Female Genital Mutilation Campaign - Trafalgar Square, London

Saturday 20th July 2013 saw 10 returned VSO ICS volunteers from the Ethiopia group together to campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in central London. The event had been a while in the making, and a lot of credit has to go to Alice Duckett, aka Ally Rouge for pulling this even together and getting it off the ground. Her diligent efforts and liaison with FORWARD (Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development) and 28 Too Many came to fruition in a wonderful way. 

Need a reminder on what FGM is? Take a look at my previous post 'Nurture or Mutilate?' 

We met in the morning for a quick briefing and catch up over breakfast. Then donned our VSO tshirts, took fistfuls of pamphlets for various organisations and hit Trafalgar square to spread our message to the public. We paused for a few photo opportunities, and then Peter Newman took to the background to capture our day in pictures and video (check back for the finished product soon!).

Why? Because the summer time is more crucial than ever in the world of FGM, the school holidays and better weather lead the way to 'cutting season'. 

I was surprised by lots of things that came to light in the day, for example; how many people knew about FGM but thought there was no presence of it in the UK and also by how many people approached me to ask about it (I spent most of the day with various message boards held up above my head to optimise how many people would read it). 

This is me brandishing one of the many signs that Louise Peirce made for us

The conversations I had with various people of different ages, backgrounds and ethnicities were really inspiring, and I am so grateful they took the time out of their day to share their views and ask questions about what is generally quite a sensitive subject. Some of the comments I received include:

"I couldn't agree with you more" - from a passer by in relation to the sign I was holding which read "FGM is a violation of the human rights of women and children".

"So what are the government going to do about it?" - from a gentleman who knew a fair amount about FGM, including that since the laws against female circumcision passed in the UK 1985 no convictions have been made, even after certain loopholes (taking girls abroad for the 'procedure') were closed in the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2003. Truly shocking when it is estimated 20,000 or more young girls and women are at risk of this every year in the UK.

"Oh, I'm American, that doesn't happen where I come from" - from an American woman visiting the UK for a holiday. Unfortunately, as much as it would be nice to believe that, it's not true. FGM isn't 100% specific to certain countries or continents, though some have a higher prevelance than others. As people move around the world, they often take their traditional practices and culture with them. Although a 1996 federal law bans FGM in the US, it does not address the act of transporting girls overseas to be subjected to FGM. There has been recent articles about FGM in the US in online press; Zero Tolerance in our back yards. 

Alongside us at Trafalgar Square were Daughters of Eve and the Shoreditch Sisters who were campaigning in a fun and extroverted way. They came in bright colours with various banners brandishing quirky slogans; "Fanny Defence League", "Love your Labia", "whose vagina? My vagina!" and a variety of cupcakes resembling genitalia. 

Top: A variety of eye catching banners, Left: malteaser clitoris anyone?, Right: Another quirky slogan

Their most controversial sign had to be "You wouldn't cut of your dick so don't cut off my clit" and they gave a few renditions of songs for their film crew, to the tune of all things bright and beautiful; "Vaginas they are beautiful, be they great or small. Vaginas they are wonderful, whence we came one and all". 

I mention a film crew, there is a documentary for Channel 4 being made (not sure on release date but will keep an eye out for it) on FGM and with a little bit of luck our group might have an action shot of our campaigning efforts. 

I also had the pleasure of meeting Sarian who was featured on Sky News in the morning before the event. Her story is inspiring, she recently did an interview with The Guardian, The battle to eliminate FGM is long, but its one we must win. She was a key focus for the film crew and was circulating with an ipad to get on the spot signatures for an e-petition Stop FGM in the UK Now which was set up by Leyla Hussein from Daughters of Eve. (Please take the time to sign the petition, there is an email verification step required so make sure you complete it all - thank you). 

It really was a fantastic day, it was so uplifting to know we were part of spreading such an important message and educating people on this harmful practice which goes on both in the UK and abroad. I urge you to take an active interest and probe for information on line, there is plenty of it and some of the statistics will astound you. All the NGOs mentioned above will welcome new supporters, actively show your support and get involved in any way you can. 

Kx

I hope I have credited all the relevant people above, if not I sincerely apologise and please contact me so I can add you in!

A special thanks goes to all the returned VSO ICS volunteers who travelled far and wide to attend; Alice Duckett, Louisa Nicholson, Alex Ferguson, Sen Sivan, Aman Brar, Rebecca Park, Louise Peirce, Laura Beverstock and Keiran Gilberthorpe. 

The above mention NGOs can be found on Twitter. Please use #IstandagainstFGM #endFGM if you're tweeting on FGM. 



P.S Have you seen my other blog, Ramblings & Musings ? I'll be transitioning to it from here as this is Ethiopia/VSO/ICS specific. 

  

I'm now a Returned Volunteer

It has been a while since I blogged, life has been a bit of a whirlwind lately but I thought I would pop on and share a link to the video interview I did with my local on-line paper. You may recall that before I went away I also did an interview so this was a little like a follow up on that one really.

Watch my interview here

Upon returning to the UK we all regroup for a Returned Volunteer Weekend, which is a little like a debrief of our experiences. This was great as we got to see each other again a month or so after getting back. We shared our experiences with volunteers that were in other locations and discussed our future plans, how we have dealt with the reverse culture shock (not as easy as you think coming back to your life as you knew it before) and what we have taken away from our volunteering efforts. It was a really nice way to reflect on our challenges with some hindsight and be able to put them into perspective. 

We then moved on to making a plan of how we will campaign in the UK for a topic that we became passionate about during our time away. For many of us in the Ethiopia team our focus was Women & Girls, education, sexual health and female genital mutilation. As a whole these are the areas I plan to raise awareness on, not only for Ethiopia or Africa but globally, because to me it shouldn't matter where you are in the world to receive an education, be respected, empowered and have an equal footing. 

The final part of the ICS scheme encourages you to continue your citizen service in the UK, most people do this independently (as I have here with my interview and blog pieces) however our Ethiopia team are also collaborating on something much bigger which I will also be getting involved in...

 <<watch this space!>>



Kx

Would you do it again?

I have been home for over a month now, it is safe to say I have settled back into my pre-Ethiopia lifestyle but it certainly took some time and with it there is an underlying sense of unease. The subject question is something I have been asked by just about everyone I have spoken to since I came back, read on for my thoughts and conclusion…

Two days of travelling and I came
home to this which was perfect!

Preparing to go away filled me with excitement, trepidation and curiosity. My actual journey was rammed with emotions that I had been told I would experience, but did not think I actually would. This made dealing with them that much harder, being able to rationally understand them and contextualise them was tough.

I found myself regularly questioning my views, other peoples’ views and learning about topics that prior to travelling I had not given much attention to. For example; Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Harmful Traditional Practice (HTP), and areas surrounding religion, education, health and gender equality.

I know I could not have done it without the support of the friends that I made, considering as a team we only met on the day of our departure travel the bonds we formed over three months are similar to those of people I have known for years. Out of the UK team I came to be particularly close to three girls, they are responsible for keeping me sane and smiling. The four of us are so different in so many ways and yet we have this chapter of our lives in common and that is what makes our friendship unique.

The four of us briefly reunited at our
 Returned Volunteer weekend

The Ethiopian volunteers were an eclectic mix of people, and they brought their culture, views and personalities to everything they did and certainly taught me a fair few things. My counterpart and I had an explosive (sometimes bombs and sometimes fireworks) type of relationship, we would debate, agree, disagree, laugh, smile, cry and shout together but actually I needed him. He educated me, translated for me and cared for me, as I did for him and this relationship is what I think makes the ICS program ideal for first time overseas volunteers.

Our team were fortunate that our placement town, Hawassa, had mobile phone reception, internet availability and plenty of internet cafes to make use of. This made staying in contact with our loved ones back home so much easier and this truly got me through. I learnt that being away from home is not an endurance test to see how long you can go without contacting home because actually you need that connection sometimes. A familiar voice or a sentimental email does wonders for your morale. You may recall a post titled S.W.A.L.K – this was also a great coping mechanism for me and one that I would really recommend for other people.

Although most of the time I felt like I was only ever sharing negative thoughts; it was not a wholly negative experience. Sure, there were days when I went home after seeing homeless people laying helplessly in the street, knowing that even if I could give some loose change it would make very little difference to their situation, I just wanted to cry because I felt helpless and heartless. Then there were days were I had laughed so much, felt so proud and upbeat that I almost felt ashamed of my previous negativity.

An action shot of one of the many
 laughs I had

I soon learnt that looking to quantify my effectiveness as a volunteer was a sure way of slipping into a melancholic state, and actually there was no need to because I knew in myself that I was trying hard and that was enough. The smallest things that you do, almost as second nature, can mean so much to the people it affects. In hindsight part of me wishes that I had just been myself rather than trying to ‘achieve’ things and being able to tally success.

So, would I do it again? Yes, but maybe not for some time and potentially not for as long. Why? Honestly, because I enjoyed my time there and living somewhere is not the same as visiting for a holiday but being away from my loved ones for that long took its toll. My opinion to foreign aid has also changed considerably and I strongly believe that skills and funds are what developing countries need, because sadly it is evident that funds alone are not filtering down to where they are needed. So being able to take skills to where they are needed is something I am passionate about.

I have so many thanks to give for my experience being what is was; my husband, family and friends in the UK for being so supportive, and having faith in me. All the people who sponsored me and helped with my fundraising to make my trip possible and supporting the charity I chose to work with. The UK and Ethiopian volunteers who taught me, helped me and tolerated my erratic mood changes. My host family who welcomed me so warmly into their home, cared for me, accepted me and provided for me. My placement organisation for teaching me so much about myself, and also the school teachers I worked with for being so appreciative of me. All the beneficiaries I met for speaking openly and truthfully about their life experiences and welcoming me into their homes. My program supervisors for being there when I wanted to leave and never doubting my abilities. The children in the streets, schools and homes I visited for always guaranteeing to warm my heart and make me smile. And of course VSO and ICS for giving me this opportunity!

Please feel free to post questions if you want to know more, I've been as brief as I can be but there is just so much that could be said!

Kx

ICS Ethiopia: Project Impact Case Study

Team VI027, Hawassa January – April 2013. - I have written this for ICS as part of my role in the media team.

Our ICS team was based in the lakeside city of Hawassa, situated 275km south of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa. Hawassa is the largest city in the Rift Valley and also the capital of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) which is an ethnically and linguistically diverse region with an estimated population of 138,000. The mountainous backdrop of the beautiful lake served a stark contrast to some of the realities that were faced daily. Fortunately, Hawassa is a compact city which meant travel between host homes, work placements and favorite social haunts was relatively easy and allowed for plenty of interaction with the notorious bajaj drivers!

Photo: The view of Hawassa Lake and City from the top of Mount Tabor

After a few days of In Country Orientation (ICO) at Addis Ababa University, which also included the ICS team that would remain in Addis Ababa, we made the 6 hour bus journey to Hawassa – our home for the following months. Our team of 8 UK volunteers and 10 Ethiopian volunteers were distributed to 6 placement organizations covering a range of fields from HIV/AIDs to technology training and orphanages. Everyone was eager to get stuck in and start making a change for the community, whilst keeping our expectations realistic and attainable. We soon learnt that one of the main challenges would be keeping a positive mentality in order for our effort to have the desired impact. It was certainly a learning curve for the UK volunteers to be able to adapt to the way of life in Ethiopia, and we did so with help from our counterparts. Supporting one another became the main basis of our relationships and it was immediately visible how reliant we would be on each other and our support network.

We set about learning as much as we could about our placement organizations and their field of work, planning our time and how we could be effective as volunteers and global citizens. 

The first success came from a public coffee ceremony which was held in our third week, by the lake in aid of Fiker Behiwot Orphan Children and Youth Association (FBOYA). Tickets were sold, raising over 2,000 Ethiopian Birr (ETB), the organizing volunteers wore traditional clothing to perform the coffee ceremony whilst traditional dancing entertained a large crowd and information on the organization was shared to the masses. The hidden message in the event was the VSO ICS volunteers have made a start!

Volunteers Tsion, Habtamu & Laura at their coffee ceremony

This event set the ball rolling for the various events to come; we held two Community Action Days (CAD), four Global Citizenship Days (GCD) and other ‘extracurricular’ events e.g. coffee ceremonies. We estimate across all of these events we reached out to 1,784 direct beneficiaries, and 56,906 indirect beneficiaries within the community of Hawassa – a huge achievement for us all!

The first CAD took place in our 6^th week in Ethiopia. It was held in conjunction with Organization for Social Services for AIDS (OSSA). The team placed with OSSA led the facilitation of a free community fun run through Piassa, the main street in Hawassa, down to the lake area which is approximately 1.2km. We used the same area that hosted the aforementioned coffee ceremony to award medals to the winning runners and distribute stocks of water and other materials that had been sourced through sponsorship of the event. We also promoted OSSA and their current programs and raised awareness surrounding HIV/AIDS within the community. Some of the beneficiaries of OSSA performed cultural dancing and several of them took part in the race alongside a few of our more athletic ICS volunteers! After the event we accompanied some of the younger beneficiaries of OSSA to have a meal which was donated by a local burger business, socializing with them was the perfect end to the event and truly defined our connection with them.

 

VSO ICS volunteers and OSSA beneficiaries at the CAD

Our second CAD was in cooperation with Digital Opportunity Trust Ethiopia (DOT). The two volunteers placed at the organization engaged the full ICS team to arrange a business fair at Meskel Square. Taking experience gained from the previous CAD regarding protocols on public events and local authorities the event fell into place very smoothly. The aim of the event was to engage youths in startup businesses. Local businesses participated by hosting tents in the square to sell their goods and share their business knowledge. The bandstand in the arena was fitted with music equipment to provide entertainment and be the stage for a large discussion with the public about volunteerism and microfinance opportunities. We were all thrilled with the outcome of the event; we had prominence in the area for the full day and thoroughly promoted our ICS program and the local business that partnered with us for the day.

View of the businesses at the DOT CAD

Interspersed between the CADs were our four GCD events, these are mainly for interaction within the team, but we felt we could also incorporate the community as the topics we covered were so important to us. The four subjects we chose to act on were Disability, Gender Equality, Child Rights and Health. In teams of four or five we set about organizing an informative day for our fellow volunteers and sprinkling in some community participation which took several forms; leafleting, petition signing, closed gender community discussion groups, art work with street children and inviting guest speakers to share their knowledge on these specific subjects. These events were key in growing our knowledge of such areas on a global level and relating them to the Millennium Development Goals which as volunteers are always in our minds as the ultimate target area for our efforts.

Snapshots from each of the GCDs

Three of our volunteers are placed at Association of Education and Training Services for Persons with Disabilities (AETSD). They have successfully started a chicken farm to earn income for the organization and held various events to raise resources. They held a coffee ceremony at Tabor Elementary school which was attended by 45 people including representatives from NGOs such as Goal Ethiopia, Center of Concern, UNICEF, Plan International and World Vision. It was all in aid of the 18 children and two teachers we support in the sign language department there. Following an introduction to sign language, a demonstration of learning methods and the way the children communicate (and popcorn, traditionally), guests offered to replace all school uniforms, Alganesh from World Vision offered 1,000 Ethiopian Birr (personally) for learning materials and requested a short proposal containing a price list of all materials to submit to her manager. The manager of Plan International is writing a proposal for us, again for learning materials, hearing aids etc. Center of Concern will be offering psycho-social services. This event was extremely successful for AETSD. The work the volunteers have done for the organization has produced a high level of results and a strong network of contacts to ensure the sustainability of the organization for the future.

Our time in Ethiopia has been memorable; we were fortunate enough that our project term coincided with the VSO Ethiopia conference which was held in Lake Langano. We were reunited for a brief period with the ICS volunteers from Addis Ababa and also had the opportunity of meeting many of the long term VSO volunteers placed in Ethiopia. This event added gravitas to our experience and made us even more focused on the outcome of our efforts.

VSO ICS Ethiopia volunteers at the VSO Ethiopia
Conference 2013, Lake Langano

All of us have something positive to take away from our time in the ICS program, which will serve us well in our future endeavors. Many of the relationships and connections we have formed will be lifelong and valued. 

Global Citizenship Day – Child rights

04/04/2013

The third Global Citizenship Day (GCD) of the Hawassa program took place on Tuesday2 April at the home of the founders of Ebenezer Grace, an orphanage in Hawassa. Alice, Yewel, Salem, Conor and Louisa facilitated a morning of knowledge sharing regarding the rights of children, both globally and specifically to the UK and Ethiopia. The setting was very relaxed, outside in the garden with coffee and biscuits – this helped particularly because of the topics being covered being quite heart wrenching.

Volunteer Yewelsew giving out drinks to us all while we listen intently

We also heard from someone* who actively campaigns for children in Ethiopia. We heard information about different rural tribes and their treatment of children and women due to their beliefs. Some things were really hard to take on board but are a regular occurrence here. For example there is one tribe that insists a pregnant woman goes into the bush on her own when she is in labour to give birth to her child before she returns to the community. As you can imagine this is a huge health risk and terrifying experience both for mother and child and several women never make it back to the village with their babies.

The key thing that was discussed was children being labelled as ‘Mingi´ which basically means outcast. A child can be considered as a mingi for any number of reasons, and once this label has been placed the child is condemned to death either by being abandoned in the bush/jungle or by being drowned in the river. Reasons a child will be considered a mingi include; birth out of wedlock, the birth of twins, the eruption of teeth in the upper jaw before the lower jaw, and chipping a tooth in childhood.

The most shameful part of this practice is that the Government claims it no longer takes place, you are not allowed to highlight these issues – it is punishable by jail or death. Whilst it is known this continues it is defended as being “cultural” and “traditional” therefore the government does not intervene and even prevents NGOs and other do-gooders from making a change in order to preserve the “history” of the country.

There is legislation in place which outlines the basic rights of children in Ethiopia, it seems though that whilst these things are on paper, they are not wholly in practice – no doubt the same can be said for many other countries in the world.

They are set out as: Every child has the right:

1.   To life;

2.   To a name and nationality;

3.   To know and be cared for by his or her parents or legal guardians;

4.   Not to be subject to exploitative practices, neither to be required nor permitted to perform work which may be hazardous or harmful to his or her education, health or well-being

5.   To be free of corporal punishment or cruel and inhumane treatment in schools and other institutions responsible for the care of children

This is me working with the 'just add water'
colouring books, they are rather fun!

The afternoon session of the day took place at Tabor Elementary School with a newly formed organisation which aims to improve the lives of street children. Around 20 street children attended. After a quick discussion in Amharic that outlined their rights as children and young adults and encouraged them to take an active interest in their future, we took to getting creative.

Some of the volunteers had acquired some art materials from the UK and put them to use. We did some face painting, chalk drawing, painting and colouring. It was heart-warming to see these children which have hard lives just revert to being children and doing something enjoyable in a safe environment. Many of them had similar stories, either they have no parents or they were disowned by them due to finances and have come to be a community together on the streets earning what they can and keeping themselves alive. They are not in education, which will directly affect their future and they are often victims of abuse and illegal activities. When the session ended we left the materials with the organisation leaders in the hope that they will make use of them again to provide some respite for the children again in the future.

Volunteer Alice working with the children painting

The general consensus of the day was that it was very informative and rewarding, several of the volunteers have shown a particular interest in continuing to work and campaign for children in the future.

Kx

*It would be dangerous for me to reveal who was talking to us about these things as it is such a sensitive and political topic in Ethiopia therefore their identity will be withheld. 

Community Action Day – DOT Ethiopia

04/04/2013

Saturday 30 March saw the second VSO ICS Community Action Day (CAD) take place. It was hosted in association with DOT Ethiopia (Digital Opportunity Trust) their mission is ‘to create global networks of talented, energetic young leaders who make a real change by educating local communities to apply technology effectively to real life.’

The Grandstand set up

The event was held in a large open space known as Meskel Square in central Hawassa. It was designed to be a business fair and attract young people who are looking to improve their future prospects and gain some business knowledge. Several businesses came to take part, each hosting a tent set up like a market to share their goods and expertise. Businesses included leather goods, computer equipment, traditional clothes and spice makers. There was also a band and dancers which took to the grandstand in the square to provide information about volunteering, business and the various areas of expertise the businesses could share. It became quite a social event with music playing and a small stall providing traditional food and beverages to attendees.

  

Some of the business tents

We estimated that around 800 people attended, with more being reached in the wider community during the event promotion. The outcome is very pleasing; the volunteers spent a lot of time and effort making the arrangements and encouraging local businesses to participate. Bringing the event together was a challenge which was successfully achieved given the amount of time and restrictions which occurred.

I think I speak for all the team when I say it was a good event with a great outcome!

Kx

Oh yes, wait a minute mister postman

04/04/2013

Forgive me for it has been some time since I last blogged! Nonetheless plenty has been going on. Upon my return from Langano I was pleased to receive a parcel from home, well two to be precise as they had to be split to be under the required weight for air mail. Post is somewhat unusual here because not many people have postal addresses, the use of PO Boxes is common though and I was able to provide a PO Box address which belonged to a fellow volunteer to my sister so she could send me a surprise.

My anticipation waiting for the parcels to arrive was evident and I was so excited to receive them that I opened them in the post office, after paying 10Birr for the privilege of them being given to me over the counter.

I burst open the first box and found it full of materials to use;

21 Paintbrushes

1 Set of 12 watercolour paints

1 pack of Easter themed paper chains

1 A6 notebook

2 A5 notepads

4 Magic painting books (just add water to reveal the colour)

4 Colouring books

1 Pack of playing cards

4 Dice

4 USB memory sticks

36 Mini felt tips

More about how I have put these to use will follow in future blog posts.

To my delight the second box was full of home comforts and personal treats;

1 Large bag of marshmallows

1 bag mini eggs (saved for Easter weekend)

6 Hot chocolate sachets

11 pairs of ear plugs

1 box of Mikado chocolate sticks

A bag of green tea bags

A bag of Tetley’s tea (for the benefit of the other volunteers)

4 Melody pops

1 bag of Jellyatrics (like jelly babies but old people)

3 of my nail varnishes from home

2 packs of face wipes/make up remover

2 bottles of eye drops

3 DVDs to keep me amused

A great stash of goodies!

I have managed to share a few bits, ration some others and certainly made use of it all. I was particularly comforted by these things because my sister included some little notes on certain items to explain their purpose of being included which added a personal touch. I was also coming down with Tonsillitis so having these home comforts made me feel a little better about being ill and of course the tea and hot chocolate helped to soothe my sore throat.

I now have less than 2 weeks left in Ethiopia; the packages have helped to keep me going and also made me anticipate returning home even more than before. I know a lot of thought and coordination went into getting these things to me and I am so grateful that the effort was made (and that they arrived unscathed, sadly some other volunteers have had parcels gone missing en route).

I’ll be re-using the packaging to pack some trinkets to bring home with me so I making sure everything has been made use of and not going to waste!

Kx

I like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain

22/03/2013

As the title suggests I am a fan of cocktails and spontaneity in the rain, only one of these two things have occurred here in Hawassa!

When I arrived I had a weather discussion with my host father, in which he assured me that the months I am spending here are dry months and there will be no rain. Much like the ‘seasons’ in the UK this has not held true.

Of course when it rains here it actually pours, you get the whole shebang not just a few trickles. It comes down heavy and fast causing everyone to scarper to the nearest shelter. One day I waited long enough for it to be lighter so I could walk home, after all our skin is waterproof, but a couple of minutes into the journey the heavens truly opened and I joined the locals in sheltering until it passed.

This is the view I had while I sheltered; the bajaj drivers had abandoned their vehicles to stay dry!

This was my drowned rat state when I returned home in the rain

I did actually come prepared for rain, I have some rubber flip flops which are more suitable for rain than my other shoes, and I have a rain mac with me. The key to making use of these things is to actually have them with me when the weather turns which so far has not happened. It is so unpredictable, the majority of the day could be glorious, and then late afternoon/early evening it turns entirely. The beauty of it is watching the sky change colour like a chameleon to the mood of the weather, and seeing the area around you light up by the flashes of lightening.

This is the weather rolling in over Lake Hawassa, the image is not perfectly clear as there was no light other than the lightening for the shot.

The best part of this weather, for me, is getting home, drying off, feeling a chill and putting on something warm - it causes a real nostalgia of the UK (and I hear that even in mid-March the UK is being ravaged by cold weather and snow). Even better is the sound of the rain plinking on the tin roof while I drift off to sleep like a melody that drowns out any other noise that would normally disturb me.

The interesting part of it all is that in the mornings after the rain, you would barely know it had happened. There is not a puddle in sight and the ground is barely damp, whether it is soaking in or evaporating in the heat I am not quite sure. One thing that is certain is in the days leading up to the storms the heat is scorching, and once the storm has passed the temperature comes down to a bearable level again.

Kx

Lake Langano

21/03/2013

On Saturday 16^th March we made our way to Lake Langano as part of our Mid-Phase Review (MPR) and to participate in the VSO Ethiopia conference – the first to take place in 3 years. We were fortunate that our MPR could be pushed back a couple of weeks so that it overlapped with the conference. It allowed us a 5 day break to enjoy some time together and we were reunited with the other ICS volunteers who are based in Addis Ababa.

Lake Langano

Lake Langano is a picturesque area, the large lake is inviting for those that want to swim and the water is considered to be ‘safe’ - although it is murky brown in colour it is refreshing. I only swam once, finding myself busied with other things and missing the opportunity to go again, the thing I noticed most was that the lake itself does not get very deep until you are considerably far from the shore, this is a benefit for the few who were not confident with swimming although it could hinder your attempts at trying.

Sunday was the start of our MPR, we spend the day together as a full ICS team, around 40 of us in total, discussing various things about our placements and our experiences so far. Across the Hawassa and Addis team there is a huge variety in sectors covered by our placement work so it was good to hear what the other volunteers have been doing in the last two months.

The full VSO ICS team in Ethiopia, complete with VSO Ethiopia conference t-shirts

Monday marked the start of the VSO Ethiopia conference. All the VSO volunteers in Ethiopia gathered, some have been here for years; others are just starting their permanent placements. Again, the areas covered are vast, from Family GP to education and much more, I noticed that many of the long term volunteers were ‘skilled’ in certain sectors and were either here in their ‘retirement’ time or here to gather some experience to launch their careers. We were referred to as the youth Volunteers (although I soon found out that I am roughly the same age as many of the long term volunteers and was often asked ‘why are you here as a youth volunteer and not a regular one?’ – I am not sure I have an answer for that at the moment!). We did not participate for the full day on Monday as we were finishing our MPR off, however we re-grouped with the conference for a session that they called ‘Open Space’.

The purpose of the Open Space session was for people to share some skills they have with other people. On the first day, some of the options were; reflexology, photography, face painting, bird watching, and storytelling – can you guess which one I got involved with? Face painting! I was the first guinea pig, being painted as a tiger and we soon branched out to taking it in turns to paint each other and try new things. Here are some of the art works created:

Tuesday was a day of being integrated with the conference, we were all mixed up into small groups and asked to discuss various case stories and scenarios which reflect moral issues within volunteering – it was interesting to see how our short time here compares with the experience of the other volunteers. The afternoon brought another Open Space session and this time I offered my origami skills (though I had not brought my paper to the lake with me which made me kick myself). I only had a few people join me, but it was enough to be able to share the method of folding a Japanese Warrior Hat, Water Bomb (Cube) and the perfect Paper Aeroplane. My claim to fame here is that the CEO of VSO Ethiopia came to learn from me and was particularly excited about the paper aeroplane!

Each evening we had buffet food and some spare time to socialise, although some of our efforts to enjoy the scenery were scuppered by the frequent storms we got each night. In particular on Tuesday night, we sat watching the storm form around us, with lightening illuminating the lake and thunder rolling in before the heavens opened and we huddled for shelter. On the last night we had a barbecue of sorts, and a bonfire but the weather rained on our parade and we retreated inside to party the night away before we headed back to our respective placement areas on Wednesday.

Kx