|
For each of the last five Years, Maumee Valley Habitat for
Humanity has given $20,000 to a sister group in Ethiopia. But for
Chuck Thayer, the group's executive director, that's not enough.
Maumee Valley:-
Starting tomorrow, Mr. Thayer will lead a
group of 16 Habitat volunteers to Debre Berhan, Ethiopia, to build houses
alongside local residents. The group, which includes 14 northwest Ohio
residents, is scheduled to fly from Detroit to London tomorrow night, then to
Ethiopia on Friday.
"We've been helping them financially for several years now, but we've never
had the chance to get to know the people there," Mr. Thayer said. "So we
thought, 'why don't we go build houses there?'"
Coincidentally, the group will be in Ethiopia during a significant historical
moment: The results of the contested parliamentary election last month
will be released July 8. Leaders said they are concerned about the
possibility of violence after those results go public.
"I haven't told my husband about that part," said Tolani Kashimawo,
development director for Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity and a native of
Nigeria, Four other members of the group also have spent time in Africa.
The habitat volunteers, who range in age from 21 to 73, will work alongside
residents of Debre Berhan for nine days to build houses from mud bricks or
branches. The American travelers will not take any materials or tools with
them because of a Habitat for Humanity commitment to use natural resources from
that country.
"We'll do whatever they need us to do," said Randy Croson, a Toledoan who is
co-leading the trip with Mr. Thayer. "We won't be telling them how to
create houses. We want to do it however they do it."
Even without the cost of supplies, volunteers had to make a significant
financial commitment to participate in the trip. Each person was
responsible for about $3,000, Mr. Thayer said, some of which came from
fund-raising activities.
The group will be led by a representative of the Ethiopian chapter of Habitat
for Humanity, who will translate between English and Amharic. The group
leader will help the Ohio group adapt to Ethiopian customs.
For Louise McVicker, the oldest in the group, adjusting to customs may be a
struggle. The left-hander, a resident of Whitehouse, will have to eat with
her right hand while in Ethiopia because of the African belief that the left
hand is impure.
"I'm almost 74, and when you've been doing something a particular way for so
long, it's not an easy switch," she said. "But I'm sure enough people will
remind me."
As part of the preparations for the trip, the volunteers received cultural
training to help them adjust to a new situation. They learned what
to wear (for women, anything that covers their knees and shoulders), how to
greet people (bow), and some basic Amharic phrases.
For the American travelers, the primary reason for going to Ethiopia needs
their help. In a recent United Nations survey, the country ranked 169th
out of 175 in terms of the overall quality of life.
"I'm very mission-minded, said Ms. McVicker, who is making the trip despite
undergoing a knee replacement last October. "It's exciting to have the
chance to help people."
Contact Megan Greenwell at :
mgreenwell@theblade.com or
419-724-6050.
Brochure
November 26, 2004 --
HFHE is currently actively working in
14 different communities in four states in Ethiopia. Whereas 5 of these are yet
under their development stages, the rest 9 are ones where HFHE has built 433
houses, providing safe, decent, and affordable shelter for more than 2,320
people. Currently, 71 more houses are under construction. ...
have more
P.O. Box~dulla^@204~Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel:~dulla^@204~ot="Substitution" s-variable="Company~dulla^@204~pan -->251-1-563181
~dulla^@204~ot bot="Substitution" s-variable="Com~dulla^@204~tspan -->251-1-570133
~dulla^@204~a href="mailto:habitat@telecom.net.et~dulla^@204~t
bot="Substitution" s-variable="Com~dulla^@204~artspan -->habitat@telecom.net.et<~dulla^@204~msnavigation--> | 
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY ETHIOPIA![[Under Construction]](images/undercon.gif){kind=small}