Hamere Mulugeta is the founder and Managing Director of Nu Chika Enabuka Center and Promotion. She was born and raised in Addis Ababa. She went to Hamle 19 Primary School and attended her secondary education in Medhanialem Secondary School.
After attending Visual Art at Ale School of Fine Arts and Design, Addis Ababa University, she went straight to Entoto Poly Technic School and learned ‘Music’ majoring in Kirar, Ethiopian traditional instrument and Piano.
Growing up, she was very active and was able to play all kinds of games that allowed her to explore and connect with nature. She grew up admiring the culture, and the values of the country through all childhood games. Hamere is also known for her love for planting and beautifying compounds.
She believes that it is through those moments that she was able to develop self-confidence, good personality and patriotic feelings. She recalled her childhood vividly as it contributes to where she is now.
Nu Chika Enabuka Center involves children in various creative and artistic works and allows them to interact with nature, plant vegetables, and cook and enjoy delicious foods including playing with mud, water and other recycling materials.
The following is Hamere’s stay with The Ethiopian Herald where she shared her experience and career journey. Enjoy reading.
Hamere’s career journey
My career journey started after I took a Computer Graphics course and was hired in a promotion company where I served for around three years. Soon after, I decided to open my own promotion company with the experience I got from the previous one.
Looking back, my company was very successful with satisfied customers as it filled the major gaps in quality and delivery time at the moment. Since customers have busy schedules, I used to go and do the design in their office to save both of us time. That way, not only I saved time but I would also get their confirmation of the draft promotion design right in their office.
But after getting married and gave birth to my kids, I decided to become a full time mom and raise my children without any distraction. So I hold my outdoor activities for almost seven years. However, those years majorly contributed for the coming into forth of the Nu Chika Enabuka Center.
Raising my kids was a bit different as I was very critical and conscious about their holistic development. Looking back to my childhood, the environment, the game and the activities that I experienced as a child had a positive influence on my life. So, as a mother, I am responsible to raise my children in a good compound where they can grow up in a healthy and essential environment.
Hence, we, along with my husband, rented a house around Hayat area which was comfortable and allowed my kids to do the activities that I used to do during my childhood. We used to perform activities that are not only games but also helpful to explore their culture, as well as develop their minds, be it planting indigenous trees, playing with water and mud, crafting, recycling, coloring and performing art.
The idea behind ‘Nu Chika Enabuka’
When my daughter turned four and started school, the school noticed that she was active and smart for her age. That was how they learnt about the activities we were performing at our house and offered to work with them.
Though there was another incident that clicked the idea of opening a space for kids to play the aforesaid games, it was the school’s offer which led the idea to become a business.
We along with Flipper Academy opened the game in the school compound where the children get to experience and explore several activities while playing. After that, I decided to make it even bigger to allow others to enjoy the experience.
With that in mind, we requested land to create the center though we were told that we needed to have a huge space then. Unluckily, it wasn’t easy as the office we requested the land asked us to present a sample. That is when we came up with an event and we hosted our first event that brought together 3000 children and parents.
I hosted a family event where over 5,000 parents and children took part in Unity Park at the Grand Palace after that. In 2012, a similar event that also brought more than 10,000 people together at Meskel Square was held.
Games and children holistic development
Childhood is about playing and exploring. If we expect them to excel in education and put them apart from experiencing, they will be good at a specific area. It is with this in mind that we try to create children who have all rounded personality.
Children could learn better through games. The experience enables them to have wider perspective and open and creative mind. The games at the centers not only are recreational but target to develop their mind on various aspects.
Challenge and lessons
Challenges are inevitable but it is about perspective. If you are in a move of achieving something, there are challenges but I believe that they are part of the process. Hosting a huge event especially trying something new is not an easy task but it is vital to focus on the bigger picture and try to accomplish.
Biggest events
I believe that the biggest event is the one that we recently organized at Meskel Square and where more than 30,000 children and parents attended it.
Nonetheless, we held a family festival in Dubai; however, the situation was a bit different as we were told we couldn’t take mud outside of the country unless we are exporters.
We had to get an exporter’s license just to take the mud for the festival and we did which made us the first mud exporters in the nation. Fortunately, the event was satisfying where over 5000 people attended it. The Ethiopian Airlines was our sponsor. After that, we also organized the event in the United States of America.
Publics’ attitudes towards women
Every time I have to visit certain institution, I get similar feedback which almost considers the festival as fun but mostly as something not worthy. Their emotion says it all especially me, being a woman, they made it seem like a child game that is not achievable.
But, what matters is how I see it, not them. So, anytime I get negative response, I use it as a fuel that drives me even further. I take ‘No’ for an answer, it is something that I developed growing up, and I am committed and strict for something that I believed in, the challenges are my tools that put me higher. The funny thing is, most are amazed once they experience the event.
Accomplishment
I believe that doing what you love the most is a success; it feels as if you are enjoying not doing a job. Not many people do what they are inspired about.
Besides the event, we have a TV program on Ethiopian Lejoch channel. The program aims at enhancing children’s creativity and developing their minds. We have also announced another program on Canal + named ‘Ye Eweqet Zaf’ literally translated to ‘Tree of Knowledge’ in both Amharic and Oromifa languages.
We want to present more educational programs on TV in the future. Similarly, we want to build a huge recreational center which is expected to land on 10,000 hectare and consists of boats, cows, recycling and all the other educational games that are carried out in the center. We plan the center to represent the little Ethiopia which will be visited by tourists.
Ethiopian families and raising children
Technology is not something we ignore at this point in life. It is very essential in our day- to- day activity. But when it comes to children, it needs supervision. Parents need to take responsibility how they manage the technology usage given the fact that the outcome would be negative. Their role is to guide children to make use of the technology for good purpose.
Parents should allow trying new activities, exploring things as it would help them grow mentally better and spend quality time with them.
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2024
