Cyber Ethiopia

Established two years ago, the Ethio Young Women's Pottery Cooperative (EYWPC) is the first small group of young women organized into a cooperative micro-enterprise. According to Aster Anteneh, EYWPC project coordinator, EYWPC is formed with the objective of creating more marketable and durable artistic products through imaginative design and technical quality. The purpose of the project is to create more sustainable and income generating jobs and to raise the status of women from traditional pottery families. "Changing the society's attitude towards traditional pottery is also our objective," Aster told Addis Tribune. EYWPC has organized exhibitions last year at the Sheraton and this year at the Hilton Addis to introduce its products widely. Despite all their efforts, however, according to Aster, EYWPC has a number of challenging

problems. "To start with, we do not yet have places to sell our products. Though we have requested the Addis Ababa Administration Petty Trade and Industry Office, we couldn't get place so far," said Aster. She urged the government and concerned bodies to support them. Traditional but modernized coffee and teapots, flower pots, lamps, candleholders, sculptures and religious icons such as crosses and stars, among other things, are products made by the EYWPC. "Our products are not only decorations but can also be used for the different purposes they are made for,” said Aster.