Ethiopia

Only 4 months after my initial visit to Ethiopia in 2021, news reached me from my guide Masresha. An invasion into Lalibela by Tigray rebels forced him to become escape the village and make his way towards the capital Addis Ababa. At the same time, Western Media outlets didn’t provide coverage to the unfolding conflict. Over the following months I followed the unfolding conflict with frequent WhatsApp exchanges with Masresha. My heart felt heavy and broken for the pain and suffering inflicted on innocent people caught up in a political conflict.

Compelled by the stories I heard, I decided to return to Lalibela once the conflict had been resolved and it was safe to travel again. My trip coincided with Easter celebrations. After the months of hardship the village and surrounding area had to endure, Easter had an even more important meaning. Celebrating not only the resurrection of Jesus but also hoping and longing for a better future for a village that had endured so much.

As part of my time I wanted to deliberately take more time to listen to stories of individuals that had been affected by villages, members of the clergy, militia army fighters, teachers and others. You’ll find some of their photos below. Their stories will be posted in a separate page.