When we think of trade fairs and bazaars, the first thing that comes to our mind is the opportunity to showcase our products, supply goods to consumers, forge business relationships, and create networks with potential producers.
The other way round, from the buyers’ side, bazaars and trade fairs are platforms where we can get all types of goods and items in a single room and purchase at reasonable prices as they usually allow us to meet face-to-face with potential producers and suppliers. Entertainment is the other issue that comes to some people’s mind, especially the youngest population.
In fact, exhibitions and bazaars organized in Ethiopia are mostly seasonal. As they are staged targeting national or public holidays, they are profit-oriented fairs and give less attention to individuals with some form of disabilities. Due to this, whenever bazaars and trade fairs are opened, we plan what to buy or spend time with peers.
However, these days, going far from this, bazaars and trade fairs are taken as unique opportunities to promote inclusiveness by creating platforms for disadvantaged segments of society, including people with disability and those who require support.
As indicated by Marketing Director of Tamesol Communications, Nathnael Zeryihun, bazaars and exhibitions organized in Ethiopia are business-oriented and targeted platforms to connect producers and consumers. However, it is possible to hold hybrid commercial trade fairs and inclusive exhibitions in a manner that aligns with each other.
By doing so, it is possible to engage diverse segments especially those with impairments or special needs, enhance inclusiveness, and promote their products and services.
What is more, it enables this segment of society to create a relationship with other charitable organizations and associations and work on various social issues. Most of all, it will provide them the opportunity to get any possible support, be it financial, material, or expertise from charity and aid organizations. This, in turn, can foster trust and belongingness thereby enabling to discharge of social responsibility.
With this in mind, concurrent to the usual bazaar and exhibition, an exhibition in which several charity and relief organizations that work to help people with disabilities and people in need of support, are participating will be staged in the middle of August, Nathnael said.
According to him, the Expo dubbed as ‘Addis Neger BeAddis Amet’ has been organized for the past twenty years. However, this year’s Expo which will be held from August 23 to September 10, 2024, at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Centre, will encompass new initiatives that have considerable social impacts, beyond its marketing and entertainment values.
Charitable organizations and associations that work to help the disabled and other sections of society will be allowed to take over their villages for free to raise revenue and promote themselves and their products to visitors.
To this effect, the expo will be divided into villages to create favorable conditions for people to easily find the exhibits of the aid organizations they need. Social content such as health, education, knowledge, children, sports, entertainment, and others will be included in these villages.
According to the Marketing Director, at the expo close to 50 villages will be prepared for organizations and associations under the name ‘Charity Village’ engaged in charity work “”.
The fact that the expo is being divided into villages enables people to purchase items from the regular bazaar spaces and at the same time visit these special villages and learn about their health status, to get information and buy educational materials for their children, entertain and to do light physical exercises.
He also said that these charity organizations and associations that enter the village are expected to raise money for those who lost their families in Gofa Geze district due to landslides; aside from the fund raising for the support of disabled and other members of the society who need support. The benefit of such kind of expo is wide-ranging as it addresses the socioeconomic burden of the society, he remarked.
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 10 AUGUST 2024
