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The branch, which was founded in 2018, has pulled together to raise money for the Charity Association for the Destitute, Tesfa Addis Parents Childhood Cancer Organization and Abandoned People, and most recently, Ethiopia’s Red Cross appeal.

With 55 members, the OSC brings together fans from all across Ethiopia to watch and play football, and uses the power of football to aid social change.

The branch hosted three charity events – the first in April 2019 at the Charity Association for the Destitute and Abandoned People, in which members were able to raise and donate to the organisation 50,000 ETB (£740).

In Ethiopia, there are many Football enthusiasts particularly English Premier League. Manchester United and Arsenal have the largest numbers of fans in the country. However, football clubs like Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, and Manchester City are now gaining momentum and attracting a growing number of supporters in Ethiopia. In fact, supporting football clubs in the English Premier League, is now advancing to new heights after Manchester City’s supporters in Addis Ababa took the initiative to create a connection with the club in England. Also known as Man City Addis, the fan club now has 240 registered Manchester City fans that pay a 10 euro membership fee each year. EBR Adjunct Writer Abiy Wendifraw looked into the activities of the fan club.

Each week across Ethiopia, thousands of English Premier League lovers, largely Arsenal and Manchester United fans, flock to see their beloved teams. Those supporting the other side often struggle to find show rooms, restaurants, and hotels which show their teams playing.
Kumesa Shifera, 18, who lives in Midakegni, a small woreda in the state of Oromia, is one of Manchester City’s fans. When Everton thrashed Manchester United at Goodison Park on April 21, 2019, Kumesa did not know that fixture was going to be the last game of the season he would watch live on TV. He cheered every goal against Manchester United sitting among frustrated and angry supporters of the losing side. As Theo Walcott, the former Arsenal player, brought the score to 4-0 in the 64th minute, Kumesa’s screams and wild celebrations weren’t very well received. The man who owned the DSTV show room surprised him with an abrupt slap in the face and showed him the door. Feeling helpless, the 10th grade boy left.

“I think I made him angry that night,” Kumesa laughs. “He told me to stay at home next time and I knew I was going to miss all the other games. I did not see the Manchester-Derby game three days later. He owns the only show room in Midakegni and he loves Manchester United. Every football lover in town knows United’s fixtures get priority because of him.” Fans of the other big teams like Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool also get the chance to see their teams playing. Manchester City, with Kumesa as its solo fan, comes last in the pecking order.
But this type of situation doesn’t seem to be a concern for Manchester City fans in Addis. A well-organized fan club, Man City Addis, is now taking the initiative to arrange a place to watch their team every week. Members are also welcome to play with their fellow fans during Saturday games.

“We have goals to achieve here. We want to create an environment where Man City fans meet and build a community” says Amanuel Amare, chairman of the fan club. “We organize different events where the club members meet and watch games. Man City Addis has an office and staff to facilitate regular tasks.”

It all began in 2008 after Amanuel returned to Ethiopia from the US where he lived for 29 years to launch a business. “In the United States, I was not a football fan. I started to follow Man City when Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan took over the club in 2008. I used to travel to England and watch games. Knowing the popularity of the Premier League in Ethiopia, I felt we lacked formal representation over there. I met with people who shared that same idea and moved to establish the fan club,” says the 43 years old.

In Addis and other regional cities, there are fan groups for the larger clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. But most of these clubs are informal groups mainly present on social media. So far, Man City’s Addis Ababa fan club is the only officially recognized fan club in the country.

Man City has already been transformed by United Arab Emirates’ ruling family and is on the way to becoming a global corporation. As a result, Amanuel believes being the second most populous nation in Africa makes Ethiopia a potential market for the England based club. The football obsessed younger population makes the country attractive to any club with an ambition to go global.

A Charity Association for the Destitute and Abandoned People (CADAP) is a community-based association and non- profitable that was established in September 1997. CADAP serves regardless of religion, ethnicity, or age and supports particularly to those abandoned, disabled, and frail elderly people. CADAP accommodates also those non-elder people who require critical all-around support. So far, the association is funded by members and individual volunteers.

The beneficiaries are elderly and vulnerable people who often are abandoned and experiencing persistent sickness for a prolonged period of time. Support is provided in terms of shelter, food, and basic service including medical care.

Man City Addis On April 20, 2019 We made a 30000 ETH donation to a charity Association for the Destitute and Abandoned People(CADAP ). In Addition, a lot of our fans bring old clothes to the association. We spent quality time there. We fulfill our social responsibility.