General

Reports 2020

Anniversary in 2020:

  • 2020-12: The International Day of Persons living with Disabilities

The international  Day of Persons living with Disability on the 3rd of December this year was  especially significant because of the Covid 19 pandemic that has taken the whole world by storm. This Read more […]

  • 2020-12: Kurakur bread distribution

A group of three young people who have worked in local cafes and gained some experience came together and requested PBF through email to start their own bakery. We refered them to our local representative Messay who gave us Read more […]

  • 2020-12: Going Regional: PBF Bee and Tree Project taking shape in East Africa

Bee and Tree Project concept is developed out of the need to respond to sustainable development and environmental conservation. We started this project in 2 sites, Beekeeping in Read more […]

  • 2020-11: Ethiopia, Bure: “PBF gives me back my smile even though i lost my livelihood” 

Our dear Tenaw, an epileptic young man who refuses to give up underwent a dental reconstruction repair to his face and teeth. Tenaw got an epileptic attack in his home town Burre where Read more […]

  • 2020-11: Ethiopia, Bilbala: The forgotten Village Children of Bilbala

A village school in Bilbala on the way to Yimrehane Kirstos, 30 kilometres from Lalibela. This is a “Satellite school” a special category of the Ethiopian school system that accepts children in grade one to Read more […]

  • 2020-11: Kenya, Nairobi, Mathare Slum: Corona and Slum dwellers in Nairobi

Afya Mtaani Report OCTOBER 2020 Covid 19 pandemic outbreak has negatively affected the lives of slum dwellers in so many ways. This population can hardly observe the measures put in place to prevent transmission. Read more […]

  • 2020-11: Ethiopia: Bee and Tree Project Progress Report

This is project the PBF has developed to promote traditional Beekeepers to support their livelihoods by promoting the traditional and cultural importance of Bee and Honey in the traditional rural households. The tree Read more […]

  • 2020-10: Ethiopia : Bee and Tree – Laudato Si, Abebes Diary (1)

Abebe Zewdu is the project manager of “Bee and Tree – Laudato Si”, a project that extends to the south of Ethiopia. That is why Abebe traveled from Lalibela to other parts of his country in Read more […]

  • 2020-10: PBF’s Solomon Mekonen wins a prestigious European award

PBF family is happy and proud of our Solomon A. Mekonen, who has won a prestigious award, at the 29th international  Festival of Ethnological Film in Belgrade in the category of the Best Student Read more […]

  • 2020-10: Ethiopa: Awakening of nature

Start in Ethiopia – from Enkutatash to Meskal Ethiopia celebrates the time of the awakening of nature in September. The rainy season is over, accompanied by a hard fast. The return of sun and light is celebrated in many ways with Read more […]

  • 2020-08: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Nigste

The dilemma of higher education and unemployment  Nigste is the name of a 21 year young woman. She is the younger sister of Getachew Sale, one of our very successful food science students in Addis Ababa. She finished 12th grade but was not admitted Read more […]

  • 2020-08: Kenya: Football

Kenya, Migwayo OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF OUR NEW JERSIES FROM PBF Sports has been a very important tool when it comes to promoting peace between community conflicts. Our neighbouring Somali people,(pastoralists) have for a long time engaged in conflicts Read more […]

  • 2020-08: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Bee and Tree Project

Laudato Si, Bee and Tree Project on the way to realization Bees are an important species, upholding nature and agriculture. Bees pollinate the trees whose oxygen we breathe, and which mitigate the climate.  Bees are responsible for at least a third Read more […]

  • 2020-08: Kenya, Mathare: Social distancing is a privileg

Kenya, Mathare: Social distancing is a privilege of the middle and upper classes. It will be impossible for the slum dwellers and the rural population of African countries to realize this new necessity, social distancing. For a few days now, thousands Read more […]

  • 2020-08: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Mohammed Mushaga

Ability beyond Disability : Mohammed Mushaga 36 Born in the South of Ethiopia, Mohammed moved with his uncle to the Eastern City of Diredawa where he got a serious life threatening burn from Kerosene lamp. After several operations both his hands had Read more […]

  • 2020-06: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Annular solar Eclipse

Annular solar Eclipse – Lalibela An annual solar eclipse happened in Lalibela on June 21, 2020 moon covered the sun’s center and leaving the sun’s visible outer edges to annulus around the moon. Many people were out early morning to watch Read more […]

  • 2020-06: Ethiopia / Durame: Bee and Tree

Durame:  actual situation of Bee and Tree  – Laudato Si. PBF has supported the Yonas Zekarias family in beekeeping in Doano village in Durame South Ethiopia for several years. We have both traditional and modern hives, we are happy to share and encourage Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Information Pentecost 2020

At the beginning of May I wrote online to those whose email address I know. It is clear to me that I was only able to reach a modest part of the Foundation’s  members- unfortunately. On this Pentecost weekend, some difficult Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Kenya / Nairobi: George overcomes his ups and downs with photography

George Orimba overcomes his ups and downs with photography in Mathare I have been involved in photography for a long time. I also like to read stories from people who overcome their emotional lows or psychological crises in this way. I was never really Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Bangladesh: COVID-19, Cyclone «Amphan», Destruction

COVID-19, Cyclone «Amphan», Destruction – PBF Reminds Dr. Manzour Iqbal The foundation wants to express its solidarity with the people of Bangladesh. A recent hurricane leaves the extremely poor South Asian country in desolation. With India and Sri Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Assefa Addisu: «Dog cage» and Bajaj

Asefa Addisu (now 29) was born in a small village called Telfetit about 40 km south of Lalibela. From an early age, he has the vision of changing his life. He first graduated from elementary school in his Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Getasew’s impressive path from “Zero to Hero”

Born in Lalibela, the 26 years old boy Getasew Hailu had passed through a lot of life challenges like many other children here. At the age of 7, his father went to be a warrior to protect his country during the Ethio-Eritrea war. So, it became Read more […]

  • 2020-05: PBF from «Laudato si» for the worldwide Bee Day

These days mark the fifth anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ worldwide environmental laudato si. This font has had an enormous response worldwide. It is imbued with the basic idea that ecology and social issues have to be thought together: Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Africa:  Floods, locusts and the corona virus: the triple tragedies in eastern Africa

Eastern African countries are currently counting losses after devastating floods that have displaced hundreds of thousands. This in Corona times of all times. In Kenya and Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Ethiopia / Lalibela: The young epileptic from GojjamBure is looking for and finds a new, promising opportunity 

Tenaw Kebede’s life stands for many similar circumstances in the work of PBF After the death of his two parents, Tenaw moved from the Gojjam area, from the Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Vaste dump turns into vegetable garden

Zelalem and 4 other friends who have an education in agriculture met and founded a «cooperative for self-help». They originally lived in the country, but moved to Lalibela to find training and work. Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Ethiopia / Lalibela: report about actual situation

Abebe reports critically about the situation in Lalibela – today Abebe Zewdu is one of our critical older students in Lalibela, who has proven himself in various areas, especially in the health and care sector, he is recognized as a trained health officer. Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Aragaw is now on his own two feets 

His name is Aragaw Molla. He is 22 years old. He was born in the mountains, forty kilometers from Lalibela. The small hamlet is called Wodebye. There he went to school, up to the 8th grade it was possible there. Then Read more […]

  • 2020-05: Ethiopia / Lalibela: PBF goes digital

In this time of physical / social distancing, learning to work again Physical / Social Distancing is almost normal, curfews, lock downs determine our work in society. Presence is required wherever. We took this situation as an opportunity Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Fasika a time for reflection and celebration 

The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference, says the Jewish scholar Elie Wiesel This year we are experiencing a situation with the Covid pandemic that we have never seen before, but it is an “enlightenment” Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Kenya / Nairobi Mathare: COVID-19 prevention

REPORT ON COVID 19 SUPPORT FROM PBF One World Network has been observing strictly the safety measures that have been set to counter Novel COVID 19 epidemic that has shocked and made the world to adjust to a new life. On April 8th Peter Bachmann Family Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Ethiopia / Durame: Ester (by Abel Yonas)

Life from the source gives me hope and strength A text for Easter by our PBF manager in southern Ethiopia Abel Yonas is currently studying sociology in Germany/Bielefeld thanks to a KAAD scholarship. He has been active in the Foundation for a good Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Ethiopia / Doano: Well construction – water from deep 

The person currently responsible for PBF projects in Durame is Yossy Zekarias, Abel’s brother, who is doing a doctorate in Germany / Bielefeld. Yossy is a university lecturer and uses his free time to build a well Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Ethiopia / Lalibela: COVID-19 challenges

Mastering challenges for people in Lalibela who cannot leave their homes PBF’s involvement in Lalibela has achieved a new urgent and pressing and much more difficult task in the past few days. Our young specialists, health experts trained by PBF scholarships, Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Switzerland / Winterthur: Easter letter

8408 Winterthur-Wülflingen, Wässerwiesenstrasse 67f Dear friends and donors: Thank you First of all, I ask for your understanding that I will not be able to pass on these lines to the friends and donors of our foundation Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Uganda / Kasese: Community initiatives

Community initiatives: fish ponds and tree plantings Thomas Kenja has been the PBF manager in Uganda for over ten years. He works with the local population in western Uganda, in the city of Kasese. The city has around 70,000 inhabitants and is the main Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Corona prevention day #1

PBF in the service of the people: Corona prevention has started Our team met in our office yesterday Tuesday and decided together how we would like to continue with the actual prevention steps today. We see that the virus will spread to other parts of Read more […]

  • 2020-04: Kenya / Nairobi: physical distancing in Mathare slum

Physical distancing is a privilege of the middle and upper classes. It will be impossible for the slum dwellers and the rural population of African countries to realize this new necessity, social distancing. For a few days now, thousands of slum dwellers Read more […]

  • 2020-03: Ethiopia / Lalibela: COVID 19 and prevention at PBF

The current situation also presents our foundation with new challenges – not only in Ethiopia but also in Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Kenya. Our team in Lalibela consists of four employees. They are trained by Read more […]

  • 2020-03: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Solidarity with Ethiopia and Lalibela in Corona times

This Monday, March 30th, an unprecedented campaign by PBF begins in Lalibela: clean water, soap and, above all, a broad information campaign for our almost 170 old, vulnerable people and their relatives Read more […]

  • 2020-03: Africa: PBF works in the spirit of Ubuntu in marginal communities

Ubuntu is not just an African philosophy but a spirituality and an ethic of African traditional life. It is the capacity in African culture to express compassion, reciprocity, dignity, harmony, Read more […]

  • 2020-03: Ethiopia / Addis Ababa: Overdue renovation of our VDI center for street people

VDI is an association of some Catholic lay people in Ethiopia. They voluntarily serve the poorest, the old women and men, in Addis Ababa. The center is in the city, actually a very Read more […]

  • 2020-03: Switzerland: Engagement of Beatrice Gill for PBF

Beatrice Gill has shaped the history of PBF in Lalibela from its beginning until today. This is shown in her report from spring 2010 Beatrice Gill has shaped the development of PBF in Ethiopia like no other person from Switzerland. Two days ago she became Read more […]

  • 2020-03: Switzerland / Bülach: Parish project with consequences

“God loves the donkeys” – also today in 2020. It makes a lot of sense to remember it today in a fast moving time. In the sentence “God loves the donkeys”, the first word is emphasized as strongly as the last. Because that is also the special thing about Read more […]

  • 2020-03: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Woldiya

Resilience as strengthening the community through social services and sport. Taekwando: with gold and silver they return to Lalibela A first report on this martial art, initiative, goal and background can be found e.g.  in https://bachmann-foundation.org/2016/11/17/2016-11-taekwondo/. Tesfaw Read more […]

  • 2020-02: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Young people in groups struggle to overcome unemployment

A group of our particularly active young people in Lalibela has finally found sustainable activity. One of the key concerns of PBF is to counter the unemployment of an infinite number of young Read more […]

  • 2020-02: Ethiopia / Gashena: Another well in the very poor area

On February 21, the founder and director of the Medium Clinic in Gashena writes: “Well, the second well is also completed. We expect 18’000 to 20’000 litres of fresh water per day. This means that well over 100 families Read more […]

  • 2020-02: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Habtu’s small steps to independence 

Habtu is a  young self-schooled street boy who has developed his skills in decor and designs. He makes colorful stickers as decoration for the small public taxis popularly known as bajaj. He started as a free agent Read more […]

  • 2020-02: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Self-help – Warkaw Destaw

Whoever encounters Warkaw Destaw will continue on their own path with strength He was very special to me since 2010, this small, extremely lively Warkaw! He was involved with Getachew, the person in charge in the first years of PBF, with the Read more […]

  • 2020-02:Ethiopia: Perspectives for orphans – the example of Bakela

Mesele Misgan, known as «Bakela», was born in the small village of Genetemariam, about 30 km east of Lalibela, and is now 20 years old. Since childhood, he has faced a variety of challenges. Bakela knows little or hardly anything to tell about his Read more […]

  • 2020-02: CV of Getachew

I am Getachew Sale with 24 age. I was born in countryside “kolaye” 35 Km far from Lalibela town on April 15, 1995, from my father Sale Mezgebu and My mother Yaezeb Telake.my families are farmers and housewife but they divorced when I was Read more […]

  • 2020-01: Conflict resolution

PBF and Local Traditional Conflict Resolution in Ethiopia Our work with local communities has enabled us to learn support and contribute to people’s lives in their own terms and traditions without the need to only use processes that are prohibitive, Read more […]

  • 2020-01: Ethiopia / Lalibela: CV Solomon

Solomon Molla – war experiences, but his dreams and visions, in his book of poems attracts attention at Genna and Timkat My name is Solomon Molla, born in 1984 in Lalibela, Ethiopia. I lived and grew up in Lalibela. I am living with my mother Abeba Read more […]

  • 2020-01: Ethiopia / Lalibela: poet Solomon

Christmas Poems – Solomon Molla, the poet from Lalibela For this year’s Christmas, the Ethiopian poet Solomon Molla has set a big goal. For fifteen years he has been writing poems that reflect his difficult life and his thoughts on life in his country Read more […]

  • 2020-01: Sri Lanka / Chilaw: new year

How we started the year With the annual Christmas concert (see pictures)  we ended the year 2019. After a long Christmas vacation we reopened the school for the new year on the 6 th of January 2020. Our children came on the first day to school with Read more […]

  • 2020-01: Ethiopia / Lalibela: Genna

Christmas celebrations (Genna) in Lalibela The Ethiopian Christmas celebrations, here called Genna, are a very special spectacle. As already mentioned, Lalibela is one of the most important pilgrimage places of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. According Read more […]