i think it's an eye-opener to the e continent, ianan say. reportrter: atver r 1800 squae kilometers, the dam's reservoir will cover an area three times the size of lake constance. its power station will generate over 6000 megawatts. that will supply all of ethiopia's electricity needs, with some left over for export to generate some income as well. project manager simegnew bekele says the dam is good for the soul of a country that the world underestimates. we know that we are poor, and we have committed ourselves to come out of this poverty level. reporter: it's an expensive way of tackling poverty, especially without foreign funding. ethiopia's government is financing the mammoth $5 billion dam out of the country's own pockets. quite literally -- because there wasn't enough cash available in the treasury, civil servants' pay was withheld -- ostensibly on a voluntary basis. public donations and lotteries also channeled money into the project's coffers. simegnew: this is a projecect tt willll benefit others equally s it will benefit ethiopia.