Born Free "Ensessakotteh"

Born Free. Yes, you heard that right. Born Free. Like the movie (trailer below) or the book, or the awful and glorious song.

All of which give me flashbacks to my childhood.

I don't know how many of you know this about me but when I was a kid I was obsessed with big cats.   When I was a youth I even had the chance to volunteer at a big cat sanctuary in Ontario with my best friend and it was like the highlight of my life for years.   Look at me, I'm still casually dropping that experience into conversations and blog posts.   It was really cool.   Big cats are amazing animals.   Also, I recently repurchased a copy of "My Pride and Joy" by George Adamson which I am super excited to revisit.

So, the Adamsons not only successfully reintegrated Elsa into the wild,  George Adamson  was also instrumental to reintegrating  Christian the Lion  (of You Tube fame) into the wild.   The old guy in the footage below is George.

The actress Virginia Mckenna who played the role of Joy Adamson in Born Free the movie, was so moved by the  lives and work of the Adamsons  that she started a foundation called Born Free.   From small beginnings, the Born Free Foundation has grown into a global force for wildlife.   They work to prevent  individual animal suffering, protect threatened species and keep wildlife in the wild .   The foundation works in Kenya (where the Adamsons lived) and they have a partner organization in the USA.

So the Born Free Foundation is developing a Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Education Centre in Ethiopia, named   Ensessakotteh  (‘animal footprint’ phonetically in Amharic), on an idyllic 77-hectare site just 23km from Addis Ababa.   They are working in partnership with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) and with support of the current government.

At Ensessakotteh, Born Free will provide  veterinary and rehabilitation facilities , plus  lifetime care for injured and orphaned wild animals , as well as others  confiscated from illegal trade and ownership .   Wherever possible, and where there is no danger to humans, rescued animals will be released back into the wild in collaboration with EWCA.  

 Note: At present, if the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority discovers an illegally held animal, they are unable to confiscate it since there is nowhere suitable for them to take the animal. Born Free has already begun to rescue animals and provide them with a safe home.

Rescuing Dolo the lion from Awash Park in Ethiopia:

Ensessakotteh will include an educational programme offering both ‘outreach’ and ‘centre-based’ programmes in an on-site visitor centre.   Born Free hopes the Centre will offer a truly all-embracing,  memorable educational experience  for the national (I predict awesome school trips from Addis) as well as international visitors.   Capacity-building and conservation in Ethiopia are vital areas where Born Free Ethiopia and Ensessakotteh hope to contribute as the organization becomes more established.

If you have been to Addis Ababa you may have visited the ' Lion Zoo ' which is a zoo featuring 20 some lions who are descendants of  Haile Selassie's private collection of lions .   As a symbol of Ethiopia, the lion is revered, yet within the zoo the lions lay on concrete floors, in small barred areas with no enrichment.   Ensessakotteh is planning hopes to offer an opportunity to these lions to live in large, grassy and naturalistic enclosures.

You can read more about all their plans here:
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/further-activities/born-free-ethiopia/
Ensessakotteh is still being built so it is not yet open to the public. 
I've been in touch with the team there and they've told me they are in  need of some very basic items  like;

• headlamps in order to keep their team's hands free when they are working at night. (I'd prefer to buy these in Addis)
• small digital cameras for the field team to document their findings. (Update: our quota is filled)
• carabiners that are of climbing grade, to lock gates together.

Between Mike and I we have two 'extra' digital cameras in fair condition that are sitting around the house so I'm going to bring them with me and leave them with the workers to either use or sell. SD Memory Cards for cameras are also "hard to come by" they say. (Update: our Memory Card quota for this trip is filled)

International conservation organizations do some really great and important work around the world and Born Free is one of those big guys.   I really like Ensessakotteh's tri focus on rescue, conservation and education.    If you are interested in joining me in supporting their work , let me know. 


Links: Born Free: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/ Born Free Ethiopia: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/further-activities/born-free-ethiopia/

Hope For The Elderly

 
Hope for the Elderly is an entirely volunteer, community run non-profit that helps care for elders who are considered 'destitute' in the Adigrat area of Ethiopia.   It was organized by a small local group of volunteers, is a membership based non-profit and is open to anybody who is interested in creating a difference in the lives of the elderly.

Let me first say that I already love all of the above about Hope for the Elderly because it exhibits both a  strong culture  and an  inclusive culture .   It also allows for them to capitalize on good will wherever they find it.

Hope For The Elderly consulted with the elderly community in Adigrat to determine  what was most needed  in their view.  Participants clarified that what they were looking for was not a welfare system.   They want an  environment that is more conducive to the elderly being able to help their own selves .  They identified several things that needed to happen in order to feel enabled, which included:

• Basic business training on different business areas (sic)
• Minimum cost for medical expenses and sanitation materials and above all
• The government and the community changing their attitude regarding the elderly
• Credit and work places from the government ( I'm not entirely sure what this means, access to credit from banks and work opportunities with the gov't perhaps?  I intend to clarify some of these details when I arrive in Adigrat )

English is not the first language in the community so little bits and pieces of information are being lost in translation, no doubt.   I'm very curious to learn more about how they are going about challenging perceptions and attitudes towards the elderly .   It is interesting to me that they've identified it as something of a root cause of some of the troubles facing the elderly.   I'll let you know what I find out about their work when I visit with them next month. 

Photo credit: Hope For The Elderly

Hope For The Elderly is planning on opening an  old age centre  in Adigrat in order to provide a place for  learning ,  activity  and a  hot meal .

I'm under the impression that they already organize  volunteers to care for and visit some of the impoverished elderly  where they reside.

I personally have just recently learned of this organization and the young man from Adigrat who started it.   I'm really impressed with the stated mission and vision of the organization and I'm looking forward to learning more about them when I arrive.

I do want to speak to some of the recipients of aid in the community and also clarify some things about Hope for the Elderly before 100% committing to supporting them, but  I am optimistic that I will be satisfied by the findings, so I am going prepared to support them .   They do have a list of things that the impoverished elderly are in need of in the community, such as; reading glasses, blankets, and games that are appropriate for seniors.

Adigrat is the second largest city in Ethiopia’s northernmost province, Tigray, with a population of around 130,000.  Tigray is one of the most rural regions in Ethiopia, with just over  80% of the population residing in rural areas . If you are not fortunate to have children who are able to care for you, the  agricultural life can become very difficult .   

 My personal experience throughout the time I've spent in Ethiopia is that there is a real respect for those who are privileged enough to grow old.   Life expectancy has increased in the last few years but currently rests at 59 years old.   I love the way the elderly are valued and respected (although not seen as suited for work, as noted above) and it makes sense to me that out of this respectful and appreciative environment a community run organization like Hope for the Elderly would be born. 
 
If the work of Hope For the Elderly  resonates with you  and you have an idea of a way you would like to show your support,  let me know !   I'll be happy to help arrange things.   If you want to donate blankets or glasses - the best practice would be for me to purchase these items in Ethiopia (that way the money used to support this noble effort also goes back into the local economy) but if you have a small quantity of quality items for the elderly, I can arrange to take them with me.

Photo Credit: Hope For The Elderly

Peace to you, and love!

Who is Bizunesh Atsbeha?

Bizunesh Atsbeha was born outside of Adwa and was raised in the castle like residence of Shum Agame Desta in the region of Gulo-Makeda, Tigray, Ethiopia.   Gulo-Makeda's name comes from the legendary Queen Makeda, also known as the Queen of Sheba, whose family came from the region.   Bizunesh Atsbeha was born into the aristocratic House of Agamé.

When she was just thirteen years old her family decided that she should marry a young man from another royal house in Ethiopia in order to settle bad relations between the neighboring realms.   She was greatly uncomfortable with the prospect and the night before the young man's family was to arrive, she ran away from home.   Seen as an embarrassing personal betrayal, her family disowned her. 

Family friends in Addis Ababa opened their home to her and she settled in with them.   She began working in a bar that the family owned and by the time she was 20 she owned the bar.   She became a very successful independent business woman running bars like the John F Kennedy night club in Addis Ababa and The Blue Nile in Asmara.   She was known to be savvy at opening entertainment spots where they would be most appreciated.   She built The Blue Nile in Asmara near the American military base Kagnew Station knowing it would be well appreciated.   She even became some what of a madame at one point, allowing brothel like activity to happen at some establishments.

Bizunesh had two children but never married.   A thing that was considered very progressive in the country at that time. 

When her family's influence and power began to dwindle as the country moved out of its traditional aristocratic structure, Bizunesh's family sought her out to reconnect with her.

Bizunesh Atsbeha

When life and business became very difficult for her in the 1980s because of the communist military junta called the Derg, Bizunesh followed her children to Toronto, Canada. 
When some stability had returned to the country in 1994 she returned to Ethiopia and settled back in Adigrat in the Agamé region of Ethiopia.   She set about proving that she was the only rightful heir to the several castle like residential properties her family owned in the area, a process that has taken years.

To this day you can ask most people on the streets of Adigrat about "Mama Buzu" and they'll know all about her.  There is even a region in town called "enda Buzu" meaning "of Buzu".

Bizunesh Atsbeha is also my grandmother.

In 2005 I set about to reconnect with her.   I have documented interactions I have had with her and the community in Adigrat for 8 years now.

This year I am returning to Adigrat to spend another month with her.

Her lineage
She has a very strong lineage of royal Agamé blood on both her mother and her father's side.   I will just list her father's here.

Mama Bizu's father is Atsbeha
Mama Bizu's mother is Kassa

Atsbeha's Line

Kumelit begot Shum Agame Woldu,

Shum Agame Woldu and Woizero Sabana Giyorgis begot Dej Sabagadis,

Dej Sabagadis begot Shum Agame Aregawi

Shum Agame Aregawi and Woizero Silas begot Ras Sebhat Aregawi,

Ras Sebhat Aregawi begot (daughter) Woizero Buzu Sebhat, (who married Shum Agame Desta)

Shum Agame Desta and Woizero Buzu Sebhat, begot Shum Agame Atsbeha,

Shum Agame Atsbeha and Woizero Kassa Deres begot Bizunish Atsbeha

          
It actually all goes much further back then what is listed above and you can get a glimpse of more on her father's side here: http://www.royalark.net/Ethiopia/tigray3.htm