23 9 07
on J and M in Assosa (Ethiopia), 23/Sep/2007 07:10, 34 days ago
Blog 23 9 07This is the week of failures! My computer at work has given up but I have after 2 weeks discovered that it should be OK if I purchase a new part in Addis. The Systems box which stores all the information and seems to be standard here has had its power supply‘burnt out’, possibly because of a power surge despite the fact we have a regulator and there should be an inbuilt protector. Apparently this is a common problem here. I was slightly upset as all my data is stored on it. I am now using one from another computer but obviously without all my data.In addition our telephone at work is out of order. Telecoms have been to MI 3 times and have now decided it is a cable problem. This means that there is only 1 working phone at work plus the Managers. Both these phones are kept locked and when I ask the Head of Finance if I can use the phone he is most reluctant particularly if I want to call outside of Assosa as he has a budget limit. When we first came we were given a phone budget limit of 50 birr a month but there has never been any follow up on this. As our phone bill at home is 100 -150 birr a month it is unlikely that we can keep within this budget at work.Anyway no phone, no internet and no data available at work.On top of this our kettle (an old one which we brought from the UK) has finally given up. It has served us well but as we are now more accustomed to things here we can manage without it for the15 weeks we have left in Assosa (excluding holidays) Ops who’s counting! I now know how long it takes to boil a saucepan of water on one ring and plan accordingly.Post is another failure. We have been expecting 10 parcels, the earliest posted at the end of July and the rest at various stages up to now. We think with the extra terrorist treats at the Millennium and the holidays associated with the Millennium have caused some of the delays. Usually we get our parcels within 4 weeks. We know for a fact that some have certainly been sitting in Assosa PO for about week but as one of the PO workers are off the other has not had time to sort the post. Although Mulatu spotted one addressed to himself on Wednesday he was not allowed to take it. His excitement was enough that he had actually got a parcel addressed to him.Because of these delays I would suggest that no more parcels are posted to us even for Christmas.It looks as if we could be minus another volunteer in Assosa. Steven the IT expert has become very disillusioned about his role here and feels that his work is not sustainable. He feels that he is not helping the grassroots Ethiopians and thinks that money needs to be put into obtaining clean water in the rural area rather than computers. While this is partly true there are also bright people here who can be taught to use computers so that Ethiopia can take its place in the world. In addition these people with the use of computers can support those less able through working for NGOs and the alleviation of poverty and democratization. There is a vast culture shock when you come here and the first 6 months are spent learning and adjusting very quickly but everyone will be able to make some impact/ change. Sadly Steven does not seem to be able to adapt here. Even worse he wants to try another part of the country but we know the problem will remain the same. The answer is only within you. Can you accept that you can not save the whole country but only influence a very few. The sooner you accept this reality the sooner you can move forward.