OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – Inside Oakland’s Albo African Gift shop, at the corner of Alcatraz and Telegraph, a deep herbal aroma wafts from a row of colorful bottles labeled ‘frankincense.’ Ethiopian Singer Hamelmal Abate’s mournful vibrato pours out of the stereo, crooning over an incongruously lively beat, while the store’s owner, Genet Asrat, sits behind the counter, her black sweater brightened by a bold patterned scarf with a yellow border. The phone rings nearly continuously, and Asrat switches back and forth between English and Amharic as she fields calls, raising her precisely-arched eyebrows and flashing a big, quick smile as she taps away at her keyboard.
The store is filled with baskets, scarves, jewelry and clothing in brilliant shades of orange, red, pink and purple. The walls are lined with African-themed carvings and paintings. Customers come in to browse racks of T-shirts and books with African themes. And while T-shirts are the store’s big sellers, the repeat customers, like the young man who stands shyly by the door until Asrat beckons him forward, are immigrants who come to the store to wire money back to their families in Ethiopia, a service Asrat offers at less than half the price Western Union charges.
Businesses like Asrat’s may provide a touch of the exotic to the neighborhood, but for Ethiopian immigrants, they create a familiar space, and serve as a valuable link to their native country. Some of the phone calls, Asrat explains, are from customers looking for help booking flights home. Asrat doesn’t just a keep a shop or send remittances. “I’m also a travel agent,” she says. Many immigrants, she says, “don’t have the know-how” to look for discounted tickets online and are uncomfortable working with an English-speaking agent. “It’s easier for them, and it’s convenient for them to call and buy them from me.”
Meanwhile, Asrat’s old friend Fetlework Tefferi — whose businesses, Café Colucci and Brundo grocery store, are located to either side of Asrat’s shop – works to source spices from businesses in Africa that use organic ingredients and employ women. “I want to help women preserve their culinary heritage,” says Tefferi, an energetic woman who runs between Colucci and Brundo donning and removing a pair of rubber gloves while supervising the cafe’s redecoration, signing forms, and tasting new batches of spices.
Businesses like these make North Oakland a hub for the Bay Area Ethiopian community, even though neither census data nor anecdotal evidence indicates there is a particularly high concentration of Ethiopian immigrants living in the neighborhood. “They live everywhere,” says Tefferi. “They just have their businesses on Telegraph.”
According to the 2000 census, there are 1,444 foreign-born Ethiopians in Alameda County, and 228 living in north Oakland, although Rebecca Lakew, program director at the Ethiopian Community Center in Oakland, says that number is much too low. Some of the discrepancy may come from how people answer census takers or fill out government forms, Lakew says. “A lot of Ethiopian people, the people who are here as immigrants or refugees, they don’t say they are from there,” she says. “They mark ‘other’ or just ‘black.’”
Along with Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta and Houston, the Bay Area has one of the largest Ethiopian populations in the United States. Lakew estimates the number of Ethiopians in the Bay Area to be at least 20,000, and says the largest community event, the annual Ethiopian New Year festival, can draw as many as 40,000 people from Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. “Every year it grows,” she says.
Large waves of Ethiopians began migrating to the United States in the 1980s and 1990s, as the political and economic situation in Ethiopia deteriorated. Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, and was immediately faced with a series of counter-coups, uprisings and border skirmishes. In 1977 – 1978, Mengistu attempted to crush opposition with a massacre known as the “Red Terror,” during which human rights groups estimate as many as 500,000 people were killed, tortured or disappeared by government-sponsored militias.
Mengistu continued to spend heavily on the military, especially to counter rebellions in the country’s north. When a devastating series of droughts and famine hit the country in the 1980s, the government was ill-prepared for the crisis, and nearly 1 million Ethiopians starved to death in 1984 and 1985.
Mengistu was forced to flee the country in 1991, and the first multi-party elections were held in 1993, but problems in Ethiopia continue to push people to emigrate. “There is a lot of corruption, there are no jobs, the standard of education is low,” says Lakew. Many look for opportunities abroad, she says, for the same reasons as emigrants from anywhere in the world. “They have to eat,” she says. “They have to work, they have to support their families.”
The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program — which provides 55,000 Visas each year to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States — has opened up greater possibilities for Ethiopians wishing to immigrate. Nationally, Ethiopians have consistently been among the top groups receiving these visas, topping the list with 3,427 visas in 2005.
Lakew refers to the Diversity Visa program as “fortunate, but unfortunate.” Applicants are required to have either a high school diploma or at least two years experience in a skilled occupation, but many face still face high barriers when they arrive. “It’s the language, the lack of experience, even the cultural difference. They have a culture shock,” says Lakew. “The moment you arrive in the states, you expect everyone to be there for you. And they’re not.”
Newcomers are forced to rely on friends and relatives, and on community agencies like the Ethiopian Community Center, which provides job, housing and heath-care referrals, and works with Laney and Peralta college to get immigrants into English classes and career training.
This disorientation helps to explain why Ethiopian immigrants, no matter where in the Bay Area they live, congregate along Telegraph Avenue. “It’s creating a community in a way,” says Tefferi. “I think immigrants do that as a matter of course. We want to be all in the same neighborhood, so in case something happens, we can all be together, help each other.”
When Sheba Ethiopian restaurant opened on Telegraph in the 1980s, Tefferi says, local Ethiopians started going there to eat, and liked the area. The university, in particular, was a “natural draw,” Tefferi says. “Ethiopians congregate around schools. It’s like prestige, education.”
The diversity of the neighborhood was attractive as well, says Asrat. “It was very open, very international, it was very easy to mix.” So Asrat opened her shop in June 1991, and Tefferi followed, opening Café Colucci about two months later. “It just happened,” both Asrat and Tefferi say. “We congregate,” says Tefferi. “And the competition is not even spoken of as such.”
Tefferi, who lives in San Francisco, says she loves coming to work on Telegraph. “It’s like traveling to Ethiopia–I come here and it’s like I’m home,” she says. “I feel very complete when I’m here. I’m surrounded with the music, the spices, the food. I have the best of both worlds, and I’m always thankful for that.”
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – A three-day workshop organized by IOM, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union Commission (AUC) on border management and irregular migration in the IGAD region opens on 26 November in Nairobi, Kenya.
The workshop will bring together some 40 officials and experts from ministries with migration related responsibilities and functions, including Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Labour and Social Affairs, Police, Intelligence and Security. Representatives from neighbouring transit countries such as Chad, Egypt, Libya, Niger, Tunisia and Yemen will also take part in the meeting, alongside representatives from the regional media.
The workshop aims to build on recommendations of the Inter-State and Intra-Regional Cooperation Conference and the IGAD Regional Consultative Process (IGAD-RCP), which was launched in Addis Ababa earlier this year by representatives from the IGAD member states.
Prior to the workshop, IOM in collaboration with IGAD and its member states carried out technical assessments of selected border points in the region to evaluate the technical capacities of immigration officials and of existing infrastructures to identify potential gaps in the management of regional borders.
“This workshop aims to contribute to the AU and IGAD policy processes aimed at improving border management systems within the region,” says Charles Kwenin, IOM’s representative in Addis Ababa.
In addition to discussing the use of information campaigns to ensure potential migrants are aware of their rights and are able to protect themselves from health and other related risks, the workshop will look at how to use migration as a catalyst for regional social and economic integration and cooperation.
The workshop is part of “The East Africa Migration Route Programme: Building Cooperation, Information Sharing and Developing Joint Practical Initiatives among Countries of Origin, Transit and Destination” funded by the European Commission and other co-sponsors including the UK, Italy, Netherlands and Malta.
MAYO, IRELAND – MONEY raised by a Crossmolina farmer in Ireland will be used to expand a new credit union-style organisation in rural Ethiopia – and Anthony Walshe says the cash will ‘go a very long way to help struggling farmers’ in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Mr Walshe has just returned from a week-long fact-finding mission to Ethiopia, where he witnessed at first-hand efforts to boost the livelihoods of people living under the permanent shadow of possible famine.
“I was part of a delegation of fund-raisers brought to Ethiopia by Self Help Africa, an Irish humanitarian organisation that is primarily concerned with improving the lives of farmers in Ethiopia,” said Anthony.
“We visited a large number of small communities where access to finance is proving extremely useful. Self Help Africa have been instrumental in setting up these local credit union-type organisations called SACCOs – Savings and Credit Co-operatives.
“We met farmers – men and women – who have been able to improve their lives, and those of their families, by borrowing even small amounts of cash. I found it absolutely amazing how much difference even €50 could make. It can go a very long way to help struggling farmers. They can start with €50, and gradually borrow more and more up to €500.
“Farmers who previously had very little were able to buy some seeds, put in a water-pump, or start some bee-farming. This starts them on the road to a better life. The small amount of money they borrow gets them started, and inside a few years, many of them have expanded into all manner of activities.
“One farmer we visited had built a new house, gone into agro-forestry, started growing all manner of crops, and multiplied his income. He is even planning to open a barber’s shop now. He had made incredible progress, and managed to secure his family’s future.
“All of this was possible because of the start he got in the shape of a small loan. When I raised the €17,000, I told people I would travel to Ethiopia with Self Help Africa, and see how the money could be spent.
“I am delighted to say that supporting the SACCOs would be a marvellous use for the money. It will be like a ripple in water, spreading out to benefit other local people, and generating wealth in the entire community.
“We met another farmer who, after getting a small loan to start off, was able to borrow more and more until he could actually build a house in the capital city of Addis Ababa. He built it as an investment, has it rented out now, and that’s something he could never have dreamed of before Self Help Africa initiated the SACCO in his area.”
The SACCOs have recently turned to the Irish League of Credit Unions for help in providing a regional framework in Ethiopia.
Patsy Toland, who led the Self Help Africa delegation to Ethiopia, said the SACCOs were ‘making a huge difference in Ethiopia’. He added: “This is one of the most successful programmes we have introduced in Ethiopia. It supports people with initiative.
“We have found that a timely injection of capital, in the shape of a micro-loan, can be just what’s needed to get people started. The money donated by Anthony, and the people of Mayo, will have a profound impact.”
For more details on Self Help Africa’s programme in Ethiopia, and other African countries, log onto www.selfhelpafrica.com.
“Before Self Help Africa, I had no access to money. Now that I have, my life has changed”
SACCO CASE STUDY
“Having my own money means so much to me,” says Amarach Doyo. A mother of six, Amarach has brought about extraordinary changes on her small farm holding since first gaining a line of credit from Self Help Africa’s credit co-operative in her village of Snipil, in the district of Sodo, Ethiopia.
Amarach is proud of of the changes she has managed to make to her life.
The opportunity to change her life came in 2006, when, along with neighbours and friends, she attended a public meeting to discuss a new initiative that might help them in their lives.
“We went and we listened. We were told that we weren’t going to get anything for free, but we were going to be given the chance to do something for ourselves, if we wanted to,” she remembers.
Amarach became a founder member of Snipil Savings and Credit Co-Operative (SACCO).
The simple matter of getting access to credit has transformed life for Amarach and her family. She has become involved in dairy and vegetable farming, and can also carry out intensive fattening of her stock.
She has funded the purchase and installation of her own water pump, which means she doesn’t have to undergo a six-mile round trip each day for water. There is evidence of improvement everywhere on her farm.
“I started with a loan of €50, and I have borrowed larger figures since then once I showed that I could repay,” says Amarach, who recently spoke about her life to a 25-strong delegation of Self Help Africa fund-raisers from all over Ireland.
“Before Self Help Africa, I had no access to money. Now that I have, my life has changed. Next I hope to open a shop.”
The SACCO is one of more than 110 locally-based lending and savings institutions set up by the charity as part of its efforts to help African communities to work their way out of poverty.
“SACCOs are one highly effective way to help people who live in conditions of extreme poverty,” explains Self Help planning officer Workicho Jatano. “We invite local people to sign up, encourage them to begin saving money at a very modest level, and then after a short period provide them with a loan with which they can start their own small income generating business.”
As a result, more than 12,000 – mainly women – have become involved in Self Help’s Ethiopian SACCO programme, and have established businesses as diverse as textile production, cooking, catering, animal rearing and fattening, beekeeping, poultry production, alcohol distillation, and general trading.
Self Help Africa is an Irish development agency working to improve food and livelihood security in nine countries in Africa. The organisation is currently embarked on a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness, and funding for its work in these countries.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is member of the World Bank Group, opens office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to increase its activity in support of Ethiopia’s development. [World Bank is one of the main causes of Africa’s misery by financing brutal dictators such as Ethiopia’s brutal tribalist warlord Meles Zenawi.]
IFC’s Executive Vice President and CEO Lars Thunell said: “IFC’s new office in Ethiopia demonstrates our commitment to working with the government and the private sector to support Ethiopia’s continued economic growth. IFC has the innovation, global expertise and now on-the-ground presence to better serve the needs of the private sector in Ethiopia.”
IFC’s strategy in Ethiopia focuses on proactively developing new investment projects public-private partnerships that promote economic growth, and mobilizing direct investments to key sectors of the economy, including agri-business, financial services, health and education, infrastructure, manufacturing and tourism.
It is also indicated that IFC’s advisory services provides support to improve the investment climate, encourage entrepreneurs, and promote better access to finance through measures such as leasing, particularly small and medium enterprises.
IFC is currently considering developing the leasing sector through an investment and advisory services that will help establish Ethiopia’s first leasing company.
Before opening its office in Addis Ababa, IFC committed this year a $55 million loan to Derba Midroc Cement, a company under construction in Ethiopia, which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s tycoon, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-Amoudi, who IFC worked with in 2007 to build to build the first cement plant in eastern Yemen.
IFC is the largest multilateral source of financing for private enterprises in emerging markets and its share capital is provided by its 181 member countries. In 2008 fiscal year, it committed $11.4 billion from its own account to 372 projects in 85 countries and provided advisory services in 97 countries.
In a related development, the World Bank this week reveals its decision to provide $2.7 billion for three years (from 2009-2011) to Ethiopian government, which will be used to finance 28 projects.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (WIC) – Unity University, the first private university in Ethiopia has become the 16th MIDROC Ethiopia sister company as of November 21, 2008. [In other words, Midroc’s owner, Ato Mohammed Al Amoudi, has bought the university.]
MIDROC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Arega Yirdaw and Owner and President of Unity University, Dr. Fiseha Eshetu signed the agreement that makes Unity University the 16th MIDROC Sister company.
Speaking on the agreement signing ceremony in Addis Ababa on Wedensday, the Dr.Arega said MIDROC Ethiopia, which is widely engaged in various development activities, is buying full ownership of the university as part of its plans to assist efforts of producing skilled man power in the country.
The agreement would enable students of the university acquire better skills through supporting their education with practical trainings at MIDROC companies, he indicated.
The university will attach due attention to quality of education through improving its working procedures and by jointly working with local and overseas universities, he said.
Expansion of services to various states and activities that benefit women would be carried out by the university, he added.
Owner and President of Unity University, Dr. Fiseha Eshetu recalled on his part that the university has played great role in producing skilled man power in the country.
Unity University graduated 20,000 students in various fields of study over the past 10 years, he added. The coming in to MIDROC Ethiopia of the university would enable it boost its capacity to carry out more successful activities in the future, he indicated.
USDA’s Office of Global Analysis (OGA) of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) performed a mid-season crop assessment and spatial model validation survey in Ethiopia from October 8-17, 2008, with personnel from USAID’s FEWS-NET project, the United Nation’s Word Food Program (WFP), and the European Commission’s Monitoring of Agriculture with Remote Sensing (MARS) program of the Joint Research Centre (JRC). This was the first known crop assessment tour between personnel from USDA/FAS, FEWS-NET, WFP and MARS… [Read more]
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (WIC) – Unity University, the first private university in Ethiopia has become the 16th MIDROC Ethiopia sister company as of November 21, 2008. [In other words, Midroc’s owner, Ato Mohammed Al Amoudi, has bought the university.]