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enabling these youngsters to continue are telling you about my country!' I sending me e-mails, encouraging him
going to school.' Up to date, he has feel I have to promote the image of my and telling me that they are proud
collected 200 bikes, and once he has country and that our tourism potential about what he has achieved. He serves
got 500 they will be shipped to should be known all over the world." as a source of inspiration. However,
Ethiopia. In Bern, the police officers it's not only in Ethiopia that people
have already given him bikes for his "As an Ethiopian I feel very sad when have been inspired ... young people
project and they will continue doing I hear that people in my county are elsewhere in Asia, the USA, the rest of
SO. starving. If I had the chance to change Africa.
that, I would do a lot of things."
Once back home, he will prepare an If you feel like learning more about his
exhibition to share his experience. He "As the young generation, we have to trip (and if you have a bicycle to
will invite diplomats, government offi- do something for our country -- contri- contribute), you can find more infor-
cials and other interested persons to bute to change and not only think mation on www.incredible-
attend. They will learn that one person about ourselves. My grandfather ethiopia.com and you can contact
can really make a difference, without fought against the Italian invasion; he Ginnay
Mesfin
on:
spending lots of money. taught me a lot. Today, foreign aid and discoverethio@yahoo.com
foreigners come to us like baby-sitters
Then he will start to plan for the next to do things for us, as if we were inca-
bicycle trip -- to Canada and the pable and did not know how to deve-
United States! lop our own county. It drives me mad!
Increased tourism would create jobs
"I have realized how little the rest of and bring foreign currency to the
the world knows about Ethiopia. What country, and that's a field where I
they know is only the negative issues. would like to continue working, either
This is the fault of misappropriate in developing programmes for
coverage by Western media about the Ethiopian tourism or working for the
country's poverty. I realize that the Ministry of Tourism. To work as an
world still has a wrong perception Ethiopian who shows concern about
about the real image of Ethiopia. Who our history, culture, nature, wild life
is responsible for this, I ask myself? that's my wish!
Everybody can say its the govern-
ment, or the Europeans, or the media It could be said that he has succeeded
coverage. That's one thing, but the in his endeavour. He has created a lot
ordinary citizens like me should react of positive impact, both nationally and
and say: 'It's not true what these people internationally. Lots of Ethiopians are

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