Island rallies for Ethiopian village

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To the Editor:

An outpouring of support from Martha’s Vineyard reached a small village in rural Ethiopia last month, as people gathered here to enjoy a traditional Ethiopian dinner, and helped fund a solar-powered water delivery system for an innovative small community stricken by drought halfway across the world.

The event raised more than $50,000 to help Awra Amba, an intentionally organized community of 500 people who practice true equality in every aspect of life. In a country rife with ethnic and religious divisions, where women live under constant threat of violence, this exceptional community is committed to gender equality and universal inclusion.

Awra Amba cultivates a thriving, healthy lifestyle. Residents there built mud-brick houses and a residence for village elders, along with classrooms, a library, and weaving workshops. They support themselves by weaving and by small-scale farming. Using hand tools, they dug a bore to supplement their water supply from a seasonal spring to support their gardens.

But drought caused by climate change has depleted their water supply, and threatens their existence. A solar-powered, deep-well water delivery system will help Awra Amba diversify its economy and expand its gardens, oilseed plantings, and fruit orchards in order to share healthy, organic produce with surrounding villages and serve as a model for a fairer, more sustainable way of living.

We are deeply grateful for the support of the Martha’s Vineyard community for this project. More than 100 people attended the sold-out dinner at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, and encouraged by Sam Feldman, many rallied with generous additional donations. Sponsoring businesses included Cronig’s Markets, Jim’s Package Store, Net Result, Our Market, and South Mountain Co., with additional support from Ghost Island Farm, the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, Stina Sayre Design, the Tisbury Printer, and Winnetu Oceanside Resort.

An event like this couldn’t happen without many helping hands, and special thanks go to Jeremy Berlin, Betsy Carnie, Laurie David, Seblé Dawit, Chuck Downing, Kenneth Ferro, Tova Katzman, Sehin Mekuria, and Munit Mesfin. Committee members include Angela Andersen, Pam Benjamin, Geraldine Brooks, Frankie Drogin, Kate Feiffer, Nicole Galland, Cindy Kane, Petra Lent McCarron, and Nancy Tutko.

Dir Biyabir, a nonprofit organization that mobilizes financial and human resources to support grassroots development projects in the poorest areas of Ethiopia, helped channel charitable contributions. To make a donation, please visit salemmekuria.com/awra-amba-water-project.

 

Salem Mekuria

Oak Bluffs and Jamaica Plain