12. What is your family's energy consumption and cost?
Electricity: We use wood and dung for fuel, except for a
small amount of kerosene which costs 1-2 Bir/month ($.30 US).
Water: 100 liters free per person, if you go over, you pay.
13. How much waste do you generate; and how does your
family dispose of its waste ?
We have basically no waste. Sweepings and dung are used as
fuel and fertilizer; excess food is fed to the dogs; and bushes are used as a toilet. The only real waste is ash from the small fireplace which is dusted on the ground.
14. Does your family buy, produce, or sell foreign goods?
The clothes we buy are second hand from Europe.
Family Possessions
15. What is each family member's most valued possession?
Why?
Getu and Zenebu: the two oxen. Besides being our main labor
animals to help us on the farm, they also represent a form of
savings and emergency cash if sold.
Teshome: Sheep.
Like: Earring that I recently lost.
16. What other possessions would you like to acquire?
More animals, another horse, more oxen etc. A second set of
clothing (all of us have just one set each). Better seed to plant
and farm implements.
17. What do you perceive as the signs of success?
A local man, whose family had a bit of extra money, used the
money trading grain purchased from others. He built a mill and
finally moved to the city. This is success--improving your life.
18. What decorative or heirloom objects do you own?
We have no heirlooms. Zenebu uses ash from the fireplace to
paint decorations on the wall.
19. Do you value new things or old things more? Why?
We value new things such as a new house, new oxen, or new
