The “Vicious Cycle of Poverty”:

The experts tell us that the Ethiopian population continues to grow fast. This seems to hide the fact that Ethiopian children are born for a precarious short-life, destined to live in abject poverty, which often ends before they reach adolescence or the prime of their lives. The country is increasingly getting gripped tighter and tighter in the “vicious circle of poverty”, making it harder and harder for her to get out of the mess. Hunger, starvation, exposure to terrible diseases such as AIDS and malaria; overcrowding and unemployment are increasingly becoming a way of life in many parts of the country, both in the countryside and urban areas.

Perhaps the most precious and key assets of any developing country to overcome poverty i.e. good governance, peace, security and stability continue to be far dreams and always at risk in Ethiopia, due to intermittent internal political strife and outside pressures on the country. The degradation of its beautiful environment continues to accelerate rather than decelerate. The country's dependence on nature is growing year by year and day by day.

There is always hope!

Fortunately, there is always hope and a ‘light at the end of the tunnel', as they say. Deep inside the country's soul is still a strong spirit, steeled with a long history of survival instinct and the capacity to calmly accept and overcome many difficult tests and obstacles, at times alone on her own. This ancient country, the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of the human race, despite its poverty, is always bestowed with internal confidence and unshakable spirit built over thousands of years with its prayer and most of all its strong and characteristically optimistic, dignified and humble people, united by a single purpose of survival instinct and continuity, rooted in its blood and colorful and varied deep culture, ethnicity, religion, language and Arts. Hence Ethiopia will never disappear!

What is often depressing, however, to many ordinary Ethiopians is that, all of the intricate social, economic and political problems take place, despite the fact that the country is blessed with rich natural and human resources, deep history and culture; perhaps most of all, with resilient and hard-working people who love, defend and are always ready to sacrifice even their precious lives for their country. And yet, in this modern age, where almost every country on earth seems to benefit from economic growth and prosperity, in one way or another, this ancient country, the birthplace of the human race, Ethiopia, continues to be one of the poorest, if not the poorest country in the world!

The lingering question is Why?

So far, it seems no one has a grip on the answer. We don't claim either in this website, to have miraculously discovered the answer for this complex question. At the same time, we don't believe that there is just one single answer for this challenging question. The answer may well be multidimensional, as the question is too complex.

Our message, however, is simple, perhaps naïve. We strongly believe everyone who loves and cares for Ethiopia should be united to march together peacefully and sincerely with determination; and strive to seek the answer, especially in these difficult times, when the country is desperately crying for help! The clues for this complex question of why our country continues to be so poor, laden with potential crisis and behind everyone else in the world for so long, and so many generations, may well be found deep inside each one of our individual souls, consciousness and spirit; most of all in the great reservoir of love many of us have for our people and country.

We may be able to find the answer only if we all genuinely work together to look for it. If we don't, the risks could be too high a burden for our people to overcome, at least in our life time! As ordinary citizens, we need to unite and work in one heart, soul and spirit, and do everything we can to avoid any impending crisis. We just can't afford that. At least we need to keep the hope of our people alive and well, as they dream for a better future. Hopefully, then, the political elites will also come to their senses, tolerate each other, work together and provide a concerted, trustworthy and genuine leadership to guide our people and country into the right path. We may then be able to save our poor people and beloved country, Ethiopia !

This website is developed with that hope and spirit in sight. It is one way of our attempt to contribute our share for spreading that important message of unity of purpose, understanding and a single aim to save our people and country. We invite you to join your hands and minds with us for this worthwhile cause and a long journey, to share your genuine thoughts, feelings, expertise, talents and vision, at least by way of “Art Streams”, if not by other means so that together we can seek the answer for why our beloved country continues to bleed and be so poor for so long? While pursuing the answer for this question in different angles, we may possibly stumble into the secret of our bad luck or throw insights and lights to magically show our beloved country the way out from the “vicious circle of poverty” it is subjected in, to lead a peaceful, rich, prosperous and secured life for her many generations to come and forever!

Thank you,

Please send your comments or suggestions to ghion@nileartstreams.com

October, 2005

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