"We Are The Children!"

The capital of Amhara region, Bahir Dar was seemed to be a city which is under the control of chil¬dren. The main road of the city was covered with the flood of boys and girls. A dozen of children whose faces clearly revealed self confidence were dancing collectively and singing various songs of the nation and nationalities of Ethiopia, some others were also doing different sport competitions with strength and endurance. Most of these children were dressed light blue t-shirt and white cape whose meanings refere to purity, birth, cleanliness, peace, humility, truth, confidence etc. Because, it was June/17/2011, the African’s Children Day, which brought the slogan – “Let’s support Orphan and Vulnerable Children with Community Based Alternative Care.”


Most of the passer -by were looking at these children in a very confused sprit of what is happening. When I first saw the children and their impressive shows, I asked my colleague if what I was looking was not in a dream; be¬cause it was something new to one Ethiopian to see such outshined and self confidential children, particularly girls. Although my my heart was in the way to join the hot dancing party of these role model children, my mind latter prohibited from doing it. What made me and the passer-by surprise was the chil¬dren’s dance skill that was almost perfect. It is still unanswered question to everyone who was there in the program, where and how have the children got the skill to dance dif¬ferent types of nation and nationality dances which are difficult to many people. I asked some people if there is government or non-governmental organization which taught all those dances to the children, but the answer I got was something amazing – “nobody taught them.” My colleague who participated in or¬ganizing the program told me that the region¬al Women, children and youth Affair collected the children directly from different elementary schools found in Bahir Dar city. Among the children there were even many street children.

The children transferred different key and strong messages ranging from calling the peo¬ple to be involved in the Community Based Alternative Child Care Program to indicating the importance of protecting children’s rights as to succeed the Ethiopian Millennium De¬velopment Goal. While following the activi¬ties of the children I asked myself my usual questions – “When the long time dreams of millions Ethiopian children such as peace, love, basic nutrition, cloth, education, health care and respect will turn in to a reality? when will these children be safe from being subjected to in human treatments, labour exploitation, differ¬ent HTP and other human right violation?”

As a part of the program, there were 1000 me¬ter children running. Although the children didn’t dress sport cloths and shoes, they com¬peted each other dressing their usual trouser and plastic shoes etc. What was more sad and amazing was to see while some children were running without shoes on the high way that was very hot by the strong sun of Bahir Dar. It immediately remembered me Abebe Bekela, the long distance famous and legend¬ary Ethiopian runner who run 45 kilometres without shoe and won the Rome Olympic Marathon gold medal. In here, although I hoped these shoe-less but courageous children to be the winners like Bekela, it couldn’t be more than hop. However, I hoped again as these courageous children to be a winner one day, in the felid they will be involved.

The music went on playing, the dance of the children as well. Although it was my wish to stay with the children shearing their future dreams, my further programs forced me to move away. In fact, de¬spite the fact that my soul was departed from the children, my sprit was remained with them in the fast, happiness and hope.

Betre Yacob
(IEC - CVM Amhara Regional Office, Etiopia)