TESFA (Tourism in Ethiopia for Sustainable Future Alternatives) which in Amharic – the language of Wollo – means ‘Hope’, was set up in late 2003 with the specific goal of helping to support and develop community-based tourism and grass roots level, through working WITH communities in a participatory way designed to quickly build the communities’ sense of ownership. Mekedim Fikre, who worked alongside Mark Chapman in SOS Sahel’s Meket Development Programme (MDP), is the manager of TESFA with 5 years experience under very difficult circumstances, trying to support a community to develop their facilities with little or no support or budget. It was his dedication and determination that kept the work going.
Now TESFA has three staff, all highly motivated and dedicated to the cause, and the work is beginning to gather momentum. TESFA has a very strong board of directors that follow the work closely and offer much appreciated support. Included in the board is a tourism professional, an accountant and several development professionals.
TESFA grew out of a stalled project run by SOS Sahel in Meket, which piloted the community tourism but failed to find sufficient funds to take it forward. However MDP pioneered participatory techniques and not only preached participation but practiced it within its own local project. Unfortunately this brought it into conflict with its hierarchical head office, and at about the same time funds came to an end.
This led to TESFA’s formation as a way to keep the work going and TESFA was subcontracted by Save the Children UK (funded by the Dutch government) to continue their work in developing a community tourism component for the Meket Livelihoods Development Programme. TESFA is currently working with the World Tourism Organisation to access funding to scale the work up in North Wollo.
Contact
Internet : http://www.community-tourism-ethiopia.com
Mark Chapman
Technical Advisor
TESFA Technical Support Unit
PO Box 3211, Code 1250, Addis Ababa
(Arada sub city, K13, Ho 573 -
Pink building in front of Sandford school)
Telephone : 011 122 5024 / 124 7231
Mobile + 251 (0)91-141 6452 (Mark)
Duty Mobile Addis - 091 324 4480
Duty Mobile Lalibela - 091 324 4479
Email : chapman@ethionet.et (or
Mark@community-tourism-ethiopia.com)
Email TSU : tesfatsu@ethionet.et
Emails regarding bookings tesfacbt@ethionet.et
Email TESFA in Lalibela tesfalal@ethionet.et
Please see web site http://www.community-tourism-ethiopia.com
* TESFA Newsletter
Calendars are still available -
contact us to find out how to receive one
* Special Timkat trips are being planned -
if you would like to celebrate the authentic rural Timkat as a guest of the local communities do let us know.
(start dates from 16-19Jan. Timkat eve is 19th Jan and Timkat itself is on the 20th)