Ganno: "He is getting some rest near the door of his house. His shoes are made from re-cycled tyres."

[Photo by Ganno]

>> See Alem's photographs

Karayour: "She lives in Dharito village."

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

Dama participated in the Yabello EthiopiaLives.net photography workshop. Here she is playing her tape recorder in her tea room at the Medhacho Peasant Association.

>> See Dama's photographs

Mango took this photograph of Ato Gebrechal Tserata and his cattle ploughing the land traditionally.

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

Ronaldo: "I like his features and the lines on his face."

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

Sara: "Our guard and employee, Kassa. Kassa is washing our car, that is how he usually starts his day. He washes the car and cleans the compound, feeds the dogs and cats, opens the gate and does gardening while keeping an eye on the house. His life is representative of the lives of many rural guys in Addis. He was smiling for the camera and looks happy about his picture being taken."

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

Sr Medhin took this photograph of the keeper of the church with a cross in his hand. "Orthodox christians kiss the cross but catholics don't," she says.

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

Worki took this photograph in Dharito village, Yabello. The mother is milking a goat to feed her children.

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

Yenenesh: "I am making coffee and this was taken during a coffee ceremony. This is very much a part of my culture and my country."

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

Ashe photographed these donkeys on his way to the market. The owner uses the donkeys to transport sacks of grain and other heavy loads to market, charging a fee for the service. 'Aheya' means donkey in Amharic.

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

I have just found this amazing site. The photographs are stunning. I am looking forward to exploring aspects of life in Ethiopia.

Good luck with the blog.

>> See Ara'aya's photographs

>> See Almaz's photographs

Mango demonstrates his camera to a priest.

>> See Mango's photographs

>> See Sr Medhin's photographs

"We celebrated Easter at my home," says Alefu, "sitting together and eating Difo Dabo."

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

[Photo by Ara'aya | »Email this photo to a friend]

"Women line up with plastic buckets to collect water every morning from the common tap in our area," says Ashe. "They wait in turn and pay a nominal fee. It shows that not everyone in Addis has a private tap in their homes even though Addis is the capital city of Ethiopia."

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

"The father and his child are playing," says Badadha. "The photo represents the love they have for each other."

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

Beti: "I took this picture of the Adugna dance group in class at Gemini Trust."

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

A pastoralist merchant selling roasted maize.

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

Dama: "The woman, a mother at home, is making a traditional Qoda milking jar."

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

Ganno: "The man is from Medhacho. He's such a handsome old person."

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

"The woman is from Dharito village," says Karayour. "I liked the way she had her child in her arms."

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

"She is holding the grass that is used to make the beautiful baskets that people use in their kitchen," says Ronaldo. "It is part of an income generation project at Gemini Trust."

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

Ronaldo: "The women are digging a drainage for water and cleaning our area. These people are making change out of their own initiative."

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

Sara took this photograph in May. "This is watermelon season," she says. "All year round different fruits can be bought in Addis."

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

Yenenesh's daughter Rahwa Nulu Birhan, "on her best behaviour and sitting quietly".

"I have no words to express my love for her," says Yenenesh. "She loves her picture being taken and she always listens to me."

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

Doro Wat is an Ethiopian dish made with chicken, butter and spices.

"We make this food every holiday, especially Easter, Christmas and New Year, " says Alefu. "It is very special food for Ethiopians. I took this picture to show our culture and the process of cooking Doro Wat"

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

Ashe's aunt, Mimi Abate, makes coffee for her visiting neighbours and relations.

"Coffee has a great role in social life," says Ashe. "Neighbours call each other and drink coffee together to chat and discuss issues during the coffee ceremony."

 Mimi lives with her brothers and works in a cafe as a waitress.

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

Badadha: "I took this photo as the woman sat staring, amazed by the presence of a photographer."

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

Beti: "Identical twins Haileyesus and Yared. Everytime I leave work they walk me to the bus station."

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

The goods are sold in small packets hanging together on a stall.

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

Dama: "I liked the togetherness of the children working together. They are the children of agro-pasturalists."

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

Ganno: "I like the woman's face. Traditionally in Ethiopia we clean our teeth with these sticks."

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

Karayour: "The chicken drinks water as the woman passes behind - I took the photo as I liked the combination of the two elements."

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

One of the Gemini Trust beneficieries weaving a decorative basket. Basket weaving is one of the job creation schemes at Gemini. The women get an income from the baskets they make. A designer works with the women to help create appealing designs to sell.

[Photo by Mesfin]

Sara's father Ibrahim is a civil engineer. He is now retired but works part-time on a board of the fish market corporation in Addis.

"My father is one of my favourite people in the world;" says Sara. "He is my best friend and someone I can always depend on."

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

Yenenesh's daughter Rahwa. Rahwa means "light".

"Rahwa is the light of my life," says Yenenesh. "She is very precious to me. I raised her alone, after my husband died, and because of that I have a very deep love for her. My husband died when I was eight months pregnant and so he never saw his beautiful daughter."

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

Borbor (left) and Karayour getting to grips with their new cameras.

>> See Borbor's photographs

Dama photographs Badadha at the Yabello photo workshop.

>> See Badadha's photographs

Karayour and Badadha at the Yabello photo workshop.

>> See Karayour's photographs

>> See Worki's photographs

>> See Ganno's photographs

This is a dough prepared for baking Ethiopian bread for Easter. Traditionally 'Defo Dabo' is baked during Easter, Christmas and New Year.

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

My name is Alefu Mamo. I am working at Gemini Trust as a secretary. I am living with my older sister in Addis Ababa. I took photography because it is very interesting and I love it.

>> See Alefu's photographs

I am Sara. I was born and raised in Addis. I love living in the city. There are a lot of opportunities. I feel lucky that I live in Addis and have such a wonderful family. I like travelling, watching movies, reading, music, gardening and meeting people.

>> See Sara's photographs