Big Issues in Addis

The monthly magazine, popular as an alternative to the mainstream press in the UK, launched its Ethiopian version yesterday.
This venture, despite being aimed at helping street dwellers gain a regular income and use that for further personal growth, is not the typical bleeding-heart aid project that blindly doles out "aid" to the "needy". The vendors, who pay ETB1 for the magazine, sell it for ETB3 and keep the rest, are seen as equal partners in this busniness.

The first issue's main theme was "Ethiopian Heroes" with contributors from all walks of life, including the blossoming ET blogworld. A blogger based in Ethiopia, Andrew Heavens of Meskesquare is a major contributor to the project in many ways.

There are 6 locations in Addis where the vendors will be stationed, ranging from Merkato to Gotera

Good luck to the Big Issue- perhaps the first vendors will be struggling against a few not so small odds to kick this off, so if they manage, they'll be heroes in their own right.