Timeline of Point of Contact’s work in Ethiopia

1999

David’s first trip to Ethiopia.  £200 worth of goods bought from 5 groups.

2001 – 2003

The trade with the groups grows to £6,500 in 2003.  These goods are then sold in the UK, mainly from a market stall as well as to one or two shops or organisations.

2004

The first significant new product designs are developed.  The trade grows to £8,320 per year.  Befkadu, our first Ethiopian Desk Officer is appointed to manage the work on a full-time basis.  (Before 2004 the work was dependant upon David’s yearly 2-month trips to Ethiopia).

2006

Strive Women’s Workgroup and Misrach Fre start to work together (this type of cooperation is not common in Ethiopia) so this is seen as a major step forward.

2007

Muluken is appointed as the new Point of Contact Desk Officer.  The same year Befkadu comes to the UK to co-present with David the first of Point of Contact’s Ethiopia-UK presentations to seven schools and Lincoln University, so truly making the partnership two-way.

2008 - 2009

Muluken and Befkadu come to the UK to continue to develop the schools work with David.

2009 - 2010

Significant progress is made in developing market outlets in Ethiopia to shops and hotels.  As the work becomes more locally sustainable (and some groups grow in number of workers), the size of Point of Contact’s annual export reduces.  At best, workers’ incomes have grown by up to ten fold – to over well over £100 a month - significant in a country where annual average incomes are less than £60 per year.

In 2010 Muluken and Sheshige come to UK for schools work, visiting 15 schools and talking to over 2,100 students (and selling over £2,000 in Fair Trade goods too!).  Since Sheshige is our first partner to come to the UK, we see this as especially significant and as a testament to the special relationships that Point of Contact has with its partners.