celebration lasted just over a day.

Home for a break

I went back home to Australia in mid-November. A pre-arranged trip with the NGO and Pulse to attend to my daughters graduation, parents illness and sons engagement. The project was in hiatus until early January, so nothing could be done or progressed. I remained in contact via Skype with my Pulse GSK colleagues.

Coming back home was refreshing both psychologicallly and physically. I had lost 7 kgs, and a medical check showed I was probably my healthiest in 10-15 years. I have been doing the 4 km 1000 steps in the hills near my house in Melbourne everyday to maintain that level of fitness as well as prepare for the Mt Kilimanjaro climb in December.

News from Hawzen was stunning, 3 close colleagues from MVP ether did not have their contracts renewed or resigned. These were the 3 that had helped the most, so was going to be interesting on my return.

But back in Melbourne, enjoyed family and friends, dinners and outings and preparing for Mt Kilimanjaro.

Axum Journey

Saturday October 22, stated out as a good day for a long trip to Axum and back on the following day. Decided to hire a 4WD from Waldi, our car contact in Mekele. He arranged through a friend to rent us a Nissan patrol, with over 250,000 km, new engine and a 19 year old driver Avraham.

The drive from Hawzen took us to Adigrat, and north to the church Debre Damos.It was about 40 km north west on a gravel road from Adigrat, but only 15 km from the main road from Adigrat to Axum. The drive to Debre Damos took us through a number of stunning valleys, somewhat isolated, but was surprised by the  number of huts and people. The road I guess from the map skirted the Eritrean border, but other than an army check point we did not see a soldier or signs of the border.

Debre Damos  church is about 1400 years old, and is located on a high rock bluff, accessible only to males, and by a rope, basket pulley arrangement.  There are many religious festivals held in Ethiopia, and there was one to occur in 2 days time at Debre Damos, where there would be thousands of people coming to visit and pray. Time did not allow us to climb to Debre Damos, so we pushed on to Yeha.

Yeha is an ancient capital, dating to pre-christain times. It is about about 6 km off the current main road between Adigrat ad Adewa. Th etown is small and teh temple is now located within a church compound. A Grman archaelogical group is investigating the area and only touched a small area and to a depth of half a metre Impressive were teh rock walls of teh temple. There was a church with beautiful paintings and an older monastery which we scaled to the second floor. Quite a number of artifacts and bibles were found and a priest , the first we had met who spoke English gave us an overview of their history.

Th etrip from Yeah to Adewa, site of famous Italian -Ethiopian battle si nteh 19th century, was quick and we had lunch in one of the hotels. No time to visit the battle sites before heading to Axum. Check in at theAfrica hotel before heading to the church of St Mary of Sion and the Stellae and Museum.

St Mary of Sion church site anda large modern cathederal, reminiscent of Mehadene Alem Cathederal in Addis Ababa. The site also had an older church, museum and a church with the Ark of the Covenant or replica. The Ark of the Covenant is protected by a priest who nevers leaves the church. It is held behind closed doors. teh church is adornbed with paintings. the story goes that the Ark was brought to Axum by thr son of the Queen Sheba and King Solomon, known as Menelik I.

Then to view the large Stellae or stone pillars and the archaelogical museum. Fascinating history, albeit too short and minimalistic to really get a sense of the long history of the area.

In the evening we had dinner at the Yohannes Intenational restaraunt run by an ex US Marine an dhsi Ethiopian wife. Ordered steak which I hadnt had in a while and also tried their famous cinnamon buns.

On Sunday I was woken to the sounds of the priests praying at the cathederal,  A breakfast in another hotel, followed by heading off  to  the guide association to hire a guide to show us the archaelogical sites. We visited in quick succession, King Caleb archaelogical site, Queen Sheba pool, Queen Sheba palace, field of Stellae, King Balthazar archaelogical site and then some remanents of rock pillars in Enzano Park.

The morning had been full of history, although Axum is a huge archaelogical site, very little has been excavated and explored. The history is based more on legend than fact.

On the road again for the return trip to Hawzen, we stopped forlunch at another hotel in Adewa. Then heading through theback or short route to Hawzen, we headed somehat south for about 50 km and a gravel road that ultimately would get to Mekele. Turning east on a road to Maryam Wukro, 51 km, passing through a number of small towns to arrive at Nobelet. The drive was stunning, numerous houses and fields in valleys that dropped several hundred feet from the plateau we were driving on. Our driver had never been this way so every so often we had to make sure we were on the right road.

Maryam Wukro is supposedly a stunning church, about 7 km north of Nobelet. Little did we know that the road is impassable and in the end did not make it very far. Time did not allow us to walk to the church. Nobelet was a small dusty rural village that probably had not seen many ferenje. Kids running around our 4WD seeking money.....The dust had built up considerably inside and outside the 4WD but only another hour to Hawzen and maybe some respite. However, this was tempered by the beautiful and stunning scenery that even pictures could not describe nor capture. Driving back I manged to get my bearings on the Gheralta range in the distance.

Overall  a great 2 days that relieved the stress of working at Millenium in Hawzen. While work life balance is some what hard to find back home with so many obligations these weekend breaks restoke the energy.

After the working week, a weekend outdoors with a bit of Ethiopian culture

A week in Addis Ababa at a couple of meetings and preparing notes for the Millenium Villages laboratory staff.

Walking back from Addis Ababa office today was followed across a large roundabout outside Mehadane Alem Cathedral by a kid, maybe 3 yo, both of us weaving through traffic as we crossed 3 of the roads that meet at the roundabout, pulling on me trying to get me to give him so money. Pickpocket? one could scarcely believe, but I crossed through traffic and he finally gave up and weaved back through traffic to the side of the road.

This week we had the opportunity to meet the head of GSK Ethiopia - Getachew - (a 25 year veteran) and hear about the launch of penumococcal vaccine here this weekend. Lots of challenges in the pharma market here with China and Indian companies as well as local Ethiopian and other African companies competing for a low return market.


This past weekend ventured south to Debre Zeit, a bustling town around 3 crater lakes, which had a number of hotels on their shores. The area was nothing spectacular but good for resting, cycling and kayaking.

Climbed Mt Entoto - a 2.5 km climb which showed how fit I was for the big one in December. Walking through the villages and markets was in contrast to later on in the day when "exited" Ethiopia and entered Sheraton Addis Ababa for a taste of the finer side of life. Originally surrounded by shanty towns that have all been cleared for future Sheraton development, it is out of place in a country still struggling to support its population. Primarily tourists and upper class Ethiopians can be found there especially many Ethiopians returning from life abroad.

Life for GSK ferenje is spilt between Addis Ababa, a bustling metroplis still with cattle, goats and sheep wandering around outside the Inetrnational Airport, to the rural villages of the Millenium Village Project,. Strikingly food, and insect bites are the key differences, and getting back to Addis Ababa gives some relief from both. Indulging in some western food helps!

From the Simien Mountains to Gonder

Like a tale from Lord of the Rings I ventured to the Simien Mountains this past weekend for 2 days of  trekking. An early morning flight that was changed both in time and route took me from Addis Ababa to the far north of Ethiopia to the ancient town of Axum and then back south-west to Gonder. From Gonder a 4 hr drive back towards Axum to the town of Debark and then another hour into the Simien Mountains National park to the Simien Lodge. The highest Lodge in Africa at 10,300 feet comprises about 20 Tukuls or thatched roof style huts with modern internal fit outs.

The drive to the Simiens took the main road north which has been under construction by the Chinese government already for 3 years and probably will take another 3-6 years to complete. The scenery was beautiful. A flat tyre in a town attracted locals aroun us ferenjes. Arriving late at 3.30 pm we picked up a guide and scout in Debark and after arrival at the lodge took a 2 hr walk around the hills of the lodge. Baboons were everywhere - like a scene from Planet of the Apes we could see them play and with a number of tourists getting up relatively close. As well local kids offering small baskets and hats made by hand. These kids some with no shoes and rags on their back and filthy dirty were trying to make a birr or two to support their families.

Saturday morning rose to the sound of quiet and a few birds, breakfast in the lodge and by 8.30 am started on what was to be a 4 hr, 16 km walk along the escarpment with guide and armed scout, and parallel to the gravel road that headed into the park for at least 110 km to the next town. Walking along the escarpment I saw birds, baboons, cattle, goats and sheep as well people, mostly kids and occasional a few houses that constituted some human habitation. Trucks packed with as many as 80 people passed along the road in both directions, but going to and or coming from villages inside the park. The beauty was indescribable of the view from the escarpment and can only compare it to the valleys in the Blue Mountains  to the west of Sydney, Australia.

Up and down the hils we went, struggling to much with the climb itself but lack of oxygen at 10-11,000 feet. Stoping every 5-10 min or every 20 meters it seemed I was still not fit. Water and some small food to eat along the way. By 1 pm we had stopped and waited for our driver to come from the Lodge. He took us a further 10 min along the road, passing a camp site and then 15 min walk to high cliffs from which water fell, much like Yosemite in the US.

We then drove back about 35 min to the Lodge, just as fog started to roll in blocking all the views we had seen in the morning.

The back to the Lodge and the following day the drive back to Gonder. In Gonder a guided tour to view the 16th century castles or what remained following their partial destruction by British bombing Italian forces in WWII.



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Around Hawzen this week

Back in Hawzen and back at work today after a visit to Harar and Addis Ababa. It is always nice to get back and see the view over the country side to the Gheralta mountains. There is minimal ambient light, so it is almost pitch black outside, just faint star light if you look up. So different from the big city. No great photos of Meskel from my trip to Addis Ababa as one of my cameras was stolen, but did manage to shoot quite a few in Harar of the old city.

With no ambient street light from, I live in a pitch black world. with just the stars and milky way above. A crescenting moon starts to shed light on the landscape below each night giving shape and form to the hills, the village and rural houses in the distance. Away from the gyrations of the stock market and debt talk. At daybreak the sounds of roosters and animals and people moving about with their lives provides another day of reality in village life and survival.

However, harsh reality, walking through the village at 8 am there were about 100 people lined up what appeared to be a shallow trench of about 150 m in length running from in front of several houses across the "main road" of the village and up the road before turning into another street. About 5 women with pick axes were digging away at making this trench which on closer examination had a water pipe. Looked like a water leak? No reliance on SE Water to fix a burst pipe here - community effort to get it done.
Feels like I am in Mary Poppins movie. The weather has changed here from rain , to rain storms in the afternoon to dry weather with a constant northerly wind. Does the wind change mean time to move on?

Our MVP site in Hawzen has a  coffee shop opposite as well as a pool room (they are very common in Hawzen). Unfortunately they dont have pool cues but have invented another game with the balls, much like lawn bowls. When no-one has anything on the drivers expecially and some of the staff congreagate for a fast exciting game.  The rules seem to be mad up on the spot if we get involved. On a more seriius note, our Tigrinya lessons are progressing and can make ourselves understood in the market.

Some interesting african music - listen to the music - Turaeg tribe band Tinariwen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCkSX6Kl3ig&feature=related
and Gnawa Diffusion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMeQvtk88Zg