“Dream
Doctor” in Addis
Israel clown troupe Dream Doctor gave a week-long training to thirty
one participants from Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Jimma, Nazareth and
Tigray at Addis Ababa Red Cross training center.
According to Dudi Barashi, a trainer from Israel, ‘clowning
is an international language which allows reaching to many people’s
emotions with facial expressions, gestures, body movement and simple
equipment like red nose.’ He added that Dream Doctor, with
its forty-five members, has been entertaining patient children in
seventeen hospitals in Israel. He also added that the dream doctor
clowns have twice entertained children living with H.I.V at Asco
and Debre Markos hospitals.
Jérome Arous, another trainer, told Capital that the main
objective of the training is to teach the participants to be able
to reach kids in hospitals who find medical centers painful and
discomforting. He said, “Clowning reaches to the soul of those
patient kids, which is impossible for any medical professionals
to achieve. We make them laugh and even those painful tools like
needles become a toy for them. For the moment, we make them happy
as if they are outside playing with their friends.” He explained
that their group also entertained audiences in Thailand after the
Tsunami disaster.
Capital learned that participants, who completed the week long training
with satisfactory skills, will attend a three week long second phase
training for upgrading further their talent and experience. The
training was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel,
Israel Embassy in Addis, Magi Foundation, Circus Ethiopia and other
partners such as the Mother Teresa Foundation in Asco.
‘Yewondoch
Gudaye’- Still a man’s world
· Directed by : Henok Ayele
· Written by: Admasu Kebede
· Type: Romantic comedy
· Duration: 1 hr. 33 min
A girl dumps her boy friend, a carpenter, for a guy visiting from
the US, just so she could leave Ethiopia. His pain and hurt is expressed
in scenes quite funny, even for the devoted blasé. As he
struggles to work his pain out, he tries to make his ex-girlfriend
jealous on her wedding day, together with six of his friends and
co workers who fool around singing and making fun when their boss,
(played by Shewaferahu Dessalegn) is not around.
His attempts to make his ex-girlfriend envious however, create another
opportunity for him to find real love, which does not come easy.
Things get complicated as he has to first clean the mess he’s
put himself into by pretending to be a researcher of wood, who just
arrived in Addis from the U.S.
The organization named Yewondoch Gudaye, aims at encouraging one
night stands and no strings attached relationships so that men can
never be hurt by women. The organization nominates him to be a member;
that’s when things go out of control. Here he has to show
his friends that he is a real ‘player’, and to the girl
he is really falling in love with he has to pretend to be a responsible
researcher. That creates warming and hilarious moments which leave
the audience laughing for minutes on end.
Henok Ayele, Rekik Teshome, Shewit Kebede are among the actors in
the film. Shewaferahu Dessalegn once again gives an undisputedly
excellent performance as the boss of the seven friends who work
in his wood workshop. This romantic Amharic comedy has English sub-
titles. Yewondoch Gudaye is a must watch comedy, as audiences of
different ages enjoy it equally.
Concert
Benefit Child
A benefit concert for the “Orphan Support Project Kirkos”,
organized by the international NGO, “German Agro Action “
and Wabe Children Aid and Training, was held at the German Cultural
Institute (Goethe) on Thursday, August 2, 2007. All the concert
proceeds go for the construction of a children and youth centre
in Kirkos, sub city, Addis Ababa.
German Agro Action Regional Director and Coordinator, Bernhard Meier
zu Biesen, told Capital that the concert aimed at conducting publicity
work so that the international community and others around the world
support the project. He also added that a series of fund raising
events will be organized by German Agro Action to further support
the project. It was learned that a similar event was conducted on
August 3, 2007 in Germany.
Ato Mestika Negash, Manager of WABE Children Aid Training, informed
Capital that the center will have training and recreational facilities
in addition to offices and a temporary shelter for children. He
added that Wabe and German Agro Action have a long history of partnership
and are currently helping more than 225 children in Amhara Gayent
region. He added that they also support one hundred fifteen children
and thirty women here in Addis.
A painting by an orphan was used on the concert’s invitation-poster
and was sold later in the ceremony. The German Ambassador to Ethiopia
and other invited guests attended the concert.
Africa 2000
Republic of Guinea
Many Ethiopians would not boast a sound background in world history
and geography but give them an anecdotal hint and you will be surprised
by what you hear. Lets try it right now. We are approaching a middle
aged Addis Ababan – preferably male and ask:
“What do you know about the Republic of Guinea?” and
the answer would most likely be “Guinea …Guinea …
nope, never heard of it”.
Then we ask, “How about the names Mamadou Keita or perhaps
Sekou Toure ?
‘Ah! Of course! that Guinea …Yes! I know Keita!
It’s always better to personalize a topic in order to jolt
the memory. The Republic of Guinea first came to the attention of
Ethiopians in 1976 when the 10th Cup of African Nations was held
in Addis Ababa, Asmara and Dire-Dawa. The Guinean national soccer
team was the most favored side for Ethiopian fans after their nation
was eliminated by Egypt (who else). Pitched against an elegant Moroccan
side in the cup final, Guinea were leading 1-0 when the Moroccans
equalized. As the old points system was in place at the time, Morocco
went on to win its first African Cup.
The exploits of Guinea and especially their captain Mamadou Keita
delighted fans and thereafter, ‘Keita’ became a by-word
for ‘striker.’ In like spirit but in more serious vein,
Ethiopian dissidents, political parties and rebel movements drew
inspiration from Guinea’s first
president – Sekou Touré who ruled from 1958 to 1984.
The Republic of Guinea was probably the first nation in Africa to
tilt towards the communist East Bloc. Sekou Touré introduced
Marxism, declared a one party state and ruthlessly suppressed all
opposition. Many thousands of citizens were killed in the 1970s
when with local support, the Portuguese conducted an unsuccessful
invasion. In 1984, the military took over in a bloodless coup after
the death of Sekou Touré.
The beat goes on ...
Born into a Griot family (musician family) in the Republic of Guinea,
West Africa, Sibo Bangoura has played music from a young age. When
growing up, Sibo rehearsed and performed with percussion groups,
ballets and at ceremonies in Conakry, Guinea. Sibo also frequently
taught foreign students travelling from all over the world to Conakry
to study traditional Guinean rhythms and djembe. In 1999, Sibo made
his first trip to Australia, Fiji and New Caledonia on tour with
a performance group ‘Jala’ from Conakry.
In 2001, Sibo moved to Zurich, Switzerland where he resided for
nine months. In Zurich, Sibo taught percussion workshops, performed
and accompanied dance classes. He also became leading soloist in
percussion group ‘P-Train’. Sibo regularly traveled
around Switzerland performing with African musicians and dancers.
Sibo arrived in Australia in 2002. Residing in Sydney, Sibo has
taught workshops and performed all over the country: Melbourne,
Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Tasmania, Newcastle, Byron Bay, Bundageon,
the South Coast and the Blue Mountains. He was invited to Western
Australia to work with Aboriginal communities. He has also worked
with Aboriginal groups in Sydney. He often performs and teaches
alongside his brothers Epizo and Mohamed Bangoura and is also part
of the well-known Sydney percussion group ‘Mohata’.
He recently traveled to Singapore with Mohata as part of a cultural
festival. Sibo plays regularly with group ‘Dundoumba’
and is involved with the ‘Drum Café’ in Sydney.
Sibo has become a well renowned and respected African musician in
Sydney and around Australia. Sibo’s passion is his music and
the culture of his homeland. He enjoys sharing the traditional music
of West Africa with his audiences and students. Sibo currently holds
regular classes in Manly and Bondi as well as other workshops in
and around Sydney. Sibo has taught students travelling to Guinea
on the ‘Mohata’ study tours 2000- 2004 and will return
to Guinea in 2005 again with students from Australia and other countries
Facts and Figures
Location-On Atlantic coast of W. Africa; Guinea Bissau, Senegal
and Mali on North, Côte d’ Ivoire on East, Liberia on
South
Area-245,852 sq.km
Geography-Narrow coastal strip, mountains in central regions- source
of Senegal, Gambia and Niger rivers.
Population-9,690,200
Distribution - 45% urban
Ethnic Groups-Peuhl, Malinke, Soussou
Languages –French (official), many African languages
Religions – Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Capital City – Conakry,
Population - 1,450,000
Head of State – President General Lansana Conté, since
1984
Head of Government – Position vacant since 2006
Currency – Franc (GNF) 5569.80= $ 1 US
Per Capita GDP -$ 2,000
Economy – Agriculture, bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron ore,
uranium, hydro-power, fish
Electricity Production – 790 mln kwh
Literacy – 30%
Life Expectancy – 49 male, 51 female
AIDS Rate – 1.5 %
Ports – Conakry
Airports - 5
Railroads- 837 kms
Vehicles – 40,000 units
Telephones – 26,200 lines
Radios – 52 per 1000 people
TV sets – 47 per 1,000 people
Daily Newspaper Circulation – N.A
Internet – 46,000 users
Facts and figures are the latest available at time of publication
and may not necessarily be the most accurate.
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