Missed Connections

There was no internet at work today. In reality, this should not come as a shock. There are power outages and the internet goes down frequently all over the world, but especially in many developing countries. Other places I've lived and worked it has been a common occurrence to be without internet for days or weeks on end. But my experience at UNDP in Addis has been different. Miraculously, the internet never goes out. And it’s fast. This is an anomaly in Ethiopia where internet access is sub-par at best. I’m not sure how they manage it (most likely a direct satellite connection), and despite the numerous firewalls and passwords to prevent staff from using it for personal use, I’ve been grateful for its reliability. And so today, I’m at a bit of a loss. Email, the intranet, online research, etc..  are all part of my daily work activities and I am finding myself quickly running out of projects I can complete offline. Anywhere else, I would have already had documents and reports downloaded on a USB, prepared for the frequent occurrence of days spent offline, but I’ve been spoiled and have been caught off guard.

Having read this recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about cell phones, the internet and IT in development. I’ve always had a strong interest in health focused development initiatives and MHealth (improving health outcomes through the use of cell phones to improve access, adherence, attendance and awareness) is a constant topic of conversation in discussions of new initiatives and ways forward. The same holds for monitoring and evaluation, my other main area of interest and the reason behind my current role at UNDP. Cell phones and tablets are being used to improve accuracy of M&E in the field, to crowdsource surveys, and be faster and more responsive in planning, monitoring, and reporting on initiatives.

But while all these new innovations sound great on paper – I’m not sure how successfully they always play out in the field.

When I was in Lesotho, trying to use a cell phone in rural areas often required walking to the top of the closest hill. The families we visited weren’t receiving the text messages the service providers kept sending me about getting my child immunized. If they had the luxury of having a cell phone within the household, the battery was probably dead and there was no way to charge it anytime soon.

In Ethiopia, you may not speak Amharic but you can definitely recognize the sing-song voice of the Ethio-telecom operator telling you the network is busy and to try again later. Less than 2.5% of the country has access to the internet (compared to 40% in neighbouring Kenya) and those who do pay for it at a premium. In the past VoIP technology – such as Skype – was banned and today you are lucky if you can find an internet connection with enough bandwidth to handle it. Over the last few months 3G SIM cards have only been available on the black market. I’m not sure any kind of mobile/IT development initiative will work in Ethiopia anytime soon.

But it’s still exciting to explore the potential, and see the success stories happening in well-connected African nations like Kenya and South Africa. Hopefully with all of Ethiopia’s promising economic growth, they will be able to pick up the pace with the lagging IT infrastructure as well. 

Squeezing It In/Photo Recap

Addis is all sunny days and blue skies recently. Work is busy and I find myself keeping tracking of just how few weeks I have left at UNDP. The sun here is setting earlier and on days where I leave the office late I'm left making my way home in the dark. Picking my way through the construction sites and dug up roads is a bit more of a challenge when you can't see the rubble under your feet.

Alongside work, I've also been trying to do and see as much as possible before I leave. In light of Ethiopian Airways' recent doubling of domestic flight prices for non-residents (who doesn't love a two-tiered system?!), I'm feeling grateful I managed to squeeze in as much as I did over the last month.

First, there was the Meskel celebration on the eve of September 26. Orthodox Christians from across Addis and outside the city flocked to Meskel square to celebrate the finding of the 'true cross'. There were processions into the square, a religious service in Ge'ez (an ancient language now only used by the Ethiopian Orthodox church), and a large bonfire. Everyone was decked out in traditional clothing, there were crosses and prayers being sold in the crowd, and we all waited patiently with our candles in hand for the big moment.As the sun set, the bonfire was set ablaze and the crowd lit their own candles - turning Meskel square into a truly beautiful site.

After the Meskel celebration, we boarded a flight and flew to one of Ethiopia's most well-known sites in the North: Lalibela. We spent the weekend exploring the UNESCO protected rock-hewn churches, wandering through the local market, and enjoying the incredible views and general tranquility of the town.

A few weekends after Lalibela, I took the opportunity to visit another Ethiopian UNESCO site - the walled town of Harar. Harar had been on my list of must-see places in Ethiopia ever since I arrived. Located in a predominantly Muslim part of the country, descriptions of the city immediately reminded me of the medinas in Morocco - a country I have loved travelling in in the past.

Harar definitely did not disappoint. It has a decidedly different feel than other places I've been in Ethiopia. I felt like I could have spent days wandering the old cobblestone roads.

more than half way

It's true what they say, the acronyms do start rolling off your tongue. SOP, AWP, DIP, CRGG, EDP, GEF, NIM, NEX and the list goes one. They have all become embedded in my brain and I find myself referring to them in conversation without skipping a beat. 

I have developed a fierce coffee addiction to rival my graduate school days. Not so much out of need but due to the availability of someone coming by my desk at least twice a day to offer me some. There are so many excuses: if a colleague invites you its rude to turn it down, it only costs 50 cents, it’s important to give the coffee cart people regular tips to help bolster their meagre income -but in reality, I just don’t have much will power when it comes to espresso.

The city and I have come to a compromise. I may not always like it but there is much about it I am grateful for and returning from weekends away feels like coming home. 

Coffee in a take-away cup from Ethiopia's Starbucks: Kaldis. One of the many perks of the UN compound.

Sometimes I feel like I have been here a week, other times a year, but in reality its been over three and half months since I arrived in Ethiopia. My placement is now more than half way over and with the rain slowly subsiding I can feel the time slipping through my fingers. I feel certain the second half of my placement will be done before I know it.   

My role with UNDP Ethiopia has been challenging and rewarding in expected and unexpected ways. I have learned a lot about monitoring and evaluation, UNDP, Ethiopia, partnership building and myself. I have advised, analysed, reviewed, edited, collaborated, planned, developed and produced and aimed to make as much of a positive contribution as I can in a limited amount of time. This role has been unlike any other in my career to date and I am appreciative of the experience, the opportunity to apply my skills in a new context, and the insight I've gained on where I might like my career to take me next.

There is still so much I want to do and see in Ethiopia and work I hope to accomplish at UNDP. I feel excited for the next few months, apprehensive of what might be next, but determined to make the most of the little time I have left.

The Africa Hall Mosaic on the first floor of the building where UNDP is housed.