From Addis Ababa, Anna Teshu, director of local travel agency Ethiopia Traditions Travel, member of the Nomadays collective, shares insights into her professional daily life and the current situation in Ethiopia at the time of coronavirus.
"Although the current period is particularly difficult and frightening, I am very impressed by the sense of community and resilience of Ethiopians in the face of adversity. No one complains and people are supportive of one another."
"After the intense activity in March to repatriate all our clients traveling in different regions of the country, and once they were able to return home before the country's "lockdown," we had to close our office in Addis Ababa. Our business is completely at a standstill. All travelers have left the country and the mandatory fourteen-day quarantine measures put in place from March 23rd have stopped even the most intrepid.
In normal times at this season, we prepare autumn and winter trips and start receiving reservations and deposits. But now everything is at a standstill. Despite the fact that our income dried up overnight, we committed to paying a minimum wage to all members of our team until October, which marks the beginning of high season for us. We are a family agency and we understand that a single salary helps meet the basic needs of an entire family.
Of course, here there is no social security or government aid measures. No access to credit and people have no savings, as salaries are entirely spent on basic necessities.
The halt in tourism and activities in hotels, restaurants and cafes has led to the outright disappearance of a large number of ancillary jobs that revolve around these tourism sectors: porters, guards, shoe shiners, street vendors, car washers, doormen, etc.
For many in Ethiopia, the risk of dying from hunger is much greater than the risk of succumbing to Covid-19.
Fassika, or Ethiopian Easter celebrations, is one of the highlights of the Ethiopian calendar. This year, an exception had to be made: "eating alone."
Traditionally, Ethiopians spend the night from Saturday to Sunday at church and, early in the morning, everyone goes home to prepare doro wot (spicy chicken stew with hard-boiled eggs) or lamb. But this year it was unlike anything else in all of Ethiopia's history.
"Churches (like mosques) have been closed for a month. As a result, many Ethiopians gathered around churches and in neighboring streets to follow the mass broadcast by loudspeakers."
Easter Sunday, which follows 55 days of fasting, is celebrated with large meals. During this period, holidays last a good week so that everyone has time to invite each other and eat at one another's homes: neighbors, friends, cousins, etc. This year, an exception had to be made: eating alone. Traditionally, this is possible for Christmas. Not for Easter. But in Ethiopia, "eating alone" means eating only with family and not having gigantic gatherings and endless visits to loved ones and friends. A truly Ethiopian notion of solitude…
Although the current period is particularly difficult and frightening, it is also a time when much solidarity and courage are emerging. I am personally very impressed by the sense of community and resilience of Ethiopians in the face of adversity. No one complains and people are supportive of one another. Everyone adheres to prevention measures against virus spread. These are often implemented with intelligence and ingenuity. For example, a large water container with soap is available in front of each store so that everyone can wash their hands before entering.
Our greatest fear is that travelers will be slow to return to Ethiopia, as there are still many misconceptions about the country. Ethiopia is still too often associated with the famine of the 1980s with Live Aid, or sometimes lumped together with its very unstable neighbors, such as Sudan or Somalia. People are misinformed about the situation because, in general, the crime rate, traveler insecurity, or the number of Covid-19 cases remains very low in Ethiopia."
