Same ole dog shit!
February 6, 2009 at 9:44 am 5 comments
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In an article entitled “Ralph Lauren and Hungry Ethiopians” a Kevin Winge reported how the amount of money a community worker in Addis earns a year is the equivalent of what Ralph Lauren spends on “dog vest, a cashmere dog sweater, and a holiday riding dog coat – on sale”.
I personally have no interest in news of famine. An Ethiopian famine in particular. Not because I do not care for the dying country men/women and children. But because I can’t tell how true or reliable the always-politically motivated figures are. [Am I the only one who feel talking about problems you know you have no drive to do your part on has some insincerity in it?!. That it’s only a blame game you are playing with yourself so next time a “Save the Children” advertisement has an Ethiopian child on you can shrug your shoulder and say “enezih sewoch… cheresuwachew eko”.]
An article on famine in Ethiopia, when coming from anybody but those individuals or organizations who are working with the community at grassroots level, to me, is as insolent as those references to “starving children in Ethiopia” with which a spoilt brat is admonished into eating his veggies in books and dumb Hollywood movies. We, too, have stories like that with which we scare kids into behaving. We have “Joro qOrachu”s, “Aya Jibo”s and “ChiraQu”s. None of these people, however, are white and their story does not discuss the various homeworks the West gave Africa so she can’t spare a minute to dig herself out of poverty.
However, I found the “Eset aGeba”s underneath the article interesting, some enlightening. I’d have had my say, had I gone out of my way to help one child [who is hungry, in need of school tuition or somebody to buy him a uniform without which he can’t attend class]. Or, better still, if I can come up with a solution for the concerned parties whose various failures I simply love blogging about as some of my “deFar” fellow bloggers do. Knowing I didn’t and can’t, I gave it up. If you beg to differ, be my guest. If not, join me at The Swanky Pup where cute outfits await Woofs and Whiskers.
Entry filed under: Latest Posts.
My e-Shoe Box 
1.
Ras X | February 6, 2009 at 10:08 am
I wonder how much a school uniform cost these days?
2.
abesheet | February 6, 2009 at 10:56 am
I don’t know Ras neffs. Last time i tried to send a child to school (a girl who sists outside the gates of AAU sidist kilo campus) her sister scared me away with her manipulative approach. Here i was discussing of school fees and uniforms, and she started talking about how they don’t have a place to live in, how feeding her sister was becoming too much for her, how she had a baby at home who need clothes etcetra. “Never mind” i said and walked away, sure that she was trying to use me and the little girl wasn’t likely to see a penny. I still see the child from time to time, sitted next to her sister’s listoro in the scorching sun. And wish if I had been allowed to help out, with what i can.
It’s no news to me, ofcourse, this attempt of ethiopians’ to use every chance they got for personal profit. Have walked around Addis with a non-ethiopian husband ferChristsakes. I’m neither surprised nor disappointed with it either. Even america needs a helping hand these days. However, it puts you off wanting to do good deeds leZelakiw, feeling you were being played like an Italian guitar.
Think about it, who hasn’t thought of taking atleast one street boy under his/her wing in their better moments?! But the noises, both inside and outside, saying “lelijochu yet yidersal?”, “sheto yitetabletal”, “huuwala megbia mewcha yasatushal” makes us give up easily (for giving up is always the easiest option). Only last week, i thought what a marvellous idea it would be if i could “masfeQed” one of those junk-yard turned “green areas” that abound infront of condominum buildings in Addis where i would have a couple of unemployed boys plant a treet and make a living out of it. I’d not only do good to the environment, I thought adventuriously, but I’d change the lives of many. Going ahead and starting the long process of having Region 14 Administration give me the permission, however, demanded of super-human courage from me. So i gave it up. Still, you hear of one single woman, foreigner, adopting 26 children in rural areas of Sidamo, and you know you have no right to open your mouth against those trying and failing. Maybe guts and self-less good deeds is for those who it’s given for.
3.
Ras X | February 9, 2009 at 3:31 am
when you said you can’t rely on news unless its coming from someone working the grass roots, I wanted to scream ‘thank you!!’. That goes for any report on anything worth our time and dime. One could ping pong that very outside-the-box concept, and run like Forrest Gump with it. In the process, touch the Leutenant Dan in all of us in time. Peace.
4.
Eskinder | February 9, 2009 at 11:20 am
Have you seen same shops in Addis?? as the city is going Crazy.
5.
abesheet | February 9, 2009 at 11:44 am
Yes I have, Eskinder. They have apparently become one of the major reasons for the taffic accident killing thousands a year too.