Dama: "Wako is a customer of mine. Like my husband, he is a cattle merchant. People here are very happy about us taking photos. They see we have something different that can even change our life. My favourite photographs are of the transactions that take place in my shop because people will see I am strong and work for myself but that it also benfits the Boran people because it gives them close access to goods and they don't have to travel to the towns."

[Photo by Dama] 

Ara'aya: "I never went to school and I feel so proud I have learnt something new and my photos look good. It has improved my status in the village."

Ara'aya never had the opportunity to go to school and cannot read or write. However, the other photographers from Mekelle (Almaz, Alem, Mango & Sr Medhin) all help write his captions.

[Photo by Annie] 

[Photo by Dama]

[Photo by Dama]

Mango: "Mekales participates in the project 'Drammas'. Here, she is pouring the boiled coffee in to the little cups ready to serve."

[Photo by Mango] 

Mango, a photographer, lives in Mekelle, with his grandmother Berhan and cousin Ferewiona (7). His parents died when he was nine.

[Photo by Annie]

Mango completed his final grade at school and works as a waiter in a coffee shop. He wants to make money from photography to help his grandmother.

[Photo by Annie]

[Photo by Beti]

Ronaldo: "PICDO was established in 2003. The project helps mothers who have no income, people who are living with HIV and orphans. They have to bring a paper from their Kebere to get help from the project. The project provides different services for 40 beneficiaries. Providing 6 hens and 1 male chicken, 100kg food for the chickens, 6 metal sheets for house building and wire for the beneficiaries to start their work."

[Photo by Ronaldo]  

Sara says the project has given her a new dimension to photography, and wants to be a part of the cooperative that the EthiopiaLives group is aiming to set up.

[Photo by Sara]

[Photo by Sara]

Sara: "Aberash, 46 yrs, has 6 children. 3 of them have completed school and the other 3 are still learning. She started as a member of the PICDO project with 2 goats and now has 6. She was also given onion seed and prepared a small part of land around her compound to grow them. She is now producing enough profit to support her family."

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

Yenenesh: "Martha, 23 yrs, is studying grade 12. She became a member of the PICDO project, as she had no income generation. She was previously living with her family and now she can live by herself."

[Photo by Yenenesh]

Yenenesh: "Martha works with her sister; they started with 6 hens and 1 cockerel and they now have 32 hens and 4 cockerels. They are selling eggs, and as they become more productive they are getting a profit and can help their family."

[Photo by Yenenesh] 

Borbor is married with four sons and two daughters and lives in Dubek, a village in Dirre. He is known as the "walking encyclopedia" of Boran culture, a society which is highly democratic though patriarchal.

Borbor: "Tadhi Galgalo and his wife Abyot Gabura at the naming ceremony of their first born son Liban. They live in Yabello town but are having the ceremony in a rural village. I was invited and brought a goat as a gift."

[Photo by Borbor]  

[Photo by Badadha]

Badhadha lives with her parents, brother and four sisters in a small village 30km from Mega. She helps the family collect water and firewood, does domestic chores, and tends livestock. A Tula deep well which is used by the Borana Pastoralists to access water for their stock in the dry season.

[Photo by Badadha]

Ashe: "This is my friend Wondwosen Melese. He studies painting and music with other young people at Gemini Trust. We also attend dance and drama classes and teach people about HIV/ AIDS through drama to raise awareness."  

[Photo by Ashe]

Ara'aya lives in Adi Kolakul, a village 40km from Mekelle, with his wife Kiros, his three-year old son and seven-year old daughter. He rents a field from a land owner and pays for it by giving him half of his crop, and makes extra money by selling beans at the market.

Ara'aya: "This is one of the remaining trees from deforestation. We are keeping our trees, which are a natural resource for the environment. We are aware."

[Photo by Ara'aya]  

Frewoini, another photographer, lives in Driglet, a beautiful village 50km from Mekelle. Her family are subsistence farmers and her father is also the local priest.

Ara'aya: "Kalay and Frewoini, my friends, chatting over coffee."  

[Photo by Ara'aya]

[Photo by Ara'aya]

Ara'aya: "Another farmer from our neighbourhood at a training and development project meeting, looking at trees. "

[Photo by Ara'aya]

[Photo by Mango]

This project offers us a window on Ethiopia, which shows us that it is about so much more than the usual stereotypes of famine and disease. Ordinary Ethiopian people are able to get across aspects of their lives in an unforgetable way.  We challenge you to look at the images on the site and have your views of Ethiopia changed forever.

Les from CAFOD, London, UK

[Photo by Annie]

Almaz: "Selemawit is selling a rainy season fruit called 'Beles' (cactus)."

[Photo by Almaz]  

Alem: "Roman, my boss, is the ADCS food security project manager. Part of our work is to teach new cultural practices. Here, Roman is trying to help women overcome the bad belief that says 'women don't plough'."

[Photo by Alem] 

[Photo by Alem]

Alem: "My grandfather, Tesema Kahsay, came a long distance to visit us."

[Photo by Alem]  

Yenenesh: "Terhas, alongside my daughter Rahwa. I like my cousin's dress. "

[Photo by Yenenesh] 

[Photo by Alefu]

Alefu: "Hanna has mud on her shoes as it is winter at the moment."

[Photo by Alefu]

Alefu: "Hanna playing with my glasses in my office where I work at the Gemini Trust."

[Photo by Alefu]  

Sara: "Workitu Lemma is a member of PICDO, an organisation that supports mothers who do not have an income, living with HIV and carers of orphans. The women are involved in different income generation projects like growing vegetables, rearing sheep and chickens."

[Photo by Sara]

Sara: "Workitu Lemma is a member of PICDO, an organisation that supports mothers who do not have an income, living with HIV and carers of orphans."

[Photo by Sara]

Beti: "This is a daily labourer in the street of Addis. He has been working from dawn until now. He is so tired and hungry, from what he earned today he was not able to spare some money for his food because he had to pay it to someone that he borrowed from. He told me that he was sleeping there for a while and now felt hungry, that is why he is just sitting and thinking what to do.

The life of daily labourers are hard, they are the lowest paid in the country. They earn maximum of 7 birr a day, less than a dollar for all the hard work. And sometimes they can't even get work. So it means going hungry and may be sleeping outside. Life is difficult and hopeless for them. I felt sorry for him and had to share my saving of the day that was 10 cents. I hope some other people had assisted him so that he could eat something for the day."

[Photo by Beti]

Ronaldo: "This is one of the kids in my neighbourhood, going to a shop to buy kerosene and on his way he is playing. He is holding in one hand, a Jerry Can and in the other hand, a stick and a wheel. This is a famous game among boys of his age. It is like owning a vehicle; the toy is made with stick, wire and metal ring found easily. Sometimes, groups of young boys come together on the street and race with their wheel, it is a lot of fun to drive the wheel for a longer time and win the game. But it could be dangerous to play on a busy street where cars are rushing by.

In Ethiopia, it is common to send children to shops to buy small items. Mothers often do that when they are busy at home. Children help a lot doing errands especially when school is closed. This is the season where school is closed and children have ample time to assist their mother so you see many of them in the shop buying sugar, coffee, charcoal, kerosene, soap and vegetables."

[Photo by Ronaldo]  

Ronaldo: "Kids like toy guns because they watch western movies and are fascinated by the actors and the things they do in the movies. In our area, the kids like to play games of the police & thieves, and war games."

[Photo by Ronaldo]  

Ronaldo: "These are two sisters combing and braiding their hair. One sister braids the others hair, and the other sister does the same. It is great to have a sister. They help each other not only in their hair but share many things in life. The happy and sad moments as well.  This is our dog Buchi. Dogs are loyal and their friendship is great. Buchi is our favourite dog and friend."

[Photo by Ronaldo]

Ara'aya: "At a training & development meeting for farmers in our neighbourhood. After discussion together, we clap to agree and support new rules."

[Photo by Ara'aya]

Annie: "Frewioni has just been photographing her sister. They look through the pictures together."

[Photo by Annie] 

[Photo by Ashe]