Ethiopia is a late bloomer in the area of technology and specifically information technology. The rest of the world looks to be in a rush to embrace the latest developments in the IT sector while dedicating a huge level of financial and infrastructural investment to this sector. Undoubtedly, Ethiopia is nowhere in the IT infrastructure, in spite of recent investment in telecom and connectivity. Defying the odds, a pocket of young entrepreneurs housed in an IT incubation center— Iceaddis—are making real strides in cutting-edge app development, explores Tibebeselassie Tigabu.

Ushahidi, a Swahili term for “testimony”, is one of the most innovative software applications developed in East Africa based on the modern concept of crowdsourcing (the process of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people, especially an online community) and social activism. This open-source application played a big role during the 2007 Kenyan presidential election and the violence that ensued after the election, and during the Haiti earthquake and civil strife in the Middle East.

This application (app in short) was developed to map reports of violence in Kenya in the post-election violence by building a platform that collected eyewitness reports of violence by email and text messages and placing them on Google maps.

Since its launch in 2009, Uber app, an online transportation network, is another innovative mobile application, which drastically changed how people view transportation. Uber allows passengers with smartphones to link up with what is called Uber drivers, people who offer transportation services on their personal vehicles and not taxis.

With more than hundreds of thousands of apps available today, the app industry has taken the world by storm. Though there are a range of paid apps specifically designed for smartphones and tablets working on iPhone and Android operating systems, there are also a wide variety of free apps on education, messaging, navigating, exercising, entertainment, lifestyle, game and religion; basically on anything that is important to smartphone and Tablet users. It is less than two decades since the first app store was launched on the Internet and now, the number and types of available apps staggers the imagination.

The most popular ones with billions of users are Facebook, You-tube and Google apps. The leading, when it comes to revenue, are mobile apps such as Tinder and popular online games, which exceeds giant multi-national companies such as Facebook. According to a website called slashgear, Tinder, a popular dating app, is among the top earners in 2015.

This app was created by a bunch of teenagers to make speed-dating possible through mobile devices. An overwhelming feature in the mobile app world is probably the diversity and the customization of the apps to country-specific situations.

Ethiopian app developers seem to understand the contextual demand of the country and the necessity of the apps and their applicability. One interesting apps in this regard is Addis Karta. Developed by Tewodros Wondimu, this app made it possible to pinpoint the exact location of neighborhoods in Addis Ababa using local mapping system.

Addis Karta helps one to find a location by choosing the sub-city, then the district and finally the house number. One can get the direction to a location, a house and share the information with others that don’t have the Addis Karta app installed. This app somehow tried to customize the complicated global mapping system to the context of Addis Ababa.

Addis Karta app is not the only one; if one heads to Kazanchis area, Chad Street, 7th floor of Hashim building, one will find a safe haven for scores of app developers in Addis Ababa. Iceaddis is safe space for the app developers of Addis Ababa to re-imagine, be creative, cultivate their dreams and move forward with their idea.

Decorated with comfy red couches, Iceaddis is crowded by tech personalities with big headphones. Taking their corner, most of them are glued to their laptops without conversation rather in contemplation of their app creation. They seem to have a sentimental relationship with their laptops; the only time they leave their chair is to get coffee or tea. Temesgen Fisseha, 26, is one of the app developers who were present at Iceaddis when The Reporter visited the app dungeon. Graduating from Addis Ababa University with computer engineering, the job opportunities in the market turned out to be monotonous and uncreative. After working for sometimes he met a senior developer who shared his dream of creating innovative apps and transform many sectors such as hospitality, health and logistic to match with the advanced technology that is available. After doing an extensive research they developed an app called “50 Lomi” which was launched a couple of months ago. According to Temesgen, this app has a feature of analytics and forecast of advanced statistical data of the past, current and the future. The app also employs interlinked systems that run on branch and side businesses and which enables control of all the sales and inventory on hand. Temesgen believes this is a cutting edge app for various sectors in Ethiopia to transform their work digitally.

For hospitals, this app digitalizes patient’s information, the workload of the doctors, information on organizational structure, availability of the medical equipment and the tests, history of the patient, system that notifies the laboratory and also connects up to the cashers.

Temesgen says that, in hotels, the app allows customer history and specific taste to be stored. The app also has a feature of an installed TV screen that allows the customers to order anything they want to see, of course chargeable to their hotel bills. “This will enable the owners to avoid wastage, control what they have and also do inventories and plan ahead,” says Temesgen.

The app took seven months to develop, including the trial period. Though they were able to take it to the market it was priced at 100 to 300 birr per app. Thus far, they were able to sell the app for only five companies. Temesgen says it was a challenging road on account of shortage of seed money where they were forced to cover the expenses of the development that consumed up to 100,000 birr. The price would have escalated had it not been for Iceaddis hub and its business incubated facilities. For Temesgen, what they are looking for is a way to penetrate the market further. On the other hand, Melaketsehay Mesele, 33, is working on his app “besew”; a delivery service app that aimed at strengthening human involvement and technology in delivery.

This idea came to him after hearing many stories about the difficulties of sending equipment to various parts of the city. According to Melaketsehay, most delivery service providers including DHL are expensive. “We depend on people to send equipment. So, my question was how one could transform this into the digital age,” says Melaketsehay.

While contemplating this idea, he heard about a competition of venture capitalists that came through Iceaddis. He did not win at the competition since most of the capitalists wanted to support an app that has passed a certain phase in development. After a while, when another venture capitalist firm named 1776 came, he won and was chosen to pitch his idea in Nairobi. It was a two-minutes pitch for an audience of 200. “I actually froze; the slide presentation didn’t work and I could not say anything. Though I know the issue, I froze and the minutes passed,” laughs Melaketsehay.

Though the pitch did not materialize, he was able to get validation and acknowledgement for his work that was good for people around him.
Now in the development stages, the app will have a database as a delivery that connects customers with the delivery personalities. Graduating a decade ago from African Virtual University, Melaketsehay is a self-taught app developer. “One has to know the basics, since the technology changes fast. One should not settle but rather equip and updated with the knowledge,” says Melaketsehay.

It was not decades ago since Addis Ababa university also incorporated courses such as artificial intelligence and app development into the mainstream course. The students are also involved in many projects even before graduation. One of them is Ashenafi Goitom, 24, a fourth year student of software engineering at AAU, who is working on an app at Iceaddis.

With his team, they are working on new entertainment website called Stavimer, which is a platform on talent management, recruiting talent and connecting talents. This app plans to include a pool of entertainment professionals and aspiring people in the field of arts. According to Ashenafi, this will enable users to be able to discover art and talents with their own specific chosen interest. Its first phase will be a website and will come into IOS and android versions. “Compared to a talented musician, a laughing cat will get more views on YouTube; this is the downside of social media. So Stavimer decreases that noise and will connect talents,” says Ashenafi.

Incepted by Amanuel Lemma, this app will eliminate bureaucratic barriers, facilitate direct connections and gives a platform for young aspiring talented people. To be launched on July 25, they are working on the creative field of fashion, music, dance, and literature.

Markos Lemma, the co-founder of Iceaddis, says on his part that the inception came about in seeing the absence of a technology hub for graduating students, who wants to innovate, create and develop various technological inputs.

When they start this space five years ago, related to the penetration of Internet, which according to Markos was 0.4 %, the endeavor was a challenging one. Most of their projects were lagging behind because of the Internet interruption.

According to Markos, they supported various tech personalities by giving them free access to internet, free space, trainings if needed, project management and idea pitching support and also by creating networks with other companies, investors and projects.

So far, they incubated 21 companies, including Mekian.net, which launched their products and registered varying degree of success. According to the Economist, Mekina.net is second biggest Internet based company in Ethiopia in 2014 with 500,000 dollars market valuation. Mekina.net is a distance second to Dire Tube, the leading video sharing website in Ethiopia, which is valued at two million dollars. According to this list, Google is number one globally with 410 billion dollar market valuation and followed by Amazon at 186.9 billion dollar.

Depending on funds from various partnerships, Iceaddis works with Google, micro-soft, GIZ, Plan international and also other international organizations. According to Markos, since many people had a Smartphone with android operating system, most of the applications are made for android at beginning.

The first apps that were designed for android were limited to three things: Ethiopian calendar, guide for tourists and Amharic dictionary. With the growth of Internet penetration and Smartphone users, the app developers started to diversify.

According to Markos’s estimation, currently, there are around 250 android and IOS developers around Iceaddis circle. Browsing the Internet one can see the various apps that are available in Addis.

Some of the apps include Yeneta app (Amharic learning app), Hawi (oromigna learning app); brana (a storytelling app); Mula (an easy tool to send, check balance of the mobile credit). There are a lot of games such as Gursha that is developed by x-hubs. There are innovative apps that calculate pregnancy cycles, a location of sales, recipe of Ethiopian food, ticketing, management and also a famous one among high school students, which aggregates all past national, school-leaving examinations.

In addition to that, government enterprises also fund the development of various apps. These projects involve a generation of technologically savvy young minds. One of them is Paulos Yabelo, 17, who works on security breaches. According to Markos, Paulos had identified security breaches of even multi-international companies. He was acknowledged and awarded by Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Twitter and Sound cloud who compensated him for his effort. Though the app developing world seems to be flourishing, it is not without a challenge. Markos identifies some of the problems including low Internet penetration that is a marketplace for these developers. Though he says the internet penetration is growing with the coming of 3G and other services reaching 6 percent, it is still not enough. On the other hand, Melaketsehay proposes a solution in which Ethio-telecom to give incentives for free access of internet for app developers who are working on app developments. According to Melaketsehay, Ethio-telecom gives free internet package for the staff member and he raises a question “so why not young innovative people working on technology who cannot afford their internet services. I think as a monopoly internet service provider there must be a responsibility,” he argues.

The second challenge he raises is access to finance or seed money to do an extensive research. App development requires a huge chunk of investment.

According to Markos’s research, to do an app one needs 50-100 thousand dollars of investment in Ethiopia. Though many complain about access to seed money Melaketsehay says that it is not a problem specific to Ethiopia but many countries.

“Even in Silicon Valley, there is a challenge of funding but if one provides space and internet connection, there will be a production of cutting edge technologies,” says Melaketsehay.

The other challenge Markos and also Melaketsehay raise is related to financial regulation of the banks and lack of online payment system that creates a big hurdle for many app developers. According to Markos, for international companies such as Kaymu it became easier to penetrate the local markets with their services such as international hotel booking and shopping agents due to access to online payment.

On the other hand, after launching the developers are expected to register and have a physical presence that is a challenge for many app developers. “Only what you need is a laptop. So, there should be flexibility in letting them register without space. It needs a better regulation,” says Markos.

With all these challenges, still few of the apps in Ethiopia are generating incomes; most of them are struggling.

Markos says that most of the apps are advanced and have standards that are internationally comparable in terms of design aspect, user experience, accessibility and also speed or functionality. There is no application standard in Ethiopia but Markos says most Ethiopian apps adhere to the international app guidelines.

Hiking is a long, vigorous walk usually on trails (footpaths). It is a popular activity with numerous hiking organizations worldwide, and studies suggest that all forms of walking have health benefits. According to hikers, hauling oneself up a stony path in unfamiliar areas is a very enjoyable and relaxing activity. Here in Addis Ababa hikers say that the activity is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, writes Tibebeselassie Tigabu.

One of the ancient monasteries, Debre Damo, is located on a flat-topped mountain some 2,200m above sea level. Located on an isolated mountain in northern part of Tigray, the monastery is unique compared with most Ethiopian monasteries. Founded in the sixth century AD by Abuna Aregawi it is accessible only by rope up a sheer cliff, 50 feet high.

With the exception of a few footholds on the way up and a ledge about highway to get on top of this sheer cliff one has to use a thick rope (made of animal skin). This is one of the ancient churches that need persistence and endurance reach to the final destination.

For more than four hundred years the monks use this rope to go up and down as part of their daily routine. Pilgrims are also required to climb in the same manner. Metaphorically speaking, mountains symbolize divinity and many of the Ethiopian Orthodox, Churches including the one at Mount Ziquala, which is situated some 3,000m above sea level, are constructed on mountainous terrains.

Though climbing these mountains is an arduous task for visitors it has been a way of life for local inhabitants for thousands of years regardless of age or gender. Though it is a daily routine for the nearby communities, people from other areas go to these mountains as an adventure.

Hiking is one of the adventurous sports and many have climbed some of the highest mountains including Mount Everest. They also try to hike on difficult terrains. One of those difficult terrains is Mount Hua Shan, China. A lot of pilgrims have climbed to the temples on the five spires of Mount Hua Shan for centuries. Almost all of the climbs are treacherous, with nearly vertical stairways and few handholds. However, the plank trail to the south mountain is a different story. Believed to be one of the most dangerous hikes in the world, it consists of wooden platforms bolted onto the mountainside. Trekkers need to be tied to an iron chain paralleling the boards, which hover thousands of feet above the ground. Even getting to the trail is difficult and includes a climbing up of a vertical rebar staircase. At one point the planks disappear entirely and hikers must use small divots carved into the rock. There are no official death statistics, but the unofficial estimate is that 100 people per year die on Hua Shan. Multiply that over centuries and it maybe the deadliest peak in the world. Hikers from all over the world go to many mountains in the world even in places such as Hua Shan that has a reputation for fatal falls. For some, the reason for hiking it is the adrenalin push and looking for adventurous risks. However, there are also those who hike for health benefits, pilgrimage and entertainment.

Many hikers also come to Ethiopia to hike on the Semien Mountains.

With over twenty peaks towering above 4000m including Ras Dashen, which rises some 4620m above sea level, Semein Mountains has become an attraction site for trekkers who are inspired by challenges.

In this regard, it is not only tourists who are attracted to hiking the tallest peak in Ethiopia. Ethiopians from different urban centers are taking hiking as a hobby. While surfing on the web about Ethiopian hiking one might stumble on page called Addis Hiking Group. This is a group of people who love adventure, explore the beauty of nature and build friendship along the way. The group explores the terrains of Addis and also looks for new routes.

This Sunday they also plan to start at Sanusi near Asko area and hike all the way through the Gulele Botanical Garden that covers 12km. Their destination is to reach 2,783m sea level mark on Sullta hills. Wearing the same T-shirt many of them post their experience on Facebook. Their recent hiking from Menagesha to Sebeta, which required the crossing of dense bushes, covered some 14.3km. They reached 2,547m above sea level passing through the Suba forest. Biniam Shirfo and six of his friends established this hiking group two years ago.

For Biniam, who is a gym trainer, hiking is a very natural thing. Even before joining this group, he used to hike on his own from his house located around Torhayloch area all the way Shiro Meda then to Sululta. Though he did not mind being a loner, meeting other hikers changed the whole process into something communal. After coming together they decided to look for other people who share their passion and started this Facebook group. They do hiking every now and then and also prepare various events and celebrate that with hiking. One of them is an international global wellness day that brought together more than 30 hikers. This is not a group that takes dangerous routes. Rather it is still in its formative stage and it is Biniyam’s and his friends’ responsibility to make sure the road and the area is safe. They trek the area first with the neighborhood boys and mark the distance by dividing it in kilometers. After making sure the area is safe they take the whole group to the hiking area. The first thing they do is orientation about resting stops and the whole process of hiking. The group also prepares sandwiches, snacks and water.

Each participant also has to pay 200 birr to be part of the hiking team. Though the number of the hikers is growing, Biniyam does not hide the fact that many come not only for hiking but also looking for other fun activities. Biniyam, who loves hiking, says that he discovered the terrains of Addis and its neighborhoods through walking and exploring. One of the toughest hikings they did so far is at Debrelibanos where they had to endure the scorching sun without any shade. He says that they walked the hill for hours. Still, Biniam is too careful not to expose in risky hiking journeys. They had a plan to do hiking in Yereer that was interrupted when Biniyam heard it was not safe. Some of the territories are not well marked or trekked which is challenging for Biniyam. He had a experience where he was lost; however, now he says that is highly unlikely that it would happen. They use mobile applications like Samsung Health and Google Maps to find their way and make sure that the route is safe for hiking. But this was not easy since they have to ask approval from some government offices.

“It is taken as people aimlessly wondering in different areas and they do not understand the health benefit associated with it,” Biniyam says.

That is also one of the reasons they decided to get registered as an organization and get a license. Many children are adventurous and want to wander around to study their areas. In that regard, Yoftahe Manyazewal, a hiker, has managed to embark on his childhood dream. He grew up in Egziabher Ab area, which was covered with a dense forest. That gave him an opportunity to satisfy his childhood curiosity. Conscious about his lifestyle Yoftahe practices yoga and meditation and has added hiking as a hobby. That gave him the chance to escape the chaotic urban areas. Usually, he does not plan on hiking. Rather he spontaneously hikes with his friends to Entoto. Sometimes he also travels with the Addis Hiking Group and another hiking group called Hash. They usually trek the renowned routes to Sullulta on various directions. In addition to that, he also hikes with members of his yoga and meditation center, Kihul Holistic Development Center. This becomes more of a picnic where they take snacks, drinks and also musical instruments. The vibe somehow changes into a musical community where one plays the drums, while another plays the harmonica. They dance, laugh and enjoy their outing. In addition to that, when they stop they also play various games. “This is one way of connecting with nature. It is more of a spiritual practice to calm one’s mind,” Yoftahe says.

Eyerusalem Yaregal also shares Yoftahe’s idea of this being a spiritual practice. For her it is one way of unplugging from the city’s commotion. Being a woman who loves walking, this activity has managed to bring her closer to a group of people who love to walk. Whenever various groups prepare a hiking event she takes part in it. One of the longest hiking she did was a 15-kilometer hiking with the Addis Hiking Group. She says that she does not get tired. In fact, she says that it has a relaxing feeling. Some people see hiking as aimlessly wandering but Eyerusalem sees it differently. “It is an escape from the city life. In addition to that your mind becomes calm,” Eyerusalem says.

Many hikers all over the world take dangerous routes wearing hiking boots, having a compass, trekking pole, first aid kit, knife, insect repellent, GPS navigation device and emergency blankets. Many hikers in Ethiopia only take a safe route but safe aid kits are available in their journey in case of emergency. Now planning to actually head to Semien Mountains Biniyam and his friends are preparing for one of their challenging routes to date.

Children with physical and mental disabilities experience personal limitations in the social, psychological and economic spheres, some of which can be alleviated with parental, community and governmental support. Some say that the critical task is developing and maintaining a focus on abilities rather than on disabilities, then honing those abilities to provide the greatest degree of personal autonomy. In Ethiopia, though there is a policy framework, disabled children face immense difficulties, writes Tibebeselassie Tigabu.

“Imagine, when you envision a lawyer, what do you see? Do you see a woman? Is that the first thing that comes to mind? How about someone using a wheelchair? Do you see someone who is deaf and signing? Or even, do you see someone who is nice?”

This is an excerpt taken from the speech of Haben Girma—the first deaf-blind graduate of Harvard University Law School— while making her Tedx Talk in 2014. The Eritrean-American Haben, who captivated the whole world with an inspiring story, is a sign of hope and persistence even in one’s darkest moments. In her speech, she gives an insight, which is overlooked, and the journey that should be taken to bend possible mainstream rules in impossible situations.

 “My disability is deaf-blindness. Helen Keller paved a path of possibilities for deaf-blind children and adults who came after her. These individuals need to move forward as pioneers, in a world designed for people who can see and hear. Many members of minority groups move forward as pioneers.”

Born from Eritrean immigrants and being deaf-blind she defied the mainstream expectation of not being able to make it in a world designed for able-bodied people. She enrolled in Oakland public school district in California and talking about her childhood she acknowledges her privilege that provided her the luxury of being a child and a student. Her teachers did not say she has to learn braille and rather introduced her to the love of reading with braille through playing a game of Guess the Dots.

Through the help of a flexible system she even learned how to dance, how to ski, how to cook and other extracurricular activities. She even became a celebrity where she met US President Barack Obama. At the White House Haben was seen talking to Obama one on one, telling him that “technology can bridge the gap for people with disabilities.”

She is one of the success stories. Her story was able to capture many people’s ear, inspire a community and attract the attention of the mainstream media. This is a privilege for someone coming from Ethiopia. A huge number of disabled people are on the street begging without there being any opportunity. Unfortunately, for many being disabled is seen as a “curse” from God.

Though it is associated as a “curse” in the traditional Ethiopian teaching, many disabled people were able to reach the higher level of education. In that regard, many of them were able to defy the odds and become successful professionals.

However, this seems to be interrupted with the introduction of a “modern education” system that could not provide alternative techniques for disabled children.

There are so many students who have never learned brail or sign language or have never learned mathematics because the schools did not have teachers. This worry is deeply felt by Halima Awol, who has a son, Osman Reshad, 8, who is deaf and has speech impairment.

According to Halima, Osman was diagnosed with hearing impairment at the age of three. Though they did not know if he was able to talk they decided not to rush enrolling him to the special education school.

The reason for that was, if he learns to communicate well using sign language he might resist talking. So they waited for some time and they heard about Yekatit 23—a school that follows an inclusive education policy and enrolls deaf students together with other students.

They were happy in getting this opportunity and enrolled him in kindergarten. He started picking up sign language but could not communicate when he gets home. “For almost six months this situation confused him. We did not know how to communicate using sign language,” Halima says.

They wanted to be a part of his life. So they started taking a course on how to communicate using sign language. Though they wanted to support him, according to Halima, the school was problematic because they brought together every kind of disabled children and mix them with adults.

“There were many adults as far as up to 40 years old with an intellectual disability problem and also mental situations. Mixing these children with adults is problematic. What makes it worse is that some of them get violent. This was a very scary situation for a child,” Halima says.

In addition to that, when Osman was promoted to 1st grade, the situation started to change. He started facing teachers who did not learn sign language. Halima says that they left these children in the dark where they do not understand when a paragraph is read out loud, when homework is given and instructions for exams are dictated.

“They are not learning. Osman sometimes struggles by himself to read the books but he cannot understand everything by himself,” Halima says.

Halima, who is also a member of the Parents and Teacher’s Committee, is involved in her child’s affairs. Together with concerned teachers and parents, Halima took the issue of access to sign language to the school officials, the woreda, sub-city and the Ministry of Education. Unfortunately, they did not get a satisfactory answer.

“Most of the parents are not interested in the education of these children. This is a dumping site for the parents so they can be out of their sight and many officials see these students as a burden,” Halima says.

The Ethiopian Deaf Association offers free sign language classes and gives transportation money for those who want to take the classes but, according to Halima, most parents with deaf children do not want to learn sign language. In that regard, these children do not receive the necessary support from the school and their parents.

Proud of her son’s effort, she says that his spirit is breaking by the day since most of the teachers do not know sign language and even those who know sign language do not know how to teach mathematics, science and other subjects.

“I know he is a smart kid but he is not learning at all,” Halima says.

Though Halima offers to help, he is a proud child who persists in not needing help from his mother. However, nowadays his sister seems to get involved in his world where they are collectively supporting him to excel.

Osman is one of a kind to actually have this support but in that school there are grade eight students who cannot do basic writing or reading. Alem Geremew is one of the teachers in Yekati 23. She says that it breaks her heart to see the situation of the children.

According to Alem, to begin with; the school was designed for able-bodied and disabled children to learn separately. This situation was not welcoming for disabled children who were mocked, teased and bullied by the other children.

So the school introduced an inclusive education strategy in such a way that children with and without disabilities can participate and learn together in the same class. With that in place, they hoped that in the future they can integrate in society easily.

According to Alem, countries follow an inclusive education policy in order to bring children in an environment where every child is valued equally and deserves the same opportunities and experiences.

Alem strongly believes that the initial motive was a good one but the practice went wrong. According to Alem, the school wanted to fit children with disabilities in a school system that is designed for children without disabilities. There was no inclusive system without specially designed materials or resources for these children. Alem says that deaf children are visual learners so supporting their lessons with various models, videos and photographs, which are necessary. However, the school did not have that.

According to Alem, an inclusive education system focuses on an individual education plan, which sees the children’s capability and needs so that they can participate in a meaningful way.

It is not only the resources that are the difficulties. Another tough task is the sign language. The Ministry of Education allocates most teachers without considering what the situation at the school is. In this school’s case, the teachers neither knew sign language nor had trainings on special care for students with intellectual disabilities.

Some teachers make extra efforts in learning sign language or learn how to care for children with disabilities but in most of the cases Alem says that many teachers are not interested in making that extra effort by learning sign language.

“This is a denial of their right to get proper education. The Ethiopian Constitution declares that children have a right to learn in their own language. And for these children sign language is their language; however, it became a privilege in giving them that,” Alem says.

The other issues are related to books, which are homogenous to every group. The books have long passages, and when it comes to mathematics, physics and chemistry, the teachers, who even know sign language, do not have the concept of teaching these subjects using sign language.

Sadly, Alem says that many students cannot write and read and one of the proofs was that out of 13 deaf students, who took the eighth grade national exam, only two passed.

According to Alem, when they were children it was easier to make them understand by bringing practical examples such as vegetables to show them practical demonstration but when subjects started to get complicated there are no literatures that guide teachers.

When it comes to intellectual disabilities, the situation is worse since their level is not revised by experts. Most of them could not take care of themselves and that escalated the problem. Alem boldly says that for the intellectual disabilities this became a place to spend their day; not a school to learn something new.

“There was supposed to be a strategy which is designed to help these students so they can be able to help themselves and support themselves in the future. That is not implemented yet,” Alem says.

This year the school has been renovated and moved temporarily to Dagmawi Birhan School, which resulted in suffocating students. In addition, noise from nearby classes interrupts the learning process. In addition to that, according to Alem, the sitting arrangement for deaf students, which has to be U-shaped so they can see one another’s sign language, matter a lot but since the class is very narrow the sitting arrangements prevents them from interacting.

Furthermore, this school does not have access to students with physical impairments. Like many of the buildings in Addis Ababa, the school building, the bathroom and also the classrooms are not easily accessible for students with physical impairment.

The universal accessibility standard states that stairs should have handrails on the side, the upper one being 90cm and the lower one being 70 cm from the floor. Ramp should provide direct access to the buildings. Many of them are forced to use the bathrooms while lying or putting their hand on a bathroom seat or on the floor in an undignified and uncomfortable way.

They requested these problems to be rectified, which was received with harsh criticism by school officials as they said that it is luxurious. Teklay Belete, who went to Abiyot Kirs, remembers these issues. A man who walks with the help of crutches suffered a lot when it comes to using the lavatory. In addition to that, the treatment they received from the guards and some teachers was not proper. He refrained from drinking water in order not to go to the bathroom, which he says was a nightmare. When he had to go to use the facilities, he had a lot of shameful experiences. In addition to the bathroom, the classrooms were not comfortable and he recalls that he had a severe concussion on many occasions. One time he had to repeat sixth grade because of a severe concussion. A teacher in one of the private schools says that it is still painful to bring up those memories. “My parents did not care if I learned. I pushed so hard and it was painful. One new guard taught I was a beggar and hit me with a stick. Though I had good friends, there were mean children who named me names. It was just dark and I don’t want children to pass through what I passed through,” Teklay says.

Though it is painful for many disabled people, Mussie Tilahun, communications director at the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development, says that the Ethiopian government is progressing with special education and inclusive education policy.

A strategy was implemented in 2004 regarding the inclusion policy that identified the need for favorable climate for disabled students, access to resources and the need for special education departments in higher learning institutions.

The country also ratified and implemented many international conventions including United Nations Conventions on The Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006 and is part of Ethiopia’s Constitution.

Though he appreciates the country’s strategy and policy, he says that the practicability is disappointingly minimal.

He mentions a 2013 abstract from the Ethiopian Ministry of Education regarding the enrollment of students. According to the abstract, 18 million students are in school and from this number only 70 thousand students are disabled.

According to Mussie, the number of disabled children in Ethiopia is estimated to be 1.8 million, which makes the number of disabled children in schools only four percent.

There are many reasons for that including the lack of access to the strategy and the policy regarding inclusive education and the shortage of equipped expertise regarding inclusive education. He says that in the report, which was issued by the Ministry of Education, 2,000 people are trained with special needs education in the country.

Mussie doubts the approaches of the training, which he says is only theoretical. He says that many of them do not know how to read braille or use sign language. In most of the cases Mussie says that there is integration rather than inclusiveness. “We twist these children to fit the world of the non-disabled children,” he says. Regarding resources, he says that many of the schools do not have braille writings, braille slates, abacus and canes.

In addition to that, he says that many handicapped children are forced to drop out from school or suffer from the unfavorable environment, and sometimes are forced not to urinate, leading them to be diagnosed with kidney failures.

The first blind school in Ethiopia was established in 1924 around Piazza and in the 1960s the Sebeta School for the Blind followed. Currently, it has expanded and there is a special need education courses at university level.

According to Mussie, former president Negaso Gidada’s father is one of the first persons to actually learn using braile. In the early 1990s the Government of Finland contributed in supporting special needs education in Ethiopia but it is still lagging behind.

According to Mussie, the first step is parents’ involvement in disabled children’s learning process.

There are specialized schools for blind students in the country namely: Sebeta, Wolaita Sodo, Shashemene and Gondar Kidane Mihret. For deaf students, there are specialized schools in Hosanna, Shinshicho, Aleta Wondo, and in the Tigray Regional State.

When it comes to inclusive education policy Mussie mentions the German Church School that teaches blind students with other students. According to Mussie, this is one of the good schools that were able to bring resources and involve blind students in extracurricular activities. Though Mussie appreciates the initiative, he says that there should be a lot of work that should be done to give access to and fulfill the right to education for people, which is being totally neglected.

Decline in children's outdoor play is being observed. Compared to the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990schildren now spend 50 percent less time in unstructured outdoor activities, according to various researches. At times it is even hard to find groups of children outdoors at all since electronic gadgets are replacing outdoor activities. And the down side is children will become weaker, less muscular and unable to do physical tasks that previous generations found simple, writes Tibebeselassie Tigabu.

Asking children the name of a board game, where one moves pebbles around so that you can collect more than your opponent, can be one social experiment to find out whether traditional games are lost, transformed or replaced by other games. How many children in urban spaces know an Ethiopian traditional game called gebet’a?

A second grader, Melekot, who resides in the neighborhood of Summit, always gets into trouble for going against his parents’ wishes of not playing outside. This young boy, like many of his peers, does not know what gebet’a is.

To the question, ‘Do you know gebet’a?’ he doubtfully replied by saying, “Is it a card game?” and when he understood that his answer was incorrect he shrugged his shoulders and answered, “I don’t know,” and continued dribbling his ball.

Teamir, a fourth grader, who resides in the same area, laughed so hard when she heard the game gebet’a. After laughing so hard she was curious to know what kind of game it was. She talked about games she knows such as Akukulu (hide and seek), Arenguade, and other singing games, which she sang for a while.

In many parts of Ethiopia gebet’a is still played with small holes dug in the ground or carved out on a flat stone. Usually, there are larger holes on both ends of the board. These larger holes are known as stores and are used for holding the pebbles.

In various parts of the country many children play gebet’a using pieces such as seeds, beans, pebbles or cowry shells. These pieces are placed in the holes and then transferred from one hole to another during the course of the game. The aim is to collect more pebbles.

Gebet’a, which is known as Mancala in many African countries, is one of the widely played games across the continent. Gebet’a was once popular since it did not require sophisticated equipment. One can dig small holes in the ground easily and collect pebbles or seeds to play the game. Though it is very difficult to conclude by saying that many children do not know gebet’a, many say that traditional games are slowly fading out. In the past, many children were seen on the sidewalks and public spaces playing various outdoor games; however, that is now becoming a rarity. The only outdoor game that is connecting all children seems to be football. In many neighborhoods football is still visible though the way the ball is made has changed throughout the years. Ball making had its innovative course where children used torn or new socks or plastics bags. Though Melekot wants to play football, he is restricted and supervised by his parents when it comes to time and space. In addition to that, there is no one who is willing to play with him during the rainy season. He dribbles his ball and kicks it at a juniper tree so that it bounces back. Passionate about playing football, he goes against his parents’ orders and goes outside to play. He says there is no space in their small compound so he takes his ball outside. Both his parents spend their day at work and he says that it has benefited him. However, there is the maid who sometimes tells on him. He says that when his mother hears about him playing outside she says that she is not going to take him to Edna Mall. “The funny thing is; she does not know that I don’t care about Edna Mall,” Melekot says.

Though it is the rainy season, Melekot gets up early in the morning to play with his ball and is not scared of getting some dirt on his clothes and shoes.

During school hours, he plays games such as “I know the killer” where one kid enters in the middle of a circle and turns around in a circle and points at someone and the child who was pointed at will wink at someone. If he is seen while winking he will be out of the game; otherwise the game will continue. The other informative and entertaining game they play is bingo where they compete with each other on how to build words using A to Z and the Amharic alphabets Ha to Pe.  Usually, four players participate in the game and the judge calls out each alphabet and the competitors write their answers secretly. The winner will be the one who was able to call bingo first and who was able to come up with new words. The other game, which was popular in the past, was leba ena police (thief and police). The game, which has a plot, involves a thief, a judge, police and a plaintiff. Since there is no playground at their school, it is very difficult for him to run around. In fact, it is not only Melekot’s school that has the same problem. Debora Alemayehu, a sixth grader at Radical Academy, says that most of their games involve papers. Games such as truth or dare and shreds are popular in their school. Though there are children who bring their ropes to play with or kick football, she says that the ground is not suitable. Many of them – during recess or lunchtime – sing or dance. Though it is not allowed to bring their phones, some of them hide it in their backpacks and listen to music during lunchtime. She says that some of them compete in twerking. Home is a different story for Debora where she does not play with anyone. “I just watch TV or study,” she says.

When moving around CMC and Summit areas, one will notice that it is filled with silence. Not seeing children playing outside is becoming common in many areas of Addis and many comment that traditional outdoor games such as segno maksegno (hopscotch), biy (marbles), suzi (a game which is played using ropes) and other types of games are in decline. These days, for children, it is all about mobile games, online gaming, PlayStation and Xbox.

Most of the old outdoor games are free and require little or no equipment. These games are also played by both boys and girls and there are no limitations in the number of players. In addition, the rules could be customized as long as there is fairness and the players agree.

For Rabea Seid, 25, within a span of 15 years, the urban scene has changed. She grew up playing suzi and football. She also played Pepsi – a game which has two teams. One team chases the other team using a ball and the second team escapes and attempts to pile up corks. Some say this game was called Demo during the time of Emperor Haile-Selassie and during the early years of the Derg regime the name was changed to Pepsi since Demo was strongly associated with the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party’s ideological publication Democracia. Generally speaking, many of the games involved using stones, clay, and getting dirty.

Rabea believes these games – apart from being a fun – helped her in building fundamental skills ranging from social interaction to physical agility.

She has a brother who is ten and is alien to the idea of these outdoor games. Likewise, Rabea is alien to his world. His world is digital and virtual while hers is outdoors and physical.

Strolling down memory lane, she says that these games were physically immersive and usually open-ended. It is not only Rabea; many adults remember their childhood “good old days” and the games they played with excitement.

Berhan Alemu, who grew up in the Saris area, says that he used to walk to the National Theatre area on a daily basis to look for small ceramic tiles to play t’et’er. According to Berhan, they moved in a group to explore different neighborhoods and collect the tiles. He does not understand why they walked so far looking for the ceramic tiles but then again laughs when he remembers those aimless roaming.

They are sneaky in picking their tiles and sometimes get into some sort of trouble. “If the guard is around we do not pick the tiles. We hang out around there and wait for him to go away,” Berhan says.

They also play football with balls made from old socks or plastic bags. Berhan, who is currently a father of one, says that he was a troublemaker who always messed up the drying laundry with his muddy ball. Whenever he goes to his old neighborhood, he notices the change. He says that many of the neighborhood children do not play biy or t’et’er. “These days, many of the kids are into mobile games,” he says.

Around Sidist Kilo area five little girls are standing beside a tent, which is erected for a funeral. One of them is carrying a leather bag and that bag seems precious enough where they take turns among each other to carry it. Forgetting the loss of an elder person in the neighborhood, their focus was on the bag.

Another girl was carrying a rope but they were not playing with it. For more than one hour they were whispering to each other continuing to carry the bag in turns.

The neighborhood is a pocket area, which at times is dilapidated and shanty. The closely built houses are very close to the street and day-to-day household chores are disrupted whenever tents are erected for weddings, funerals or other occasions. The same place is where children play their outdoor games. Just like Sidist Kilo, areas like Arat Kilo and Casanchis have completely shifted from the age-old interaction and lifestyle.

These unprecedented levels of social, economic and urban change led to the emergence of high-rise apartments (condominiums). This, however, did not consider the needs of a child. Many say that cobblestoned compounds are not conducive to children’s games. Though there is a common space in the condominium compounds, it could not transform itself into a suitable playground and, according to commentators, the infrastructure has prevented the kids from playing outdoor games and resort to mobile games and video games.

Mahlet Tessema, a mother of two, does not agree with the notion of over-exposing children to gadgets. She believes that children have the eagerness for experience and exploration and for the physical world around them.

Unfortunately, condominium houses and other apartments are designed without taking into account the need to have children’ playgrounds.

These games have been traditionally passed down from generation to generation by children themselves adding their own innovation and giving it a contemporary touch. Despite the lack of space, many children played these games in different periods. So the question is why these traditional games are fading out? According to Mahlet, one of the reasons is that parents are afraid for their children’s safety when they leave the house alone. Many children are no longer free to roam around their neighborhoods or even their own yards unless they are accompanied by adults.

She says that working families cannot supervise their children. So they force the children to stay indoors. According to her, children’s lives have become structured and scheduled by adults. Her observation is that many children focus on their studies and when they have free time it is often spent indoors in front of computers or the television – watching cartoons – or playing with toy guns, cars and dolls.

Mahlet’s ressidence lies on a 90sq.m. plot of land and the only play area for children is on the cobblestone out of her compound. Though there is a common shared space in their residential area, she is not comfortable when her seven-year-old son mixes with other children.

She says that she raises her child in a controlled environment and her biggest worry is that the parents of the other children might not share her values. She noticed how some children get on top of a car and throw stones randomly. “Most of these residential areas are filled with new people. So we don’t know each other. It makes me uncomfortable when my child is playing with people that I don’t know,” Mahlet says.

According to Mahlet, during the sunny season, their residential area is deserted and it is very rare to see children play. It is during the rainy season that most of the kids start to come out. “If I knew what kind of children they were during the year it would be ok if he plays with other children; otherwise, I cannot take the risk,” Mahlet says.

So her son, Beamlak, is restricted to only ride his bike in the house. When he gets tired of his bicycle he tries to go to the compound, which, according to Mahlet, usually does not end well. She says that his leg is covered with bruises.

Since he complains a lot, she sometimes goes outside to watch him when he plays; though she understands that adult supervision is not fun at all, especially for the kids.

According to Mahlet, her young boy does not understand the dangers associated with playing on cobblestones. He jumps, runs and tries to create his own game. However, the question is, do these games really matter or is it just a mere attempt of reviving the games?

Mahlet, who grew up in a big family playing every kind of games, feels her child is missing out in having the childhood she had. She says that he should learn to be self-reliant and independent. “Now I see how they developed too much dependency on us. Small things such as tying his shoelaces are becoming very difficult for him,” Mahlet says.

With the hike in school fees, food prices and other consumables, many parents are occupied with their daily life and forgot the importance of child play. If situations continue, she fears that outdoor playing might disappear. “It is important to revisit and incorporate them in our contemporary urban life,” she says.