Posted by eliza gale on December 4, 2011 - 11:56pm
Mel Tewahade is a documentary filmmaker whose film "Point Four" deals with Harry Truman's program to help developing nations. Here is a link to his website:
www.pointfourethiopia.com
1. What exactly was The Point Four program?
Point Four program was the fourth point of American foreign policy, announced on Jan 20,1949 by President Truman to help the underdeveloped world by sharing American technology to improve their agriculture. No one person was responsible for the entire program. Several visionaries came together with shared dreams that found reality in the Point Four program. First visionary is President Truman who declared the Point Four Program on his inaugural speech on January 20, 1949 as part of his foreign policy objectives.
Henry Garland Bennett the then President of OSU, also had a dream for an educational institution to provide the training and development of agricultural improvements to meet people’s needs. Benjamin Hardy had a dream for helping the people in underdeveloped countries to improve their lives. Harry Truman had a dream for helping people recover from the ravages of World War II. Others, with technical knowledge and managerial skills, had dreams of sharing their knowledge with others in need around the world. All of these visionaries and their dreams found fulfillment in the Point Four program.Emperor Haile Sellasie was also very instrumental in allowing the College to be built in Ethiopia,and he provided most of the funds for the program, Americans provided the expertise.
2. Do you think Point Four may have inspired the Peace Corps? What were the were the similarities and differences?
I do not know if Peace corps was directly inspired by Point Four. But here are the similarities, President Kennedy announced Peace Corps as part of his campaign in 1960 exactly 11 years after Point Four was established. Both programs were intended to uplift people around the world to a better life. President Kennedy has studied the Point Four program and I believe he modified the peace corps to fit his agenda of inspiring young Americans to the idea of volunteerism.
Also the underlining reason may also be, to inspire people not to look for communism for economic or political solutions.
The difference between the two programs was that Point Four was sending highly trained individuals to countries where as Peace corps did not require that. Peace corps is a volunteer organization with no salary.
3. What unique agricultural problems did Ethiopia have at the time of Point Four?
Ethiopia had several problem with our agriculture prior to Point Four. Coffee was growing wild and Ethiopians did have the skill or experience to improve coffee yield. Growing it was difficult and managing it was impossible. Ethiopia now has one of the best coffee in the world thanks to point Four.
Cattle breeding was inefficient and disease was killing most of the herd. Parasites was big problem, disease called rinderpest was killing cattle all over Ethiopia. The OSU staff worked hard in Ethiopia to develop vaccine, researched in microbiology and immunology. The Alemaya collage also produced world class Ethiopian scientist such Dr.Yilma Tilahun of UC Davis and Dr.Ejeta Gudiesa of Prude. Please google this world class scientists to know more about them.
Dairy farming was at its infancy before the arrival of the Americans. There was no dairy cattle in Ethiopia before Point Four.
4. What were some of the specific things the American government was able to help them with?
American government was able to help pay for the portion of the program. I have seen estimate that US might have spent $12,000,000 over the 18 years the program was in effect.
5. What inspired you to tell the story of this program?
I was inspired to tell the story because my father whom I love, Tewahade Woldeyes was the governor of the region where the College was located. He was one of the heroes that worked hard to establish this college. I have attached a thank you letter that my father wrote to the last American President of the college Dr. Clyde Kindell in 1966.
6. Save for a brief period of Italian occupancy, Ethiopia has been one of the few African nations to maintain it's independence; to what do you attribute it's ability to stay independent?
I am glad you asked that question, because my father was a war hero in Ethiopia.He made a name for himself as he and his platoon gallantly fought the Italians and was forced into exile for 4 years in Kenya.(It was then known as Province of Kenya) where he meet my mother in a refugee camp. Ethiopians were not colonized because of many reasons. We are one of the few people in Africa that have our own alphabet, so we write and let our people know if they want to be slaves.We are thought pride of country, love king, strong Christian heritage and mighty mountainous topography makes Ethiopia, a difficult place to conquer.
7. What do you think is the biggest misconception Americans have about Ethiopia?
The present generation of Americans were never given the opportunity to know the real Ethiopia. We Ethiopians took a wrong turn 1974 and embraced communism which we paid for through never ending famine,conflict,refugee crisis, dislocation of personal property that is still not rectified .Ethiopia has not been a very attractive place. Ethiopia is now changing for the better.
8. Recently there has been a great deal of controversy surrounding the Gibe III Dam in Ethiopia. An article in "The Economist".says that Survival International, which lobbies for tribal people’s rights, says the livelihood and culture of 200,000 people in the Omo river basin could be ruined by Gibe III. Proponents of the dam say it will be good for the economy and the people of Ethiopia in the long run. How do you feel about this subject? How will it affect Ethiopian agriculture?
Gibe III is a big project and as such I am not an engineer and it is difficult for me to comment. Ethiopian agriculture will greatly improve if the land ownership issue is sorted out. The government wants to be the owner of the land, and allow the citizens only to enter into a lease arrangement. It will be very difficult to develop it and get loan on a property that does not belong to you.
9. What is the best thing American's can do today help developing nations?
Help them to get education and ensure that we build capacity that these educated people will get a job. In the case of Ethiopian Point Four program produced graduates and there were not nearly enough jobs.
10. Whose style of film making do you like more Ken Burns or Michael Moore and why?
I like Ken Burns because he is more factual and not sensational.
Please note; Eliza's interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects:)
www.pointfourethiopia.com
1. What exactly was The Point Four program?
Point Four program was the fourth point of American foreign policy, announced on Jan 20,1949 by President Truman to help the underdeveloped world by sharing American technology to improve their agriculture. No one person was responsible for the entire program. Several visionaries came together with shared dreams that found reality in the Point Four program. First visionary is President Truman who declared the Point Four Program on his inaugural speech on January 20, 1949 as part of his foreign policy objectives.
Henry Garland Bennett the then President of OSU, also had a dream for an educational institution to provide the training and development of agricultural improvements to meet people’s needs. Benjamin Hardy had a dream for helping the people in underdeveloped countries to improve their lives. Harry Truman had a dream for helping people recover from the ravages of World War II. Others, with technical knowledge and managerial skills, had dreams of sharing their knowledge with others in need around the world. All of these visionaries and their dreams found fulfillment in the Point Four program.Emperor Haile Sellasie was also very instrumental in allowing the College to be built in Ethiopia,and he provided most of the funds for the program, Americans provided the expertise.
2. Do you think Point Four may have inspired the Peace Corps? What were the were the similarities and differences?
I do not know if Peace corps was directly inspired by Point Four. But here are the similarities, President Kennedy announced Peace Corps as part of his campaign in 1960 exactly 11 years after Point Four was established. Both programs were intended to uplift people around the world to a better life. President Kennedy has studied the Point Four program and I believe he modified the peace corps to fit his agenda of inspiring young Americans to the idea of volunteerism.
Also the underlining reason may also be, to inspire people not to look for communism for economic or political solutions.
The difference between the two programs was that Point Four was sending highly trained individuals to countries where as Peace corps did not require that. Peace corps is a volunteer organization with no salary.
3. What unique agricultural problems did Ethiopia have at the time of Point Four?
Ethiopia had several problem with our agriculture prior to Point Four. Coffee was growing wild and Ethiopians did have the skill or experience to improve coffee yield. Growing it was difficult and managing it was impossible. Ethiopia now has one of the best coffee in the world thanks to point Four.
Cattle breeding was inefficient and disease was killing most of the herd. Parasites was big problem, disease called rinderpest was killing cattle all over Ethiopia. The OSU staff worked hard in Ethiopia to develop vaccine, researched in microbiology and immunology. The Alemaya collage also produced world class Ethiopian scientist such Dr.Yilma Tilahun of UC Davis and Dr.Ejeta Gudiesa of Prude. Please google this world class scientists to know more about them.
Dairy farming was at its infancy before the arrival of the Americans. There was no dairy cattle in Ethiopia before Point Four.
4. What were some of the specific things the American government was able to help them with?
American government was able to help pay for the portion of the program. I have seen estimate that US might have spent $12,000,000 over the 18 years the program was in effect.
5. What inspired you to tell the story of this program?
I was inspired to tell the story because my father whom I love, Tewahade Woldeyes was the governor of the region where the College was located. He was one of the heroes that worked hard to establish this college. I have attached a thank you letter that my father wrote to the last American President of the college Dr. Clyde Kindell in 1966.
6. Save for a brief period of Italian occupancy, Ethiopia has been one of the few African nations to maintain it's independence; to what do you attribute it's ability to stay independent?
I am glad you asked that question, because my father was a war hero in Ethiopia.He made a name for himself as he and his platoon gallantly fought the Italians and was forced into exile for 4 years in Kenya.(It was then known as Province of Kenya) where he meet my mother in a refugee camp. Ethiopians were not colonized because of many reasons. We are one of the few people in Africa that have our own alphabet, so we write and let our people know if they want to be slaves.We are thought pride of country, love king, strong Christian heritage and mighty mountainous topography makes Ethiopia, a difficult place to conquer.
7. What do you think is the biggest misconception Americans have about Ethiopia?
The present generation of Americans were never given the opportunity to know the real Ethiopia. We Ethiopians took a wrong turn 1974 and embraced communism which we paid for through never ending famine,conflict,refugee crisis, dislocation of personal property that is still not rectified .Ethiopia has not been a very attractive place. Ethiopia is now changing for the better.
8. Recently there has been a great deal of controversy surrounding the Gibe III Dam in Ethiopia. An article in "The Economist".says that Survival International, which lobbies for tribal people’s rights, says the livelihood and culture of 200,000 people in the Omo river basin could be ruined by Gibe III. Proponents of the dam say it will be good for the economy and the people of Ethiopia in the long run. How do you feel about this subject? How will it affect Ethiopian agriculture?
Gibe III is a big project and as such I am not an engineer and it is difficult for me to comment. Ethiopian agriculture will greatly improve if the land ownership issue is sorted out. The government wants to be the owner of the land, and allow the citizens only to enter into a lease arrangement. It will be very difficult to develop it and get loan on a property that does not belong to you.
9. What is the best thing American's can do today help developing nations?
Help them to get education and ensure that we build capacity that these educated people will get a job. In the case of Ethiopian Point Four program produced graduates and there were not nearly enough jobs.
10. Whose style of film making do you like more Ken Burns or Michael Moore and why?
I like Ken Burns because he is more factual and not sensational.
Please note; Eliza's interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects:)
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