TIGRAY DAY 4

After about 4 miles of walking over rough ground on two more watersheds I continue to be enthralled by everything that I am seeing. Again there's far too much to say in a blog but my key memories are:

Some farmers who had received metalwork training to help with general machine maintenance but decided to use the skill to build a bread baking oven. They produce 1700 rolls over night which they sell locally for about 2p. It was some of the nicest bread I have ever tasted. They have scope to expand and are looking at ways of selling their bread further afield. So there are budding entrepreneurs here!

High quality dairy cows have been introduced to some households by the project. They produce excellent milk which they turn into butter manually and sell in the local town. They also sell a milk drink to local people. This is hot and a little spicy so I (nervously) tried some. It was fantastic. I'm sure they could patent the recipe! I drank a whole cup!

This plus - an outstanding farm with every conceivable diversification, used as an exemplar for others - a community veterinary service - a female household farm - pit latrines and more irrigation systems. I should be exhausted!

Tomorrow lunchtime I am going from here to Adigrat with the local CAFOD/Trocaire rep - and then on Thursday to Aliente to collect Catherine- then on Friday to Mekele the capital of Tigray from where we fly back to Addis Ababa.

So the timing of my next blog is a little uncertain.

Mike