LOOKING GLASS


LOOKING GLASS

A public phone around the Gofa Mebrat Hail area evokes memories of a bygone era when access to a global network was not a mere dip into one’s pockets. Telecommunication was introduced in 1894, with network interruptions during Italy's invasion. Ethiopia re-organised the Telephone, Telegraph and Postal services in 1941 and formed the Imperial Board of Telecommunications (IBTE) in 1952. Ethio telecom which has been divorced from the communications authority since 2010 currently has more than 74 million mobile subscribers.


In-Picture

ROLLER POSTER

A theatrical spectacle unfolds as retired tyre is cleverly placed outside of a repair shop, serving as a sign for road travellers around German Adebabay. The dismantled rubber cushion that once served as an important layer for vehicle wheels stands on the side-road, rotting away the scorching sun.  In line with a citywide campaign to upgrade Addis Abeba's aesthetics and control illegal advertisements new standards have been approved serving as the ground to the sweeping campaign that stipulates...


In-Picture

LEAVED OFF

Trees that once served as embellishments and cornerstones have now been levelled to provide space for corridor-stroked street lights. Their remnants are being dusted off by a clean-up team around Bole Airport, as they painstakingly brush up the roads. Nearly half of Ethiopia's 110 million hectares of land have become degraded, with 11 million hectares in critical condition, illustrating the dire need for land restoration. Parliament recently approved a new proclamation to provide sustainable dom...


In-Picture

SLOW FLAKES

A fractured 'Only Bus' transit to enable city buses for quick passenger transportation now stands abandoned as its fine space has been torn off by the ongoing corridor development project, to provide expanse for a cycle lane around Arat-kilo. Its fading paint and narrow-spaced highway now serve for walking, becoming a dangerous risk for pedestrian accidents. There are 650 Anbessa buses and over 8,000 minibuses operating in the capital. Long queues for transportation are a common sight in the str...