About ETGPA Idir

INTRODUCTION

It has now been five years since the Ethiopian Tourist Guides Professionals Association was founded with a clear mission: to protect, promote and dignify the profession of guiding in Ethiopia. In this relatively short span, the association has walked a long and often difficult road, yet one marked by achievements that reflect both the resilience of its members and the power of collective effort. From the very beginning, the association has worked to ensure that no guide stands alone. It has served as a shared database of knowledge, reducing information gaps among members. It has organized continuous professional trainings in collaboration with institutions, enabling guides to sharpen their skills and better serve Ethiopia’s tourism sector. When the profession was shaken by unprecedented challenges (be it the pandemic or the disruptions of war) the association sought ways to raise emergency funds to support members who lost their livelihoods. Beyond professional matters, it has also embraced the human side of community: visiting the sick, comforting grieving families & offering solidarity in times of personal loss. Yet, as with many associations, structural limitations have sometimes stood in the way of responding quickly and effectively to members’ needs. Recognizing this, few concerned association members & the Executive Committee reflected deeply and resolved the situation by introducing a mechanism called “ETGPA-IDIR” (a gathering not just organizational but also cultural and rooted in our own social traditions). Therefore here is the Ethiopian Tourist Guides Professionals Association IDIR (Supporting Fund), designed in the spirit of an Idir (a long-standing Ethiopian social fabric where communities come together to support one another in times of hardship and transition). This fund is envisioned as more than financial aid: it is a reaffirmation of our values, a commitment to mutual care & a practical system that ensures members can receive timely support when it matters most. The establishment of this IDIR marks not only a continuation of what the Association has been doing but also a new chapter of organized solidarity (one that strengthens our professional family and upholds the dignity of Ethiopian tourist guides in good times and in difficult times alike).