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Background info

Ethiopia is a land of contrasts

From a 4,600m high mountain range in the north, to the Rift Valley at 100m below sea level in places, from the sandy deserts of the east to the lush vegetation around Lake Tana- the source of the Blue Nile to the west, the countryside is  diverse enough to support a large variety of wildlife and culture.
 

In 1974 the then earliest example of walking man was found in Ethiopia, dated as being 3.5 million years old.  Actually, she was female, known as Dinkenesh to Ethiopians, and Lucy internationally.
 

Today, with a population of over 70 million, the people speak 80 languages and dialects and are from 52 different ethnic groups.

Ethiopia's cultural richness

Ethiopia is the only country in Africa never to have been colonised, having only a brief occupation by the Italians for five years during the Second World War from 1935. It has a strong Christian culture with historical links to the New Testament, and the original Arc of the Covenant is believed to be held in a monastery in the north of the country - hence its Judo Christian Coptic background. Historically, Ethiopia is a country where the Christian and Muslim followers co-exist harmoniously.

The country has its own written language, Amharic, and traditions in literature, dress, dance and music have flourished through its historical independence.

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia and at present it is over 120 years old. It is located in the central plateau of the country at an altitude varying from 2200 meters to 2800 meters covering a total area of 200 square kilometers. The average maximum temperature is 230C and the minimum 110C. December is the coldest month whilst May is the hottest and August, with its heavy rain, is the wettest season. The very cold and heavy rains affect the condition of buildings and particularly of those who live in dwellings unsuitable for human habitation.

The Statistical Abstract of 2003 estimates the population of Addis Ababa to be about 4-5 million. Considering the fast growing population of Addis, the above figure is expected anticipated to have risen to between 5-6,000,000 by now. The sex ratio of the general population is estimated at 9 males to 10 females.

Addis Ababa is divided into Sub-Cities, which in turn are sub-divided into smallest units of urban dwellers associations of Kebeles which are presently 100 in number. The average household size in all the Kebeles, according to municipal demographic data, is 5.2. The average population density in the slums of Addis, as indicated in the general demographic data, is estimated to be 1 square meter per person.

Addis Ababa has been growing rapidly and not in any orderly fashion. This has led to severe shortage and often lack of basic services and infrastructures such as shortage of water supply, sanitation facilities, access roads, drainage and lack of proper housing. Unemployment is growing fast resulting in extreme poverty of many of the residents leading to serious shortage of food.

Because of these conditions, slum areas are growing by leaps and bounds in Addis Abeba. According to World Bank data presently, it is estimated that about 90% of Addis is considered to be slum area. It is with this challenge in mind that IHAUDP has been doing slum up-grading development work in the city and it has upgraded 6 slums replicating its approach and its activities in following its philosophy of “integrated” and ‘holistic” approach, which it has found to be very successful in all its previous interventions.

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