We’re so excited you’re joining charity: water on a trip to Ethiopia. It’s one of the most beautiful, historic and diverse countries in the world, and it’s also where we’ve made our biggest impact. We’ve funded more than 2,000 water projects here over the last five years, serving over one million people in the northern Tigray region.
Our group will travel to the northern highlands, visit communities without clean water and see the problem we’re working to solve. We’ll see a variety of water projects under construction, watch wells being drilled, and meet the local heroes who make our work possible here. We’ll also visit completed water projects funded by charity: water, and spend time getting to know the people and families in these communities.
We’ll hike to the top of the Gheralta mountain range and meet priests who've devoted their lives to worshipping in the Mariam Korkor (St. Mary’s) church, built in 400 A.D. Mariam Korkor is a life-long travel destination for many people around the world. We’ll also challenge our Ethiopian drilling partners to a game of soccer (they usually win), and drink the best coffee in the world. (Ethiopia's Kaffa zone is known to be the birthplace of coffee).
We're estimating a total cost of $5,000 per person for the trip. The team at F.ounders has generously waived all conference fees so this price includes only actual costs - a roundtrip seat from Dubai to Ethiopia, a hotel room in Dubai and all in-country travel and accommodations, including food, cars, tips, guides, and an amazing camping experience in a village. The only thing not included in the estimated cost is your flight to and from Dubai, which you'll be responsible for booking on your own. After the trip, we'll provide a full accounting for the costs and if we come in under budget, any unspent balance will be donated to charity: water and we'll provide all guests with a tax receipt for that amount.
While in Ethiopia, we may stay at several different local hotels and lodges. Each group usually spends at least one night at the beautiful Gheralta Lodge -- 15 ethiopian-style stone huts scattered throughout a property overlooking the stunning Gheralta mountain range. On a clear morning, you can catch the most spectacular sunrise while listening to goats and sheep in the village below.
You’ll spend a lot of time in Land Cruisers. The areas we serve are rural and remote, and getting to villages may require 2-3 hours of driving. Roads are often in poor condition, if they exist at all, so we always drive with experienced drivers and seat belts must be worn at all times. We may also do some hiking to get to the villages we want to visit, so bring hiking shoes and a re-usable water bottle for longer walks.
Ethiopia advertises thirteen months of sunshine, which actually feels true. It’s hot during the day, expect temperatures around 80°. Sometimes it’s cool at night and in the early morning, so do bring a sweatshirt and a light rain jacket. Dress in layers so you can take off warm sweaters towards mid-day when the sun gets hot. See the packing list at the end of this document for more helpful tips.
We’ll eat breakfast and dinner together in the hotel each day and night and often will have lunch on the go while we’re out in the field. Do bring some power bars and snacks with you so you don’t get hungry on long car rides.
When we’re visiting communities, it’s customary to be greeted with a full meal, and we’ll be offered food and coffee almost everywhere we go. There is always a risk of getting sick eating foods your body isn’t used to, so if you have a sensitive stomach we strongly recommend that you politely decline. If you’re the adventurous type, you can try some of the bread and honey at your own risk.
We stock up on large bottles of spring water for the whole trip. You don’t need to bring any purification tablets, but bring a reusable water bottle so you always have some with you.
It’s important to understand that there are risks involved with traveling to the areas where we work. The areas are remote and the facilities are basic. Exercise caution and common sense. Let us know if you see anything unsafe. In the rare case that an injury or sickness occurs, please tell us right away so we can make sure you get the proper care.
We recommend that you visit a specialized travel clinic to determine which immunizations are right for you -- they can be found at major university hospitals throughout the U.S. Each traveler will be responsible for carrying a copy of their own Immunization and Yellow Fever card (stating that you’ve had a yellow fever shot).
There are no required shots to enter Ethiopia, but most people volunteer to get the basic ones just to be safe. Malaria medicine is also optional, as malaria is not prevalent in the north, but you may choose to take it anyway if you want to play it safe. For the most up-to-date information on health conditions, required medications and immunizations, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov.
We recommend bringing Immodium or similar diarrheal medicine, Advil or an equivalent, and a Z-Pack. It’s very dusty, and most of the villages are at 7500+ altitude, so headaches are possible. Pack bug spray with DEET. Our staff always have Cipro on hand for the group, but pack your own if you can get to a pharmacy and get a prescription.
You’re welcome to take pictures when visiting communities. But don’t forget to put the camera down and be present as well. On larger trips, it can be overwhelming for the community if everyone is taking photos.
We should have pretty good access to power throughout the entire trip though it’s not uncommon to experience occasional power-outages for short periods of time. We recommend bringing a flashlight or headlamp with you for late nights and early mornings.
You should bring two types of adaptors, a standard European two-pronged adaptor and a three-pronged one, you’ll probably run into both types of sockets and it’s better to be prepared. Throughout the trip, we’ll have limited access to wifi so expect to be offline for most of the trip. You can use your own international data plan but just keep in mind that coverage can be spotty and expensive as we travel in rural areas.
charity: water will give you an estimated cost and payment schedule for all expenses, like in-country transport, accommodations and meals. You’ll be responsible for paying expenses directly to charity: water before the trip.
You must enroll in worldwide medical coverage and emergency medical evacuation individual travel insurance policies, which should supplement your normal U.S. health insurance before your trip. Proof of insurance and a list of emergency contact numbers must be provided to charity: water at least two weeks before we leave. Keep your insurance card with you during the trip as it will be your sole insurance coverage in the event medical treatment is needed. You’ll be solely and personally responsible for any payments or charges not covered by the insurance. We typically purchase Seven Corners' Majestic coverage. We recommend you get something comparable. You can learn more here
You’ll need to get a tourist Visa before our trip in order to enter Ethiopia. You can contact the Ethiopian Embassy in D.C. for more information here but keep in mind you’ll need to mail them your passport for at least a week and the whole process can take up to 30 days. You can also work with a visa service to expedite the process, check out CBIT and Briggs.
Expect to be inspired by the amazing people who you visit on the trip. Many communities will share their gratitude for their new water project and they might also ask for something else to help their community. We know you’ll want to help, but please don’t make any promises without discussing the request with charity: water directly. It’s important that we’re able to work with our partners to be strategic about what projects and programs we fund to make sure we’re making the biggest impact possible.
Trips to the field can be life changing experiences. Because the trips are challenging physically, emotionally and in so many other ways, they are generally intended for adults. In some circumstances, we do allow parents to bring their children.
It is important for parents to understand that charity: water is not able to provide additional supervision for children. We expect any parents who requests to bring a child to only do so after having carefully considered the capabilities and temperament of their child.
Foreign laws and legal systems are vastly different than our own and you’re expected to abide by them. In particular, many of the countries in which charity: water operates deal extremely harshly with possession or use of any illegal drugs. It’s your responsibility to understand these laws, and if you have any questions, just ask us.