{"id":38010,"date":"2016-03-15T18:16:49","date_gmt":"2016-03-15T23:16:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=38010"},"modified":"2016-03-17T13:41:07","modified_gmt":"2016-03-17T18:41:07","slug":"ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethiopians find a home \u2014 and sometimes a hand \u2014 away from home in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong> By Hannah Gebresilassie <\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dropcap\">\u201cSami, Sami!\u201d two Ethiopian beggars shouted with their hands held out on a misty afternoon in Little Addis, an Ethiopian district on Jeppe Street in downtown Johannesburg.<\/p>\n<p>Sami Shiferaw stopped, pulled about 50 rand ($3) from his pocket and handed it to the men: \u201cThey\u2019re our friends,\u201d Shiferaw said. \u201cI have to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shiferaw is one of the early Ethiopians who migrated to South Africa post-apartheid in 1998, after passport restrictions were lifted. Though he left Ethiopia for political reasons, he is committed to his countrymen, who also emigrated to find opportunity and raise healthy families far away from home.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Early on, he sold CDs, shoes and belts out of a small tent downtown, while also developing a relationship with the Chinese that has allowed him to become a well-respected businessman. Today, he co-owns three properties in Little Addis: two wholesale centers named Medical Center and Randine. He also co-owns a hotel called Rand Inn and is in the process of selling his share. Medical Center, which houses more than 100 mini shopping booths, was his first investment with nine other shareholders, purchased from the Taiwanese.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_38013\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-38013\" style=\"width: 474px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-38013\" src=\"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/Ethio-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"The busy streets in Little Addis, an Ethiopian district on Jeppe Street in downtown Johannesburg. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL)\" width=\"474\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/Ethio-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/Ethio-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/Ethio-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/Ethio-1.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-38013\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The busy streets in Little Addis, an Ethiopian district on Jeppe Street in downtown Johannesburg. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cMy partner is also a Chinese guy,\u201d Shiferaw said. \u201cWe working like a son and father because he\u2019s my elder. I respect him like my father, also his wife she\u2019s like my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In his experience, Shiferaw said Chinese businessmen are reluctant to form tight business relationships with South Africans and those from neighboring countries. So, he enjoys the trust he and other Ethiopians have developed with the Chinese community.<\/p>\n<p>While the Chinese predominantly import products, mostly Ethiopians and other African businessmen act as wholesalers and retailers. Almost 90 percent of retailers in downtown wholesale centers are Ethiopian, according to Shiferaw.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, China is currently investing in building stronger affairs with Africa. In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China\u2019s intentions to invest $60 billion into the continent, hinting at a long-term relationship between Africa, particularly South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout Chinese we can\u2019t survive,\u201d Shiferaw said. \u201cWithout Ethiopians they can\u2019t survive, also.\u201d Although Shiferaw found success as a businessman, there is more to his story than economic gain: He is a father, a husband and a friend to many, experiencing pain in each role.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_38073\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-38073\" style=\"width: 474px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-38073\" src=\"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2056-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"An Ethiopian flag hangs at a Rastafarian booth during a University of Witwatersrand student orientation. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL)\" width=\"474\" height=\"356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2056-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2056-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2056-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2056.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-38073\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An Ethiopian flag hangs at a Rastafarian booth during a University of Witwatersrand student orientation in February. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Shiferaw migrated to South Africa on an extensive 3,500-mile journey. He took a pit stop in Kenya and witnessed unforgettable incidents, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tqjvXNykf34\">famine<\/a>, poverty and war, along the way. In Johannesburg, he watched his best friend get killed while trying to stop a robber at their friend\u2019s shop a couple blocks away from his wholesale center.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou see in South Africa, it\u2019s not much different from my country,\u201d said Shiferaw, intent to stay and raise his family with his wife. \u201cAfrica is for us. So I\u2019m African. I\u2019m South African, I\u2019m Ethiopian also. For the rest of my life, I will live here. For my family because my kids are South African.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Unlike Shiferaw, Wondimu Abdissa, who left home for political reasons, does not consider South Africa home. Ethiopia had experienced years of famine, war and instability in the years leading to his move to South Africa. He hopes to go back home or resettle in the United States once he becomes more financially stable.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m trying to communicate with my sister in America,\u201d Abdissa says. \u201cShe came to visit during the xenophobia times. She doesn\u2019t want me to stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Abdissa owns a traditional Ethiopian restaurant atop Randine and works with his wife to maintain the business. While South Africa celebrates the 20th anniversary of its notably progressive constitution, Abdissa hits two decades of residency in the country that still doesn\u2019t feel safe.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_38075\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-38075\" style=\"width: 474px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-38075 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2195-1024x775.jpg\" alt=\"Wondimu Abdissa and his wife in the kitchen of their restaurant. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL) \" width=\"474\" height=\"359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2195-1024x775.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2195-300x227.jpg 300w, https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2195-768x581.jpg 768w, https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2195.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-38075\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wondimu Abdissa and his wife in the kitchen of their restaurant. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2015, a series of xenophobic attacks targeted Ethiopians, among other immigrants. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.voanews.com\/content\/six-ethiopians-killed-in-south-africa\/3044175.html\">incidents<\/a> included <a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeslive.co.za\/local\/2015\/04\/13\/22-arrested-for-xenophobic-violence-ethiopian-victim-dies\">petrol bombings<\/a>, shooting incidents and mob attacks on shops.<\/p>\n<p>Both Abdissa and his wife have doubts for their children. Abdissa said he doesn\u2019t feel comfortable allowing his kids play outside due to the crime. Meanwhile, his wife is concerned their daughter will lose some of her Ethiopian identity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need a better life,\u201d Abdissa said about Johannesburg\u2019s reputation for crime. \u201cI can\u2019t even let them outside to play soccer with friends. It makes me a little sad when I talk about my kids.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Yet, he remains hopeful for a better future, and so does Shiferaw.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI will carry on,\u201d Shiferaw said. \u201cI work hard to pick the economy up because it\u2019s my own country you see. I love Africa, I love South Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"featurecaption\">The tree to the right of Sami Shiferaw is where he used to tie his tent and sell accessories as a young retailer, new to South Africa. (Hannah Gebresilassie\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Hannah Gebresilassie \u201cSami, Sami!\u201d two Ethiopian beggars shouted with their hands held out on a misty afternoon in Little Addis, an Ethiopian district on Jeppe Street in downtown Johannesburg. Sami Shiferaw stopped, pulled about 50 rand ($3) from his pocket and handed it to the men: \u201cThey\u2019re our friends,\u201d Shiferaw said. \u201cI have to.\u201d [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":38074,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[452,585],"tags":[905,688,1749,1641,2376,1561,87,2378,1646,2373,2372,397,2377,2371,2375,2379,2370,2374,1981],"class_list":["post-38010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beyond-chicago","category-winter-2016","tag-africa","tag-business","tag-china","tag-chinese","tag-continent","tag-crime","tag-economy","tag-emigre","tag-ethiopia","tag-ethiopian","tag-famine","tag-identity","tag-immigrant","tag-johannesburg","tag-petrol-bombings","tag-rastafarian","tag-south-africa","tag-xenophobia","tag-xi-jinping"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ethiopians find a home \u2014 and sometimes a hand \u2014 away from home in South Africa - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ethiopians find a home \u2014 and sometimes a hand \u2014 away from home in South Africa - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Hannah Gebresilassie \u201cSami, Sami!\u201d two Ethiopian beggars shouted with their hands held out on a misty afternoon in Little Addis, an Ethiopian district on Jeppe Street in downtown Johannesburg. Sami Shiferaw stopped, pulled about 50 rand ($3) from his pocket and handed it to the men: \u201cThey\u2019re our friends,\u201d Shiferaw said. \u201cI have to.\u201d [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-03-15T23:16:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-03-17T18:41:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/medill.wordpress.offload\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/IMG_2173.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"742\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"hannahgebresilassie\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"hannahgebresilassie\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"hannahgebresilassie\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e337e6089750f861e28d8a687bb68668\"},\"headline\":\"Ethiopians find a home \u2014 and sometimes a hand \u2014 away from home in South Africa\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-03-15T23:16:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-03-17T18:41:07+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":871,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/s3.amazonaws.com\\\/medill.wordpress.offload\\\/WP%20Media%20Folder%20-%20medill-reports-chicago\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2016\\\/03\\\/IMG_2173.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Africa\",\"Business\",\"China\",\"chinese\",\"continent\",\"crime\",\"economy\",\"emigre\",\"ethiopia\",\"ethiopian\",\"famine\",\"Identity\",\"immigrant\",\"johannesburg\",\"petrol bombings\",\"rastafarian\",\"south africa\",\"xenophobia\",\"Xi Jinping\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Beyond Chicago\",\"Winter 2016\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\\\/chicago\\\/ethiopians-find-a-home-and-sometimes-a-hand-away-from-home-in-south-africa\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ethiopians find a home \u2014 and sometimes a hand \u2014 away from home in South Africa - 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