BERHANE, English Course Coordinator for Axum

Dear All,

Above all let my Warm Greetings, Wishes and Appreciations reach you from the then "Abysinia" the present "thirteen Months of Sunshine Ethiopia".
Whole heartedly I am very much delighted to hear that the Abessinia project has come out with the developed outputs of our Traditional Painters work after months of devoted efforts of Lidwina and her colleagues so "Congratulations".

I am Berhane Tesfaye of your Axum English Course coordinator with a short and precise profile. By professional I am a Management and Public Administration graduate with a rich experience of Teaching, Administration and Project Coordinating. I have also successfully completed the course on "Structuring a Comprehensive Public Support Systems" for SMEs in Beersheba, Israel.

I have come to join the Abessinia project on the request of the diligent, inquisitive, and devotee Designer and Trainer Lidwina Dox whom I have met her while she was conducting a Training to our Traditional Painters in Addis in 2006. By then I was working as a coordinator and facilitator of the course as well as Regional Representative of Design Sa a Consulting Firm for Sustainable Global Development carrying on a consultancy and training services in particularly for the Artisians Component of the Ethiopian Cultural Heritage.

It was really a very interesting period for our beneficiaries and the Designer since has put an impact by itself in laying down a corner stone for the present relationships. This relationship with Lidwina has played a role in making the painters a part and parcel of the current project from which a lot of assistance has been generated, for instance the six months English Course offered and the Development works of the artists are exemplary of the supports made so far and I hope this will go on in the future too. Besides that the great respect and honors our painters have for Lidwina and the interest and fond she shows for their Philosophical works will keep them tied in a close relations which that in return contributes my contact to be firm with the project.

Therefore I would like to forward my Best and Warm Wishes for the success of the Project and have Appreciations for what has been done so far hoping that to be the first and not the last.
Best Regards All
Berhane Tesfaye Abraha Mobile, 251911099457 Home Tel,. 251115533492 P.O.Box, 40146 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Tel-Dan

By Fanny Awaliana Arendarczyk

The Abessinia Project is financed by Tel-Dan Co. Ltd., which is a company that manufactures various home decor products for wholesale and export mainly to North America and Europe. In its compound of 8000 sqm, more than 600 Tel-Dan's workers/staff and an international design team are working in Bangkok, Thailand. Tel-Dan has supplied well-known home-furnishing retailers such as Habitat, IKEA and Pier 1, as well as mass merchant like Tesco.

One of Tel-Dan's strength is being a great source of ideas, design and interpretation of trends. Tel-Dan's owner and managing director, Ami Zarchi, is always keen on exploring new sources of fresh ideas and creativity. He is enthusiastic of producing home decoration out of Ethiopian artworks to satisfy his company's customers. He also sees a capacity building opportunity for the Ethiopian artists, by linking them with an Asian manufacturer and Tel-Dan's world-wide customer platform.

Tel-Dan has a spacious showroom in its Bangkok compound that is tailor-made to enable its customers to plan product lines and and to imagine a complete retail environment, including packaging solutions, point-of-sales displays and, if requested, creation of entire Planograms. There's an in-house international design team to propose fresh ideas or to work on the customers'. The team consists of an American, an Austrian and a number of Thai textile designers, who are trend-sensitive and at the same time rich in characters.

The products that Tel-Dan manufactures include decorative cushions, bedding, kitchen & dining textiles, window panels, outdoor soft-furnishing, novelty pillows, gift items, textile storage and kids items.


A more detailed information about Tel-Dan is available in www.tel-dan.com. For further inquiries about Tel-Dan please contact abessinia@gmail.com.

DESE, Icon Painter

Heloo how are you how is life going all with you this time?
how rae you getting on with your profession or job?
ever since I recieved your letter I was very much eger to write a reply to you but believe me that it was all unavoid able i was realy busy doing pictures (paint) so I am sorry for having not written any one to you for such a long time any way
I would like to thank you very much for your golden Assisstance
I get every so often I would like to thank you once agin
for you let me go language center and master it and you worthfull training in designing last year there fore i want you take it form me that I improved what ever deshigning is and some waht in language compitance.
I want let you know the following personalities of mine or my personality
1. Desalegn Tilahun Gebredingil
2. 04 47 75 14 18
3. designer (painter nad architecture)
4. 26 years old
5. married and have 2 kids and I support my family
6. creating new design is my hobby
7. shortage of capital and material block me not ot hasten my work
8. lastly want I want to forcast or say is I hope to be well know in my work throughout the world and contact with other professianls of my work rest hoping to see so long.

Thanks yours trainee
Desalegn

YEHUALA, Icon Painter

My full name is Yehuala Mered Ayele. I am a 36 years old painter and artisan. As a painter I do traditional church paintings, portraits and other paintings of commercial value. As an artisan I do leather designs and commercial writings. I am single, and I enjoy spiritual service and playing string musical instruments.
I was accustomed to sketch derogatory or taboo pictures of the human organs on the blackboard to get class mates enjoyed and have fun with that. I have gradually inclined and get immersed with the love and intrinsic beauty of paintings.
I do what I do, firstly, it is because of natural inclination to paintings. For this reason I just terminated my job from Gondar Printing Enterprise. Secondly, it is my livelihood.
Thank you God, The Most High, when I was kid I was against to social norm; when I entered adolescence I began digging the secret of art, now adult, I peacefully sip the benefit of what was referred to "taboo".

MOGES, Manuscript Writer

Thank you for have given me a chance to write you this letter. My name is Moges Melku. I am 25 years old, and I live in Gondar, Ethiopia. I'm a handy craft man.
I am found to be learning English Language because of the Abessinia Project's considerable help. I like both the language and the teachers. To your surprise before and after I started learning English language, I always wish to speak to you English languages as fluently as other English speakers. Secondly I always wish to exchange ideal with you without any translator and tell you what ever I want.
I am also hopeful of this to be successful in your considerable help.
One of the ideas I want to tell you with out any translate is the purpose of my teeth, before 3 years I had a car accident on my teeth because of this my teeth have been very ill and one of them has fallen down. I tried to be treated and have artificial tooth in place of fallen one.
But I couldn't have money to do this. So I hope you will solve my problem.
Your respectfully
Moges Melku
"With the best Wishes"

KAHLE, Manuscript Writer

I am very glad to write this letter. My name is Kahle Damte Areki. I live in Gondar, Ethiopia. I am an artisan, 25 years of age. In my leisure time I am trying to learn English laguage by the Abessinia Project's assistance. Besides these, I am working hard in selling Goods to manage my life.
Kahle Damte
With the best wises

AYESHESHEM, Icon Painter

My name is Ayesheshem Awoke Tadele. I'm a 30 years old artist, leather craftsman, and cameraman. I draw different pictures I prepare leather product such as wallet, bags, belts and others.
I live in Gondar, Ethiopia, with my wife, two daughters and my brother. I enjoy playing kirar (a traditional musical instrument) and planting trees.
Here in Gondar, the out look of my community towards work is backward (undeveloped). I don't have a comfortable place to do my works, and there is lack of support from the government to develop our skill. There are no opportunities to be employed in different organizations and enterprises.
My vision for the future is to develop my skill in drawing through further training.

EPHREM, Icon Painter

I am 19 years old, and my profession is painter of modern, traditional abstract and pictures. I also like watching films, playing football and listening music. I paint to earn income in order to support my family. I always have shortages in money and painting materials. My paintings should be better promoted so I can earn more.
I want my artworks to be famous and I want to be an appreciated artist in Ethiopia and abroad. I would also like to teach arts.
Currently I'm looking for cooperation in art via projects of paintings and designs. I want to be the best artist and working with the best artists.
Yours sincerely. Ephrem.