1-wire Dongle Emulator

The New Year of homeless children in Lumami


If the world in general on September 11 is now associated with the horrific attack on the Twin Towers in New York, for the people Ethiopia that date has historically been a totally different meaning and is an occasion for great celebration: the first day of the month of Meskerem, the first day of the year. The timing of this country and ours are in fact very different and in recent days the Abesha (as it is called the local population) have welcomed the year 2003. The New Year is a special occasion that brings the family together: those working or studying away from parents and relatives, if the economic opportunities and sufficient time, usually deals with travel often long and exhausting to spend with loved ones this holiday. The people they stay with family and neighbors in the days before the less poor or procure sheep and chickens, the first year, since early morning to begin preparations to cook specialties. It starts to eat at 9 am and continue until the evening, chatting with family and visiting relatives or neighbors. Enjera abound on plates with meat (sheep or chicken cooked in various ways), yogurt, hambascia (traditional bread), kolo (peanuts) all accompanied by tella (local beer made at home) and the ever coffee ceremony. To bless the anniversary we think of the Orthodox priests who, equipped with large drums, running from house to house singing and dancing - the prayer is also made of this - and in exchange for small donations. As a family, then it is customary to enjoy some new clothes, but many can not afford it, so in general it is customary to wash the poor wardrobe that everyone possesses. In front of every house is an expanse of clothes, often worn and torn, placed to dry.
If this tradition is a special date, for the millions of street children that fill every corner of Ethiopia is a day like any other, rich only in suffering and deprivation. Nothing to spend time with family, no food to be tasted to greet the old year and welcome the new. For them there is no festival and there is the warmth of family, but just another daily battle to conquer something to eat. Many of them, perhaps not even know what it means to celebrate the New Year with loved ones, as they finished in the street when they were really small and have never had anyone take care of them. In the city of
Lumami in Awabal woreda, however, this year's New Year has arrived for some of these unfortunate children, almost two hundred orfani hanno potuto festeggiare tale ricorrenza circondati da persone che hanno a cuore la loro vita e che provano a fare qualcosa affinché anche loro abbiano una piccola speranza per il futuro. Non importa se il primo dell’anno è arrivato con qualche giorno di anticipo (per questioni pratiche l’evento è stato infatti organizzato il 6 settembre), ciò che conta è aver regalato a questi sfortunati bambini un momento di gioia, aver fatto sentir loro un po’ d’affetto, accompagnato da cibo per tutti da gustare senza prima aver lottato per ottenerlo. La cerimonia è stata organizzata da un gruppo di giovani studenti universitari, trentasei in tutto, con l’appoggio dei colleghi del college, di gente comune che volontariamente cooked and made available materials and money. To support the initiative also HAPCO (Office for the Prevention and Control of HIV / AIDS), other government departments and some non-governmental organization.
In a tent made of rickety crooked sticks and torn pieces of plastic along the main street of Lumami in order to attract the attention of passersby and raise awareness as many people as possible were gathered around two hundred orphans, often victims of ' AIDS killed their parents, leaving them destitute and forcing them to live on the street. Someone might have a parent living or some other family members, but often the conditions of poverty are such that even if there are relatives, they can not take care of them. Among these two hundred street children also returned a score of those projects that support the CVM is deploying in the woreda Lumami.
Being a party certainly could not miss the music, which by the way is the constant companion of life of the Ethiopians, fired at full blast, as usual, by a player piano, an amplifier and large speakers, specially fitted for 'occasion. To begin with the basic necessities, the festival kicked off with distribution of food to the children in mind: to ban the traditional respect that wants adults served first: it was the day of street children and they had to be in the spotlight. First, the children and then ate only after guests and organizers. Enjera (sort of bread prepared by the Ethiopian grain teff), meat, bread and water for all: a luxury for people used to live off the scraps of the hotel, when he can find. The kids have certainly done and compliments were thrown like hungry wolves on the plates, not even leaving a remnant and being very careful to collect everything, even what he slipped on the clothes. Then it was time to say goodbye and declarations of guests and organizers who have reaffirmed their determination to strengthen the initiatives for orphans in the woreda Lumami.
Finally, the time of gifts: the start the new school year was approaching and the kids are notebooks and pens, uniforms and clothing but also because many of them are practically covered with dirty rags and there could be no better opportunity than this to give them a bit 'of useful material. It was the generosity of the people to make this possible: it is thanks to the donations of the people, ordinary people, the organizers have in fact been able to offer lunch to street children and buy them the things needed for school, some uniformed and some shirts. This time the community was able to collect material for approximately 6,600 ETB (€ 366 approx).
Unfortunately, the kids have a lot of orphans and help them all is virtually impossible: the two hundred guests at the ceremony, there were only about seventy books and clothes, others will have to wait for them again this year no education. It's sad, very sad and unfair, but there is no alternative. The university students are given much to do to raise money and materials by promoting around, going from house to house and organizing musical evenings, but donations were not sufficient. If all two hundred and there was a hot meal to celebrate the new year, only less than half the material support was also in view of the start of the school. It is even more daunting when you consider that, in Actually, in the woreda are concerned over a thousand orphans who need help, but there are no means for all, not even half of them.
lucky I have been called one at a time by the organizers, to make you a music made by hands beat to the rhythm: everyone was space between the crowd and went to take his "gift". Some small, others a bit 'bigger. Almost all wearing dresses lysis and broken, not the right size, patched and dirty, many without shoes on. The faces are often marked by a life spent in the hard street, with no one to protect them and without the slightest knowledge of hygiene. It was touching to see them go, those who intimidate and proud smiling, while his companions, even those for which there was no gift, smacking his hands to celebrate and participate with enthusiasm to their joy.
This time the New Year was a special day for them, the hope is that it is not the last one to celebrate, the generosity of the people who make it possible to open the roads for the future of these unfortunate children and there are other days like that recently passed, in which food is not lacking education is not just an unattainable dream.

Camilla Corradini
Volunteer CVM, Ethiopia

Ikusa Otome Suvia 3 Watch

Netsanet Eiigu, consultant of pregnant women for HIV prevention


HIV has led the way il suo primo bambino quando aveva appena tre anni, ma il desiderio di avere un altro figlio dopo quella grande perdita era così grande che Netsanet Eiigu ha voluto sfidare quel terribile virus, che ha colpito lei e il marito, e metterne al mondo un altro, nonostante questa volta fosse consapevole della malattia e di ciò che essa comporta. Ha deciso, però, anche di non tenere per sé quella dolorosa esperienza, ma di farla diventare un’occasione di crescita, di formazione, di presa di coscienza per tante donne, soprattutto per quelle incinte. Per questo ha accettato il lavoro di consulente offertogli dal centro sanitario di Debre Markos, nell’East Gojjam: tre volte alla settimana incontra future mamme per dare loro utili informazioni on the virus, how to prevent transmission, but also to spread good hygiene practices and avoid the transmission of many diseases.

He tells his story, guests right in the center of the room where it is usually compared with pregnant women, is sitting on a small chair in the straw, which uses for the coffee ceremony that accompanies each encounter. The face is serious, dark, at first seems almost uninterested in our presence, but then begins to speak without hesitation and let go with insights and stories narrated in great detail, but always keeping in check the emotions well. His deep eyes watching me with an intensity that puts almost embarrassed, but that does not leave leaks, if not in rare cases, what is behind: difficult to capture faces or sad expressions dictated by bad memories, and even more rare are the moments where smiles grants. The features are mild and almost dull clash with that attitude, but perhaps his past, full of pain and complications, and has pushed hard to create a shield behind which, almost unconsciously, he tries to defend himself. If the loss of their first child was the worst moment of his life, is certainly not the only source of suffering and sad episode.
Netsanet is the city of Digotsion Bibugn in the woreda, rather than away from Debre Markos and his mother died when she was 15 years dopo aver sofferto per tanto tempo di emorroidi, mai curate a dovere. Per la donna era stato un lungo susseguirsi di alti e bassi, con disturbi che si accentuavano e si attenuavano ma senza mai lasciarla, sempre trascurati fino a quando la situazione non precipitò costringendola a letto e, nel giro di un mese, portandola alla morte. Un dolore grandissimo per la giovane Netsanet, che viveva sola con la madre poiché frutto di una relazione extraconiugale con un uomo che aveva già un’altra famiglia. Fu proprio con quest’ultima che lei si trasferì a vivere una volta rimasta orfana, ma fin dall’inizio fu chiaro che quella convivenza non poteva durare: la matrigna non voleva quella ragazzina tra i piedi, simbolo dei tradimenti del marito, who else besides Netsanet had other children outside of marriage. The woman abused the girl, not just in words, and prevented her from going to school.

Those prohibitions and hostile attitudes were unbearable for the young and both were due to ongoing discussions between spouses. The behavior of the father, in fact, was quite different from that of his stepmother: she was affectionate with her daughter, tried to defend it, but this had to constantly struggle with the woman. To put an end to the rending situation for everyone, Netsanet left that house and moved to live with a friend, selling tella (local beer made at home) to keep. It was during that activity that met Alemu Awoke, then a young soldier. Among them soon blossomed into a relationship that quickly led to marriage, but also that new life was about to reserve the surprises: "He drank heavily and was violent, often fought and beat me even when I was pregnant," the woman says with a serious face and task, as if he would remember those moments. "It happened when I was nine months pregnant, but I defended it with a stick," he added with his eyes fixed on a distant point. Those heated arguments had no physical consequences for the two, but they were the cause of their first separation, or rather what prompted the man to leave and go live in Debre Markos. Poor Netsanet found himself out of the blue again, alone and with a child who would come very soon. Fortunately, the relationship with his father was still strong and he turned away: warned by neighbors, caught her and took her to live with him, this time with the consent of his wife's unexpected. The birth took place in hospital, with the help of family and the young could spend the first two months in a sort of domestic tranquility with the newcomer, Kaldikan, though deprived of the companion and pleasure to share with him those moments.

He had just started to organize their lives, for the umpteenth time again, when she returned to make Alemu peace and take it back to live with him, bringing it to Debre Markos. Netsanet did not think twice what the league was and that man is too strong to say no, she loved him and love him, admit it frankly and somewhat 'shameful, still looking away, closing in on itself and becoming progressively smaller. Unfortunately, despite feeling that their relationship did not seem to find their way to work as befits a married couple: the man continued to be rude, disputes continued often and often he would go for days, moving in a nearby town. To worsen the fragile situation, always poised and risk of explosion, it added qualcosa di ancora più grave: la malattia del piccolo Kalkidan. Un momento terribile per Netsanet, in cui ogni giorno portava con sé una nuova sofferenza: il peggioramento del bambino, il ricovero in ospedale, poi la diagnosi che identificava nell’AIDS la causa di quei malesseri. Non c’era tempo da perdere, la donna prese subito appuntamento con il medico per le necessarie analisi e le cure ma Kaldikin, purtroppo, a quell’appuntamento non arrivò mai. Il suo corpicino, troppo debole e provato, cedette prima, la morte lo strappò dalle braccia della madre senza darle la possibilità di lottare con lui. Quante lacrime versate, che gran dolore per quanto accaduto, quanti interrogativi ai quali non era semplice trovare risposte. Experienced tragedy, which initially faced Netsanet alone because her husband if he was gone again a few days before admission of the child and she did not know where it was. Despite all this, when Alemu came back, took it back this time with him and, after telling him what happened, he cried again earnestly with enormous loss. A death too sudden to be accepted, which brought with it another problem you can not ignore: most likely one or both of them had contracted HIV. They did the test, at first she just turned positive, while the outcome of him, no, had to be confirmed after three months. But at the end ninety days of those long analysis revealed another truth: he was ill. At that point in so much pain you add the knowledge that they had been to transmit the disease to the little frightening. Perhaps

Netsanet does not want to dig too much into his past and that of his man, but says he does not know how they contracted the virus: "I did not have sexual relations with other men and I do not think that was to plague him , - says seriously, but without expanding too - maybe I got when I edited a sick sister, and probably died of AIDS, or perhaps using some cutting tool borrowed from neighbors and not clean. Prior to these practices there was no attention. "

The discovery of being both sick convinced them, however, that they could continue to live together, there were no grounds for separation, which could be mutually supportive. The loss of small Kalkidan, however, had left a gap too big for the young man struck down so early maternal desire still burned strong within her. Fears and concerns were there, but Netsanet could not resign himself to the idea of \u200b\u200bnot having children. For this he sought help at the health center of Debre Markos and discovered that there was a possibility that there are systems of prevention, which could take medicine to lessen the chance of transmission the virus to any child. Finally some good news for you, but how to convince your husband? With the usual serious expression that did not want to reveal so much suffering, says he was against it: "He was afraid he was born sick and then we also had many economic problems. He had given up his military service because of problems in the leg work and made daily, generally in the construction of palaces. " But she was not willing to give up, that child wanted him, he confesses in a peremptory tone, she wanted so much to be ready to engage with the husband until exhaustion while putting the world and finally succeeded in doing so. Of course at that point, things were not simple: there was all la trafila all’ospedale da seguire rigidamente, affinché il bambino nascesse sano e al contempo il costante timore che potesse succedere qualcosa, che si potesse ripetere la storia del primogenito.

Le cose però non possono andare sempre nel verso sbagliato, in mezzo a tanta sofferenza ci deve pure essere lo spazio per un sospiro di sollievo e, dopo il parto, per Netsanet è arrivato quel momento: il secondogenito è nato sano, niente virus per lui. L’ha chiamato Yohanis e ora ha tre anni. Purtroppo però questo raggio di luce nella sua vita è stato offuscato da un altro dispiacere: Alemu l’ha di nuovo lasciata; a dispetto di quanto era sembrato in un primo momento, con il passare dei mesi le sue capacità to manage the virus began to falter. Physical disorders were added to psychological problems. Now she lives alone with the baby. It is very hard for her without the man who, despite the many problems and ill-treatment continue to want next: his eyes when he says it is lost in the void, the face is made. Do not you let go and fuss, it is still on his chair, arms folded and lock-outs, but those few words and expressions that show lets out so much loneliness. After what he did, it almost seems crazy that you still want her back, but it's true, he says without any shame as if it were the most normal thing in the world despite their past.

Now, however, is not entirely alone: \u200b\u200bduring the visits to the health center for care during pregnancy has known the members of Beza, the largest association of people with HIV born in Debre Markos also supported by the CVM. A group that provides emotional support but also material. For a time she and other women living with HIV have been running a small bar where they sold tea and bread, unfortunately is now closed because some of them have died and others are sick and unable to work. The association recently, however, also helps by providing discrete quantities of oil and grain. For some time, also works at the health center three times a week he meets with pregnant women, organized the ceremony del caffè e con altre colleghe, anch’esse malate di HIV, cerca di trasmettere alle future mamme preziosi consigli sul virus e non solo. La sua esperienza è un grande esempio per quelle donne: alcune come lei hanno l’AIDS e lottano per non trasmetterlo al nascituro. “Sono molto contenta di lavorare qui, penso al mio passato, alla mia storia e so che raccontandola e condividendo la mia esperienza con altre donne faccio una cosa utile. Può essere loro di esempio. Possono capire che con l’HIV si può convivere e che si possono far nascere bimbi sani, se si seguono i consigli del medico, se si adottano le necessarie precauzioni e si prendono le medicine”.

Camilla Corradini
Volontaria CVM, Ethiopia

Nadine Jansen Decoration

Amuneggh, former housemaid seeker of Prisons wood


Turn on the streets of Debre Markos with large baskets of wood and if you look carefully you discover that there is a small Wren with her, her little girl more than one year is Amuneggh Mengestu collects and sticks to survive in the woods, and return them to the market. Hard work that keeps her busy all week for several hours a day and not even ensure a dignified life, but unfortunately for her there are other opportunities. After all, tells us coyly, this is better than un'housemaid be in someone else's home. She was a little 'and carries with it terrible memories.
Amuneggh originates in a country village, Yezangira, 30 km from Debre Markos. He says he has 19 years to look good but she seems much less. Three years ago, orphaned, in a short time if they both parents are gone: first the father, who died perhaps because of illness, since they have told the neighbors, and the mother did not seem right after the coup and the death of husband is sick, but they have also taken to the hospital for one day, then back at home in bed. A month of suffering and death for her. No brothers or sisters with whom we share that terrible moment, so, trovatasi alone Amuneggh left the village and walked up to Debre Markos, occupied by a cousin and his family, composed by her husband and their five children. They have hosted for a month, but his presence was not wanted, too poor to take on another mouth to feed. They thus helped her find a job as a housemaid, maid to do everything, from a family of Addis Ababa. Amuneggh started for the capital, but there was no waiting for the pomp and opportunities of the big city, but exploitation, loneliness, hard job and no time to rest. She was forced to work 18 hours a day, even at night while everyone was asleep. Preparing the enjera, meals, cleaned the house, washed clothes, took care of four children of the family, especially the youngest just two years. Job and only job, every day, without even a few hours free for only 30 and ETB (approximately € 1.76) to be charged every thirty days. After a month of use and attitudes quickly, Amuneghh did not have it done more and has asked to leave the house and back to Debre Markos, in his response to that plea came the blows of the householder. Fortunately, the wife of the employer, perhaps driven by an unusual compassion for once put aside those rude behavior that normally reserved for the girl and gave her money to move on. The young orphan is back again by her cousin, once hailed as a nuisance. For a months has stopped in Debre Markos, where he earned some money by collecting firewood and selling it to the market, then came the second chance to work as a waitress, once again found by his cousin, but this time in Bahir Dar. Amuneggh game is now ready to face this experience. As in the capital gains in the new house were really thin, but the working conditions more bearable: I worked fourteen hours, instead of eighteen and had one day off per week, usually Sunday. The tasks were the same: cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and taking care of younger children of two and seven years. Once again the young man has found particular understanding employers: still unfriendly attitudes, hostility, blame, but certainly a bit 'better than the family of Addis Ababa and things seemed to proceed. An illusion for the girl, who would soon come up against the wickedness of man.
After only one month into the new home of the owner's young son, a boy of 18 years, has abused her. A dramatic experience that will never forget, and his eyes reveal it clearly. The naive Amuneggh sought help from the householder and his wife, telling them the terrible fact, but they have not believed in and preferred to give credit to the release of his son: "A man had come from outside and receiving stuprata”. Pesantemente violata, non creduta e per giunta cacciata via: già, perché il terrore che fosse rimasta incinta ha spinto i suoi datori di lavoro a rimandarla a Debre Markos. Come giustificare un’aiutante incinta? A quali problemi potevano andare in contro? Cosa avrebbe potuto pensare la comunità? Meglio lavarsene le mani subito senza neanche aver appurato la reale presenza di una gravidanza in corso, più facile cercarsi un’altra aiutante domestica, di ragazze povere disposte a lavorare in difficili condizioni ce ne sono molte. Inutili i tentativi di far cambiare loro idea per non perdere il lavoro, Amuneggh ha dovuto raccogliere le sue poche cose e ripartire alla volta di Debre Markos per bussare per l’ennesima volta alla porta della cugina e ricominciare a lavorare come raccoglitrice e rivenditrice di legna, per assicurarsi un posto in casa dei parenti ai quali in cambio dell’ospitalità consegna periodicamente somme di denaro. Non possono fare altrimenti: vivono in una casa in affitto, un’unica stanza non grande, pagano 60 ETB (circa € 3,52) al mese per stare lì, poi ci sono il cibo e le altre necessità a cui provvedere. La cugina e il marito, inoltre, sono malati di AIDS e l’uomo non ha un’occupazione fissa, ma fa qualche lavoro giornaliero quando non sta male. Anche ad Amuneggh, da quando è tornata, tocca fare la sua parte per mandare avanti la baracca.
Ritornata a Debre Markos, purtroppo per lei, the difficulties were not over: sexual violence had actually procured consequences that could not be ignored, the young woman had become pregnant after the rape, as they feared employers. Still another problem in a life of sad moments and constant complications. Amuneggh but could not stop, so he continued to work. Nine months of living as if it had not been pregnant, forced by the need for money to sweat normally, Walk in the woods to collect firewood and then sell it to the market, despite the enormous burdens on the shoulders belly grow, no rest and no visits or control in the hospital. Could not ask for help to the family of the young man who had made her pregnant: I was in Bahir Dar and the girl has no money to travel there and talk to them, nor their relatives can help them, too poor to lose days of work. Then the moment of birth: at home, this time, no clinic, but fortunately no obvious complication relates to the ingenuity with disarming, almost do not realize the risks involved. For her, however, there could be the traditional 40 days in the house, usually met in Ethiopia for every pregnant woman. Only two weeks in bed to recover a bit 'and then back basket on her back and away into the woods.
But now there is another creature to be covered: Amuneggh Hulunayhue Nibiret called it, which means dire ‘ho visto molte cose’. Una scelta che porta con sé tutto il dolore e la sofferenza provati negli anni nonostante la giovane età, un nome che sta a ricordare le terribili esperienze vissute, i problemi e le difficoltà. Quella bimba però c’è, nonostante sia il frutto di una violenza, e Amuneggh non l’abbandona. Il problema, dopo il parto, era come fare a lavorare. Dove lasciare la piccola? Non c’è nessuno ad aiutarla: la cugina deve pensare per sé e i suoi figli non possono e non vogliono occuparsene, così Amuneggh si carica anche la neonata addosso, a volte in un cesto sulla testa, e spesso se la porta con sé nel bosco. Un peso in più, una difficoltà in più, specie to return when the wood is harvested. Two trips a day in the woods, if only one is tired, the whole week without rest. Then the market to sell the harvest to earn between 6 to 10 ETB per day (from € 0.35 to € 0.58 approx). Just to live, two mouths to feed and pay its share of the rent to her cousin.
He says that sometimes we do not have the money to get all your meals and never eat the flesh, eats the cheapest bread, enjera and shiro. For her there are other opportunities for now, it is often said with a whisper and a sadness in his eyes, thinking of those peers who have found work best. She sought work as sinks or preparation of enjera, but non ha trovato nulla. La legna ora è la sua unica fonte di sopravvivenza. Ripensando al passato, però, dice di star meglio e rivela che non tornerebbe mai a lavorare come cameriera per una famiglia. Troppo brutte le esperienze vissute, le cattiverie subite e ora traspare forte la paura degli uomini. Purtroppo in queste condizioni per Amuneggh non c’è opportunità neanche di formarsi, educarsi, nonostante il grande desiderio di studiare: non è mai andata a scuola, né quand’era a casa con la famiglia né dopo, quand’era aiutante in casa d’altri, perché i datori di lavoro non glielo hanno permesso. Non sa né leggere né scrivere. Ora, poi, con una figlia da sfamare è impensabile riuscire a trovare tempo e soldi per andare a scuola. Resta un sogno che un giorno spera di realizzare, insieme a quello di cambiare lavoro, magari vendere caffè e latte in un piccolo negozietto. Una speranza in più gliela sta dando l’Associazione di Donne Povere di Debre Markos. La coordinatrice, Hesbalam Mekonan, è una sua vicina di casa e l’ha trascinata nel gruppo: per ora non è un membro, ma l’associazione cerca di aiutare le housemaid e le ex housemaid. Amuneggh partecipa agli incontri della domenica, dove le donne approfondiscono temi quali l’HIV/AIDS e tutte le questioni ad essa relative, i loro diritti, le dannose pratiche di mutilazione femminile. È grazie a loro che la ragazza ora conosce meglio il virus, prima non ne aveva mai parlato con nessuno e praticamente non ne sapeva nulla. Non aveva mai fatto il test, neanche dopo la violenza o prima del parto. Le donne dell’associazione l’hanno spronata a farlo e due mesi fa, impaurita, si è recata in una clinica con la bimba: fortunatamente sono risultate entrambe negative. Per il momento, purtroppo, l’associazione non ha modo di coinvolgerla nel proprio lavoro e di assicurarle un guadagno, non ci sono le condizioni per dare un’occupazione anche alle cameriere o ex cameriere, ma cerca di sostenerle favorendo la loro educazione. Per il futuro, però, ci sono grandi progetti: il gruppo di donne povere da poco ha cominciato a vendere il latte e, con i guadagni di questa attività e della vendita di animali che alleva, vorrebbe aprire un piccolo bar-ristorante. Un localino che darebbe in gestione proprio alle giovani in difficoltà come Amuneggh. Sembra un sogno difficile da realizzare, ma la ragazza e la coordinatrice ci credono sul serio e, parlandone, i loro occhi si illuminano e i volti si riempiono di grandi sorrisi, mentre la mente già immagina il futuro bar pieno di clienti.

Camilla Corradini
Volontaria - Etiopia