Ethiopia
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
Table of Contents
OVERVIEW - Society and Culture
CONVOY OF HOPE in ETHIOPIA
FACTS AND STATISTICS
TRAVEL TIPS
MISC NOTES
EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
PACKING YOUR CARRY-ON
PACKING YOUR SUITCASE
LEARN THE LANGUAGE - AMHARIC
I. OVERVIEW - Society and Culture
The People
Ethiopia is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country. Religion is a major influence in
Ethiopian life. Nearly half the population belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church but
there is also large Muslim population. Others adhere to an ancient form of Judaism.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is proud of its origins. The country embraced Christianity
in the 4th century, long before Europe. The feast of the Epiphany ("Timkat") is the largest
festival of the year. The Orthodox Church dominates the political, cultural, and social life
of the population. It was the official religion of the imperial court and of the establishment
until Haile Selassie was deposed in 1974.
Muslims are important in the business community. They tend to live in the eastern,
southern, and western lowlands, although there are considerable numbers in Addis
Ababa.
The Family
The extended family remains the focus of the social system. It includes relatives on both
sides of the family as well as close friends. Quite often the husband’s parents will live with
the nuclear family when they get older and can no longer care for themselves. When
people marry, they join their families, thus ensuring that there will always be a group to
turn to in times of need.
Individuals achieve recognition or social standing through their extended family. A family's
honor is influenced by the actions of its members. Family needs are put before all other
obligations, including business.
ETIQUETTE AND CUSTOMS IN ETHIOPIA
Meeting Etiquette
• Ethiopian greetings are courteous and somewhat formal.
• The most common form of greeting is a handshake with direct eye contact.
• The handshake is generally much lighter than in Western cultures.
• After a close personal relationship has been established people of the same sex
may kiss three times on the cheeks.
• Across genders, men should wait to see if a woman extends her hand.
• Greetings should never be rushed. Take time to inquire about the person’s family,
health, job, etc.
• People are addressed with their honorific title and their first name.
• “Ato", "Woizero", and "Woizrity" are used to address a man, married woman, and
unmarried woman respectively.
• Elders should be greeted first.
• It is customary to bow when introduced to someone who is obviously older or has a
more senior position. Children will often be seen doing so.
Dining Etiquette
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ethiopians are hospitable and like to entertain friends in their homes.
An invitation to a private home should be considered an honour.
Punctuality is not strictly adhered to although considerable lateness is also
unacceptable.
You may have to remove your shoes at the door.
Dress well.
Shake hands with each guest individually.
A woman should offer to help the hostess with the preparation or clearing up after
a meal is served.
You will always be offered a cup of coffee. It is considered impolite to refuse.
Ethiopians are relatively formal and believe table manners are a sign of respect.
Do not presume that because food is eaten with the hands, there is a lack of
decorum.
Expect a small earthenware or metal jug to be brought to the table before the meal
is served. Extend your hands over the basin while water is poured over them.
Only use the right hand for eating.
Hierarchy dictates that the eldest person is the first to take food from the
communal plate.
Guests are often served tasty morsels by another guest in a process called
"gursa". Using his hands, the person places the morsel in the other person’s
mouth. Since this is done out of respect, it is a good idea to smile and accept the
offering.
Expect to be urged to take more food. Providing an abundance of food is a sign of
hospitality.
The meal ends with ritual hand washing and coffee.
Communication
Ethiopians can be very sensitive when it comes to communication. Since they have only
recently begun working with foreigners in business situations they are still getting used to
new ways of doing business and communicating.
As a general rule, they are humble and respect that quality in others. They generally
speak in soft tones. Loud voices are seen as too aggressive. Ethiopians pride themselves
on their eloquent speaking style and expect others to speak clearly and use metaphor,
allusion, and witty innuendoes. They often use exaggerated phrases to emphasize a
point.
As a rule, Ethiopians tend to be non-confrontational and offer what they believe is the
expected response rather than say something that might embarrass another. Honor and
dignity are crucial to Ethiopians and they will go out of their way to keep from doing
something that could bring shame to another person. Therefore, it is important to treat
your Ethiopian business colleagues with utmost professionalism and never do anything
that would make them lose dignity and respect.
Business Meetings
Meeting schedules are not very rigid in Ethiopia. There may be an agenda, although it is
not part of the local culture. If one is used, it functions as a guideline for the discussion
and acts as a springboard to other related business topics.
Since relationships are extremely important, meetings start with extended social
pleasantries. You will be offered tea or coffee and will be expected to ask questions about
the other person and respond to questions about yourself.
Meetings seldom have a scheduled ending time since it is considered more important to
complete the meeting satisfactorily than be slavishly tied to the clock. The meeting will
end when everyone has had their say and the most senior Ethiopians decide that there is
nothing left to be discussed.
II. CONVOY OF HOPE in ETHIOPIA
Children’s Feeding Initiatives:
We are currently feeding 1200 malnourished, high-risk children every school day through
5 public schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. One particular school serves two slum
communities where children hunger is chronic and HIV rates are high. A women’s
empowerment program was included for mothers of the children participating in that lunch
program, and those women have received training and startup capital so they can provide
for their families. We procured 56,000 meals locally for our Children’s Feeding program.
Women’s Empowerment:
Ethiopia
Since the program’s inception in 2010, more than 2,500 Ethiopia ladies graduated from
our Women's Empowerment Micro-enterprise program. Here all participants received lifegiving information on family health and nutrition, personal budgeting/savings, market
analysis, small business management, and specialized vocational skills. Upon
completion of the training, each woman was awarded seed capital to launch their own
small businesses and engage in in income generating activities in the areas of local
handicrafts, cosmetology, food preparation, tailoring, animal husbandry and much more.
The result of this program is a rise in self-confident female business leaders, who are able
to provide for their families and positively influence the community around them. Their
hard work and ingenuity is inspiring!
WE 2014 Ethiopia Stats:
• The program graduated 300 new women, while continuing to monitor the activities
of more than 500 2013 graduates.
• The average participant in Ethiopia goes from making approximately $30 per
month, to generating more than $360 per month.
• Active 2014 participants collectively saved more then $13,380.
Global WE facts:
• Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment Initiative is currently active in 7
countries: Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Philippines, El Salvador, Nicaragua and
Honduras.
• In 2014 alone, this global initiative saw 2,169 participants through both women and
girl-targeted programs.
•
•
Last year, more that 550 women received the start up capital needed to launch
their own small businesses.
Program volunteers – a crucial force-multiplier for WE programs – logged a total of
15,592 hours in 2014.
III. FACTS AND STATISTICS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Capital: Addis Ababa
Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Population: 82,544,840 (July 2008 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%,
Guragie 4.3%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census) br/>
Religions: Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%,
traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
Government: Federal Republic
Language in Ethiopia
Ethiopia has many indigenous languages (84 according to the Ethnologue, 77
according to the 1994 census), most of them Afro-Asiatic (Semitic, Cushitic,
Omotic), plus some that are Nilo-Saharan.
English is the most widely spoken foreign language and is the medium of
instruction in secondary schools and universities. Amharic was the language of
primary school instruction, but has been replaced in many areas by local
languages such as Oromifa and Tigrinya.
After the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, the new constitution of the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia granted all ethnic groups the right to develop their
languages and to establish mother tongue primary education systems. This is a
marked change to the language policies of previous governments in Ethiopia.
IV. TRAVEL TIPS
Travel Meds: Please consult your health care provider for appropriate travel medications.
According to the CDC, there is a risk of malaria transmission in all areas of Ethiopia
except Addis Ababa where we will be spending all of our time. If you are overly
concerned, you may opt to take the anti-malaria pills or wear long sleeves and pants to
prevent mosquito bites. Additionally, insect repellent with 35% DEET for skin and
Permethrin for clothing is also effective.
Departure: The majority of our group will meet at Dulles airport on 2/18 and travel
together to Ethiopia. Please plan to connect with the team at the gate. I will send you a
list of those you will be traveling with a week before your departure.
Luggage: Ethiopian and British Airlines allow 2 pieces of checked baggage at 50lbs each
on economy and 70lbs each on business. In addition, passengers may also carry free of
charge, items of personal effects for use in flight, as listed; A handbag (Laptop bag),
pocket book or purse, A small camera and/or a pair of binoculars, A reasonable amount
of reading material for the flight, One laptop with out accessories and attachments.
Passport: Please make sure you have your current passport along with your
immunization record, available when applying for your visa. Please bring color copies
of your passport with you. 1 for your carry-on, 1 for your checked luggage, and 1
for each hotel you will be staying in.
Visa: You will need to complete a VISA application at the airport when entering Ethiopia.
This is a simple process that you will complete before retrieving your luggage. You will
need to have $20 in cash to cover the cost of the Visa.
Dress: No suits or dresses are required. Casual attire is fine. Short sleeve shirts or polos,
and jeans or lightweight long pants are recommended. No shorts please. This will help
prevent bug bites. We suggest you throw in a hat, a light jacket because the evenings can
be chilly, and comfortable closed toed walking shoes. If you buy a new pair, make sure
that you break them in before you travel. Tennis shoes are also fine.
V. MISC NOTES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ethiopia is 8 hours ahead of EST
We do not recommend carrying large amounts of cash.
Although we will be staying in safe accommodations and Internet is available in the
hotel, we do not recommend bringing laptops or other expensive equipment.
If you would like to bring money to purchase souvenirs, you will be able to
exchange your cash, not traveler’s checks, for local currency in Ethiopia. The
ForEx Bureau requires denominations of $100 bills newer than 2004. Older or
smaller bills may be rejected or exchanged at a lower rate. (Note: All other
expenses are covered in the cost of your trip)
While we will be eating three meals each day, you may want to bring some snacks
or protein bars.
Label your bag with your name and destination address
Label each bag inside with your name and home address
Carry all cash, valuables, and medications with you on board
VI. EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Family Emergencies
• Please contact Ali Lamb. Her number between 8AM – 5PM Central time is
417.851.4522. After hours she may be reached on her cell phone 417.230.2634
(emergencies only please) Ali will be able to reach us while in Ethiopia. They can
also email her at [email protected] or myself at –
[email protected]
Flight Emergencies
• Please contact Leah Mills. Her number between 8AM – 5PM Central time is
417.851.4439. After hours she may be reached on her cell phone 417.230.1393
(emergencies only please)
Contact Information
• Please provide your loved ones with our address while in Ethiopia.
Hotel:
Sheraton Addis
Taitu Street
Po Box 6002
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Phone: 25111 5171717
Primary Contact:
Name: Daudi Msseemmaa
Address: P.O. Box 136, Arusha, Tanzania
Mobile Phone: +255 753 586929
Office Phone: +255 684 669577
Home Phone: +255 757 150529
Email: [email protected]
Secondary Contact:
Name: Joshua Alemayehu
Address: Addis Ababa
Mobile Phone: 0912-70-74-48
Office Phone: n/a
Home Phone: n/a
Email: [email protected]
VII. PACKING YOUR CARRY-ON
Your carry-on bag can be a real lifesaver, especially if your luggage gets lost. Here is a
sample list of items you might want to pack in your carry-on:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Passport
Color copy of Passport
International Certificate of Vaccination
Airline ticket and travel documents
Change of clothes – essential in the event your checked luggage is lost or delayed
Itinerary
Pen and Pencil
Address book, journal or small pad of paper
Camera, batteries, chargers
IPod, MP3 player
Laptop if desired, but not recommended
Money belt or pouch
Sunglasses
Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer
Prescriptions
Toiletries – include items in your carry-on that could not be replaced at our
destination. Other items can be sealed in a larger zip-loc bag and placed in your
suitcase
Pack an organized carry-on bag using layers – a layer of clothes, then electronics, more
clothes, and then any heavier items. This will help transportation security officers see
what's in your bag. Innocent items can actually appear to be potential threats in an X-ray
image; simply by the way they're packed.
Carry-on bag Liquids: 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less (by volume); 1 quart-sized, clear,
plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per
person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.
Consolidate bottles into one bag and X-ray separately to speed screening.
Here are some suggestions for the airplane ride:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ear plugs and eye shade
Comfortable clothing like sweats (this way you have two sets of clothes if your bag
gets lost)
Travel pillow/blanket
Gum/Mints/Snacks
Washcloth (zip-loc for when you get it wet)
Toothbrush & travel size toothpaste
Painkillers, sleep helps
Sudoku puzzle book, deck of cards
Book, Bible, magazines
VIII. PACKING YOUR SUITCASE
During our visit you can expect average high temperatures of 70-80 degrees during the
day and average lows around 50 degrees at night.
Dress: No suits or dresses are required. Casual attire is fine. Short sleeve shirts or polos,
and jeans or lightweight long pants are recommended. No shorts please. This will help
prevent bug bites. We suggest you throw in a hat, a light jacket because the evenings can
be chilly, and comfortable closed toed walking shoes. If you buy a new pair, make sure
that you break them in before you travel. Tennis shoes are also fine.
*We will be attending an Abyssinian Dinner, so you may want to wear something a bit
nicer for that.
Ethiopian Airlines is allowing 2-50lb bags in Economy class and 2-70lb bags in Business
class.
Some additional toiletries you may want to bring include:
• First aid kit – band aids
• Nail clipper & Tweezers
• Moisturizer
• Sunscreen
• Lip Balm with sunscreen
• Insect repellent containing DEET
Other items to consider bringing:
• Travel alarm clock
• Pocket flashlight
• Daypack (something that is not too large to carry items during the day)
• Binoculars
• Electrical adapter - *This is required for use of all electrical devices. Hair dryers are
provided in your room.
Not necessary:
• Water – We will provide plenty of bottled water
• Mosquito net
• Valuable items – Please do not bring any item of value such as expensive jewelry
IX. LEARN THE LANGUAGE: AMHARIC
Amharic
Selam (Se-la-m)
Ciao (Chi-o, Chow)
Ameseginalehu (Ame-segi-na-lew)
Buna (Boo-na)
Megib (M-gi-b)
Awo (Ah-wo)
Aye (Eye)
yellum (yell-um)
Yikerta (Yi-ke-r-ta)
Dehna Hun (Deh-na Hu-n)
- (male)
Dehna Hungi (Deh-na Hu-ng-i)
- (female)
Dehna Hunu (Deh-na Hu-nu) - (plural)
Dehna Neh? (Deh-na Ne-h) - (male)
Dehna Nehs? Deh-na Ne-sh - (female)
Dehna Nachu? Deh-na Na-ch-oo - (plural)
Dehna Negn (Deh-na Ne-gn)
Aznallo, algo banyem
nah – naw
- (boy)
naeye – nay - (girl)
becka (or baa–kaw)
Isshy (e-she)
kuchu-belu
kuchu-bay
kahn-joe-no
kahn-joe OR cone-joe
English
Hello
Bye/So long
Thank you
Coffee
Food
Yes
No
All gone
Excuse me
Good bye
How are you?
I’m fine
I’m sorry, I don’t understand
Come
Done, enough, stop
Okay?
Sit down (two)
Sit down (one)
Good
Pretty