Day 17 – The big move – Katie and Matthew

Following the decision to move the Centre to a new location we all awoke this morning full of excitement and apprehension about whether we will comnplete it all in one day. The entire contents of the current Centre had to be moved to the new site five minutes down the road. This move, only decided on the day before, meant that the Centre students would have a bigger and better space to use.

At the old Centre it was a blur of activity. Both UK and Ethiopian students were working like crazy to load gari after gari – donkeys and carts – Ethiopian removal vans which made over twenty trips. After a demolition job of the roof put up only a couple of days before, a lot of hard work-especially carrying the safe – the Centre was completley moved within three hours. A huge effort by all concerned and we were really please as we throught the move was supposed to take the whole day.

The students therefore got the afternoon off to shop or relax by Lake Tana, the source of the nile. Still no hippos!

On a side note, myself (Matthew) and Steph Hardy were given the oportunity to observe reconstructive surgery for women with fistulas at Bahir Dah Fistula Hospital. Instead of working hard on the move we spent the morning in pyjamas (scrubs) watching the amazing work of Dr Bitew and his team as they performed life changing oppeations for women with this problem. Truly an amazing experience!

We went back to Desset Lodge for dinner where we had a lovely meal before walking back to the Ghion for a good night’s sleep.