Jogi was born in our house. We named her Jogi after a friend of the family because the pattern she has on her head looks like the turban he used to wear.

[Photo by Sara | »Email this photo to a friend]

One of the women working at Gemini in their spice preparation project. She is putting the packed spices in containers to distribute to the shops.

[Photo by Sara | »Email this photo to a friend]

Sara: "The man is extending an office over one of the shipping containers used as an office at Gemini. For me, it represents how Gemini is trying to use all the compound space wisely."

[Photo by Sara | »Email this photo to a friend]

Sintayhu on Dawit's shoulders. They have both been friends of Ronaldos since they were children. The three friends were in Dawit's brothers shoe repair shop when Ronaldo took this photo.Sintayhu and Dawit both work in the shop; they are going to teach Ronaldo to repair shoes so he can join them working there.

[Photo by Ronaldo | »Email this photo to a friend]

This is Ashe's favourite uncle, Abiti. He is employed in a metal workshop were he earns 200 Birr per month. He does all types of metalwork, making frames for windows, tables and chairs. He also works part-time for himself to subsidise his income. He is married and has one two-year-old daughter.

[Photo by Ashe | »Email this photo to a friend]

In Addis the capital of Ethiopia there are many small children shining shoes. They live off the money they earn and some of them go to evening school. Most come from the rural side of Ethiopia and they also help their family in the countryside from the money they get from shining shoes. Their lives are often very difficult.

[Photo by Ashe | »Email this photo to a friend]

I am Ashenafi Gudeta, one of the participants of ethiopialives.net. I live with my family. i love watching movies. i am interested in playing music and film making. At present I practice with Gemini Trust music and drama club - O love performing. I am happy to be part of ethiopialives.net as i am able to tell stories about my life and my country.

>> See Ashe's photographs

I am Yenenesh Abraham. I was able to attend school up until 8th grade and then had to drop out and take work as a domestic servant. It is in that job that I met my husband and i thought that marriage would give me a better life. I was 21 years old when I gave birth to my daughter. Unfortunately my husband died when I was 8 months pregnant. I have worked doing domestic work and bringing up my daughter who is now six years old - she is a blessing that God has given me. I am happy to be a participant in ethiopialives.net and to have the opportunity to take pictures of my life and share it with the world.

>> See Yenenesh's photographs

Mesfin's nickname is Borsse. He is the father of  two baby boys: Luel, which means prince, who is nearly 3 years old, and Henok who is just two months old. He is forty days old. Luel is due to start school in September. "I will be taking lots of photos of my boys so you can watch them grow."

>> See Mesfin's photographs

Bethlehem has a twin sister, and as a twin gets support from Gemini Trust. She is excited about the whole concept of the EthiopiaLives.net project, saying that it is the first time in her life that anyone has trusted her with a camera:

"No-one would have loaned me a camera even for a day," she says, "and now I'm taking pictures for the project. Before there was no camera in my house - in fact there wasn't even a camera in my village!"

As part of ethiopialives.net she intends to take pictures of her life and her country and present them to the world.

>> See Beti's photographs

Ashenafi was born and brought up in Addis Ababa, in an area called Korea Town. He comes from a middle income family. He loves football - his greatest dream is to become an international footballer. He plays for his local youth club and his nickname is Ronaldo. Now that he has started taking pictures he also wants to be a photographer.

>> See Ronaldo's photographs

When Annie spoke to this girl in the church in Adadi Maryan she said she goes there to pray every day. Most of the christians in Ethiopia belong to the Ethiopian Orthadox Church.

[Photo by Annie | »Email this photo to a friend]

The rock hewn churches of Ethiopia are active places of worship. They are carved into the ground.

[Photo by Annie | »Email this photo to a friend]