Ganno: "Orge Halake, 18 years old, is always busy working for her family without a rest the whole day. Immediately after breakfast she goes to Dokole well 10km from her village carrying a 25 litres can. In the afternoon she will collect firewood and carry grain to the mill."

[Photo by Ganno]

Mango: "Aya, Efrem and friends wasting their time drinking because they couldn't find a job."

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

Mango: "Efrem, my friend, feeling drowsy because he has had too many drinks. Alcohol is bad for your health." 

[Photo by Mango] 

Alem: "This is Gebretsadik, one of the beneficiaries of an ADCS irrigation project that operates in Tigray, the northern part of Ethiopia. Apart from the pastoral work, it is also involved in development work. This is the food security project that I am a part of. He is washing carrots produced by him, the fruits of his hard labour. The project started six months ago and I feel happy because we were able to achieve a good result within this short period of time."

[Photo by Alem]  

Ara'aya: "Drinking the local beer 'Tela' which has its own cup made of horn."

[Photo by Ara'aya]  

Ara'aya: "Fadelech, Teka &  Kiros (from left my sister, my mother and my wife) planting onions in our field."

[Photo by Ara'aya]  

Ara'aya: "He is ploughing traditionally with an oxen to prepare the land for sowing seeds. The land needs to be ploughed several times before sowing."

[Photo by Ara'aya]

Worki: "The leaves are used by people to cover various things but for me it's food. I can't pass this green.. I should eat to survive! We goats are smart, we know how to stand like a man if it's important."

[Photo by Worki] 

Worki: "'Wondo Genet' is found 260km south of Addis. It is one of the areas covered by natural vegetation and is known for it's hot springs. This area was used as a recreation place by the late emperor Haile Selassie's families."

[Photo by Worki]  

Worki: "The sun is setting on the skies of Yabello, ending today and bringing another tomorrow." 

[Photo by Worki] 

Worki: "Kisha is found in the Sisama zone, around 370km south of Addis. During the evening the sun sets sparking golden rays in the sky. Horses graze the green grass in the golden light."

[Photo by Worki] 

Mango: "Teklay in front of the huts the deacons, 'kolo temari', live in whilst they study before coming a priest. He's looking around because there was a fight earlier."  

[Photo by Mango]

Frewoini: "My younger brother Hintsay has received his certificate from school and is showing it to our older brother Welay. He's happy about his results."

[Photo by Frewoini]  

Frewoini: "My elder brother Welay reading my younger brother Hintsay's school results. Hintsay has passed to grade 2, (he's 9 years old), and even got an award for his excellent achievement and performance. Welay 's proud of his younger brother's work."

[Photo by Frewoini]  

Worki says the project has helped him grasp how people understand their environment and their lives - and that the Boran photographers are the best! He sees EthiopiaLives as a link between the underserved world and the highly developed world.

[Photo by Worki]

Worki: "The shop belongs to Mr Galgalo Guffo. He closed his shop today to go and get commodities from the town. The shop is small but quite important for Gale dwellers. He gets in the shop through the small door and sells through the window above."

[Photo by Worki]  

Ganno: "The Borana community is known for its wise water management. This traditional water pipe is made from wood. It will bring water from the source at the top of the hill down to the point where people collect and use for livestock watering."

[Photo by Ganno]

Ganno: "Here, Borana elder Kuna Hulake is preparing the water pipe made from wood."

Ganno and her husband Tukuu are Boran and grow crops as well as rear livestock. However, the area is highly drought prone, so Ganno has started attending night school and is keen to learn to read and write so she can write her own captions.

[Photo by Ganno]

Dama: "It is now 5.30pm and after grinding Turu leads the calves back home."

[Photo by Dama | ]  

Dama:"After feeding her family lunch, Turu is grinding the maize for dinner. This work is one of the more tiresome chores. Grinding by millstone for the family with 6 members takes an hour and a half. The local grinding mill is a mode of stone. Women have to kneel down so as to crush the maize between the big and small stone."

[Photo by Dama]  

Dama: "Whilst waiting for the maize to cook, Turu collects firewood which is not so far as the 2 hour water trip. On her return the maize will be ready for lunch."

[Photo by Dama]  

Dama: "Whilst waiting for the maize to cook, Turu collects firewood which is not so far as the 2 hour water trip."

[Photo by Dama]  

Dama: "Once the wastage (the cover) has been removed from the maize, it is put in to a pan for cooking on the fire which can take 2 hours."

[Photo by Dama]  

Dama: "Maize is a common food for the Borana community and it takes 3 hours until it is ready for eating. Turu is crushing maize in the mortar, the first process for cooking maize."

[Photo by Dama]  

Dama: "Turu Kabele, 15 years old, is on her way to Medecho water point (well). She leaves at 8am every day and it takes her 2 hours on foot. She told me, "Today I don't worry about rest as I have to also cover all my mother's chores. She is away visiting relatives."" 

[Photo by Dama] 

Dama: "There is a very hard work load on Borana girls. Turu Kabale, 15 years old, is one of those girls who are busy the whole day. Early morning, washing her face before she sweeps the house." 

[Photo by Dama]

Dama: "There is a very hard work load on Borana girls. Turu Kabale, 15 years old, is one of those girls who are busy the whole day. After cleaning her house, Turu makes a fire ready for tea and cooking. Whilst the tea pot is on the fire she cleans the pots and clears the garbage from the house. These are the responsibilities for girls of Turu's age." 

[Photo by Dama] 

Dama: "After early morning tea is prepared, Turu will distribute to the other family members and guests if there are any. Drinking for herself at last before she leaves to collect water."  

[Photo by Dama]

[Photo by Almaz]

Mango: "With one picture I can pass on my country to others. Ethiopia is poor in industry and education but rich in tradition, culture and natural beauty."

[Photo by Mango]  

[Photo by Mango]

[Photo by Mango]

Beti: "This is an orthodox priest giving a blessing at Nishan's engagement ceremony."

[Photo by Beti]  

Beti: "In the city of Addis, there are big metal garbage disposals which were introduced to the city recently. In the old days, the city's garbage was disposed by the municipality trucks in different parts of the city once a month. If we missed this schedule we had to wait for another month. Now, thanks to these containers placed in a walking distance from most of our homes, we can dispose the garbage any time we please.

This container is located 5-10 minutes walk from my place. However, as you can see in the photo the garbage is scattered everywhere and has gone into the drainage. This is bad because it has littered the area, people have not used it properly. I took this picture because I was disappointed by the people who were careless and misusing the container, forgetting the past experience. This should be considered a good thing and privilege. I am mad at them."  

[Photo by Beti]

Yenenesh lives on the outskirts of the Addis Ababa with her daughter and another family of three in the adjacent room. She earns extra money by doing laundry and making injera, the staple food in Ethiopia.

[Photo by Annie]

Frewoini: "I want people to imagine themselves living in Ethiopia. I want them to see all the nature and beauty, and the differences between life in the town and life in the country."

[Photo by Frewoini]

[Photo by Frewoini]

[Photo by Ara'aya]

[Photo by Ara'aya]

Alem: "I hope that when people see our photos they will write to us and let us know what they think about our photos and Ethiopia."

[Photo by Alem]  

Alem lives in Alitena, 35km from Adigrat. She is the main carer of two brothers and five sisters following the death of her mother three years ago - her father left soon after. She earns the family's only source of income and studies for her accounting diploma at the weekend.

[Photo by Alem]

Almaz is originally from Alitena, 155km north of Mekelle, but the village was devastated during the conflict with Eritrea as people were forced to flee. Now there are few opportunities there.  

[Photo by Almaz]

Almaz: "I want my pictures to show the world that given the opportunity - the people of Ethiopia can achieve great things." 

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