(ANS - Addis Ababa)- VIS, the International Voluntary Service for Development, has been working in Ethiopia since 1991. Thanks to a project funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, it began work in 2014 on the construction of a School of Graphic Arts in the suburb of Mekanissa.  

The aim of the project is to give young people from all over Addis Ababa new opportunities for highly qualified work in graphics and printing, one of the emerging sectors in Ethiopia.

Armando, a VIS volunteer in Ethiopia, reports on the progress of the work.

"As soon as the alarm rings every morning, I open my eyes, draw back the mosquito net and wait a moment to listen to the songs that come from the nearby Orthodox Church - another day in Addis, another day with VIS. About two months ago I came to this country rich in history and with beautiful people who are always smiling and incapable of anger.

Because of an exasperating bureaucracy, we managed after many months to complete all the formalities and to obtain permission for the construction of the new building for the School of Graphic Arts and we were able to start work in early June 2015.

The speed and professionalism of the contracting firm came as a pleasant surprise. In fact, after a little over a month from the beginning of the construction site, work is proceeding without any major hitches. We managed to finish ahead of the rainy season, which otherwise would have slowed down construction work and made the foundations dangerous."

Published 30/07/2015