Training in Ethiopia

As I write this, there has been another power cut for a few hours. That happens almost every day here in southern Ethiopia. Fortunately, my laptop still has 34% battery. 

I would like to take you with me into my time here.

I worked in Sendafa near Addis Abbeba, which, by the way New flower means training seven enthusiastic Ethiopians in simple stress and trauma management strategies. I learnt a lot from my Wingwave knowledgebut also other coaching strategies. 

The training itself and my students, who will be training others themselves, were simply great. Everyone was actively involved, asked lots of questions etc. I taught in English, but did the practice groups in Amharic. 

It was very physically demanding. We drove 4 hours a day in a poorly sprung minibus through city traffic and sometimes bumpy roads to the training and leisure centre in order to get to the centre of the Ethiopian organisations. "Child Development Training & Research Centre (CDTRC) which is beautifully situated. However, there are currently no funds for further expansion. At the moment there is not even running water and only half of the money needed for a new minibus for the team has been raised. If you have the capacity and desire to support this project that is changing an entire country, here is some information here

One day I was very weak and had to lie down between lessons. But I still managed. 

Effects

The results of the training and the individual coaching sessions with almost every participant can certainly not be measured. But some things are already visible: seven committed people who have learnt basic methods to reduce stress and trauma and are fully motivated to pass them on to others. 

I have often compared my training to the Health Posts, the basic medical centres all over the country, whose directors do not have an extensive medical degree, but know the basics of wound care and save thousands of lives with their knowledge. 

Peace and reconciliation

One particular highlight: one afternoon I taught about the fact that we are not just individuals, but represent groups: Women, teachers, Germans, Ethiopians, Bavarians, Oromo, Europeans, Africans. And that we can use this representation to say: "As a teacher, I ask for your forgiveness for what teachers have done to you." When my students practised this with each other (I always had them practise everything right away), tears flowed and healing happened. 

Effects

During the training, one participant experienced healing from the fear of leaving the capital, which had tormented him since an attack that almost cost him his life. 

Another woman was once locked in a lift and hasn't been in a lift since. After I worked through the trauma with her, we rode the lift together and she cheered to her friend: "I've made it!" 

A young man who witnessed his mother drowning and was unable to resuscitate her told me after I taught him the methodology: "My feelings always felt like a black hole. I didn't know what to do. Now, for the first time, I have hope that things can get better."

His brother said: "This is really good news. Good news! Salvation." 

One of my students said: "We have already learnt a lot about trauma, but this is the first practical tool to help us overcome trauma." 

Multiplication

My dream is that what I have conveyed will continue to have an effect and be spread. And that is already happening. One of my students taught his Sunday school class what he had learnt after the very first lesson. And his son, who noticed the inner change, said: "Dad, that's like magic!"

Another of my students taught his sons to de-stress. The next morning, the 5-year-old, who often had nightmares, said: "Dad, can we do what we did yesterday again? I've never slept so well!"

Now I'm hoping for more multiplication. All my course participants have said that they want to teach others: Their wives, children and of course the people who train them. 

On the last day in Addis, I was able to offer a short training course lasting several hours for 17 local leaders from organisations such as World Vision and Compassion. So there are now 25 people in Ethiopia who can teach what I have taught. 

25 to over 100 million people - that seems like a drop in the ocean. But everyone has promised to teach others and to ask their students to teach others too. We have produced an English leaflet, which we will also translate into Ethiopian. 

If each person tells just one person what they have learnt and encourages them to tell others, that's 1600 people in 6 months and over 50,000 people in 12 months. 

The director of CDTRC has invited me to come back. I would like to continue investing in the country and can imagine training larger groups of leaders, teachers and trainers with the help of my students. I hope to be able to support an entire country in overcoming trauma. 

A few months ago there was a lot of unrest, people were killed, it was terrible for everyone. One leader told me: "The riots showed me: If there is no peace, all other efforts are in vain!"

I am therefore grateful to everyone who has given me practical support to make this time here possible. It is my wish and my prayer that I can continue to help people find peace - for themselves personally and between the individual ethnic groups.