Page 10 - Print Version Volume 22 - Number 1126

Page 10 QUOTES
"Marginally encouraging."
Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, the US special envoy for the Horn of Africa,
said of his efforts trying to help the warring parties in the civil war in restrooms, many of which are unsightly and pungent due
Ethiopia achieve their objectives through dialogue and negotiations.
Of the 20 oil-producing factories in the country, the Delicate Number
United Oil Millss in Addis Abeba is the largest. This
company, now 14 years old, supplies between 40pc and 14,024.8
50pc of the food oil consumed. Various types of edible
oil are processed, ranging from the refined noug oil to ... population to bank branch
the lower quality gomen oil (made from cabbage seeds). ratio by the fourth quarter
of the previous fiscal year,
The Handbook for Ethiopia, 1969, University Press of Africa.
according to the National Bank
wwaayybbaackckwwhehnen. .. .. . of Ethiopia (NBE). A third of
the total bank branches were
located in Addis Abeba.
Jubilee Palace, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, 1972. Historical photos from the Horn of Africa Facebook page
„„Trade transition into Siinqee Bank earlier this year, having
Bole Lemi Tenant Marks Maiden Shipment received a banking licence from the National Bank
of Ethiopia (NBE). Commanding an army of 6,000
ShangTex Manufacturing, a textile company based employees, Oromia Credit is the second biggest of
in Shanghai, has shipped its first batch of products the 41 microfinance institutions operating in the
abroad. The company, which operates in Bole Lemi country, alongside the Amhara, Addis, Dedebit, and
Industrial Park in the outskirts of Addis Abeba, Omo, which are owned by their respective regional
earned over 80,000 dollars from a shipment of states.
sweaters destined for markets in Italy.
„„Aid
Publication: Fana Broadcasting Corporate, Over 9m People in Need of Aid: UN
November 22, 2021.
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said last
„„Health week that the number of people requiring food aid
COVID-19 Vax Drive Ramps Up in war-torn northern Ethiopia had surged to more
than nine million. An estimated 3.7 million need
Nearly 7.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines urgent food aid in Amhara Regional State while some
have been administered thus far, with nearly three 5.5 million people in Tigray Regional State require
million of the shots dispensed in November alone. emergency humanitarian assistance.
More than six million people have received at least
one dose of the four kinds of COVID-19 vaccines „„Health
available in the country, accounting for less than six Africa CDC, Mastercard Begin Vaccine
percent of the population. The Ministry of Health Distribution
kicked off a vaccination campaign earlier this
month, making anyone over the age of 12 eligible The Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC have
for the jab. announced that 15.2 million vaccines bought under
the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative are being
„„Finance distributed across Africa. This is the first batch of
Siinqee Acquires Core Banking System jabs allocated to the continent, according to a joint
press release. The vaccines will be distributed within
Siinqee Bank has signed a deal with Oracle FS to countries by UNICEF.
acquire the latter's Flexcube core banking system.
Oromia Credit & Saving Share Company began the
Fortune Vol. 22 No. 1126 Nov. 28, 2021
Kidist Yidnekachew
Public Hygiene Goes Both Ways
There is much to complain about when it comes to public
to a lack of proper hygiene awareness and infrastructure.
But there is always a reason to get even more frustrated.
Often, we will find people engaging in public urination,
which mortifies many others. Part of the reason for this
is connected to how dining halls, cafeterias and local
establishments have conditioned people into thinking a
bathroom or restroom is a luxury and that they have the
right to limit usage to their patrons. This is absurd. Even
knowing that I have every right to use their facilities, I
often feel the need to order either a macchiato or tea
before running to the restroom. That is what we call old
fashioned yelugnta, a feeling of discomfiture.
Being unable to use the restroom makes some opt to
urinate on the streets, and some even take 'number two'
on the road. It gets worse. They probably do not clean
themselves properly afterwards and thus will be carrying
all types of pathogens on themselves. People also rarely
ever carry hand sanitiser and would likely not bother to
visit a handwashing facility – not that they could easily
find them.
In some places, including government institutions, it is
possible to get public bathroom facilities. But some of
the things people may find in there could be mortifying.
Who in their right minds would dip their fingers into
faecal matter to graffiti on the walls of bathroom stalls?
As repulsive as it
sounds, if one is
inclined to do as
such, they can
decorate their own
bathrooms in that We should
manner but not a not make the
public restroom establishments
that has to be
shared with others.
that provide
How does it even
work? Do these restrooms only
people do it with to their patrons
intent or after sitting
on the toilet they out to be the bad
realise that there is guys.
neither tissue paper
nor water and thus
take the matter to its illogical conclusion?
Given the lack of hygiene, the mere act of sitting in a
public restroom is uncomfortable, especially if it is not
clean. I will take my business home. Most women share
my sentiment. That is why most of us do it squatting as
opposed to sitting on the seat. Men have urinals thus do
not have to worry about such things.
This phenomenon has happened to me a few times in the
past, but I brushed it off. I even told myself it is not what
it looks like. Maybe it is a stain from wot (stew) or some
other food, but the smell was unmistakable then and even
now. I do not know the logic behind this act, if there is any.
Perhaps we should not make the establishments that
provide restrooms only to their patrons out to be the
bad guys when the bathroom is kept under lock and
key. It is hard to blame why some of the more high-class
establishments have begun using bathroom attendants,
which I usually do not like because it makes me
uncomfortable knowing they are close. A look at how
public restrooms are treated, and it is not that hard to
understand.
To improve hygiene in the country, everyone should play
their part. Before defacing these facilities, people should
think of how the urgency feels. It is the urgency when one
needs to use the facilities and there are not any around
and ponders the relief one feels and be grateful there was
a clean restroom in their time of need.
Some 60pc to 80pc of all communicable diseases in
Ethiopia are attributed to lack of access to safe water and
inadequate sanitation and hygiene services, according to
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Some 70,000
children die every year of diarrhoea. It is up to all of us
to improve this situation.
ƒƒ Kidist Yidnekachew is interested in art, human
nature and behaviour. She has studied psychology,
journalism and communications and can be reached
at kidyyidnekachew@gmail.com.