In 2014 I traveled to Ethiopia in hopes to further my hands-on education in small scale organic farming. One week before leaving, the permaculture farm I had planned to stay with told me they no longer needed volunteers. I landed in Addis Ababa with a 3 night reservation at Mr. Martins Cozy Place Hostel, during which time I needed to decide what I was going to do. The city of Addis was not a place I wanted to stay long term, and after overhearing some fellow travelers talking about heading north to the Amhara region, I figured that was as good a plan as any. I booked my bus ticket and at 6am the next day, I took the 12 hour trek up north to Gondar, the original capital of Ethiopia. The drive was stunning. Ethiopia stunned me with its beauty and topography. Outside my window, I couldn't help but notice just how many people were farming, and with what appeared to be so very few resources. All of the farming I had been exposed to in my life had been motivated by ethical and social causes; what I was now witnessing was people farming for their life, and I knew I had to find out more.

Upon arrival into Gondar, I was greeted by a couple young guys who said they could take me to a nearby hotel. My only 2 questions for them: did they have wifi? and did they have hot showers? After hearing yes to both questions, I promptly told them to take me to this hotel asap! After I settled in, I met back up with Mande and Robles for a beer. They asked me what I was doing in Ethiopia. I told them I had just come from studying agriculture and I wanted to meet local farmers. "Did you come to teach?" they asked. I said "no, I came to learn."

For the next 3 weeks, Mande and his friend became my de facto tour guides. Since they spoke English, Amharic, and the local dialects, they were able to introduce me to local farmers and families and translate conversations for us. I was brought into strangers homes who welcomed me with open arms, served me coffee, shared stories, and even one family let me stay with them for a week. During this time I immersed myself in the life of a subsistence farmer. I walked 20 minutes in the morning to collect jugs of water for the day, helped till the soil with 2 oxen and a plough, and watched as they slaughtered a lamb and seamlessly butchered it for us to eat.

There are many more stories to share from that time, but they are inconsequential at the moment. What is important to share is that I formed a brotherhood with Mande, and we have kept in touch over the years. Mande is kind, family oriented and industrious. Hard work runs thru his veins. Over the last few years, Ethiopia has been experiencing a tumultuous civil war that we in the West do not hear much about. Since 2020, the number of deaths are estimated between 160,000 to 600,000 people. While Mande and his family have been generally safe, the economy has plummeted. There is no work. But instead of just asking me for money, Mande sent me a business proposal, because he does not just want to sit around, he wants to work and be of service to his community.

Mande has a friend who started a dairy business about a year ago, which has proven to be successful. The friend will let Mande join the operation as a 25% partner for our goal amount of $3,600. This money will also allow them to grow the business. Mande will receive at minimum $90 per month right from the start, which is enough for him to live on and support his family. As the business grows, Mande's monthly pay will also increase as a partner.

I hope you will consider donating, as you will be helping not just Mande and his family, but their community as a whole. If you have any questions, or want to hear more stories about my time in Ethiopia and the people I met, please feel free to reach out.