I’m Abel Girma; I’m 33 years old. I am a driver and a tour guide. I grew up at Addis Ababa. After my mom passed away, my father married another woman. I have a sister, and she works abroad at an airline company, so I live with my grandmother.

I used to chew khat; it makes you high and it’s more intense than coffee, however, it is addictive. Now I’ve quit it, and I haven’t chewed it for the last two years.

In my opinion, the local tourism is a smokeless industry in which everyone wins and the money that comes from it is distributed to all of my people evenly.

I speak Amharic, English, and a little bit of German. I have been working as a driver for seven years. For the last two years, I have had my tour guide license. I work for this company as a driver, and also I organize private tours for additional income.

I want to have my own tourism company in the future, but to accomplish this, first I need to make a decent network. I know that when I give my best service to as many people as I can, they’ll refer me to others.

Abel Girma
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 19 November 2018

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My name is Labuma, I’m the eldest son of the Dasenach Tribe’s chief, and I will be the next chief.

I am married, and I have two wives with seven children. I don’t know my age exactly because we count years with the flood of the Omo River, however, it stopped flooding after a dam was built on it.

We have a big and fertile land; we have our cattles, goats, and also the Omo River gives us plenty fish to catch.

I wish my children to grow up in peace; this is all I expect from life.

Labuma
Omorate, Ethiopia, 13 November 2018

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I’m Otayto Otoma from the Konso Tribe. I am a seller. I sell cultural gifts such as bracelets and necklaces. I am seventeen years old. Next year, I’ll be eligible to throw the stone over my head to show that I’ve matured enough to get married. 

In our tribe, the family chooses the bride; I’m sure my mom will choose a suitable girl for me who is beautiful and hard-working. 

I have two brothers and three sisters; I’m the second one, and none of us have been married yet. I learned English at school. I’m an 8th grader now. In the morning, I go to school, and I sell jewellery to the tourists in the afternoon.

When I finish my schooling, I want to be a tour guide. I hope to enter the exams, pass them all, and help the world to learn about my people.

Otayto Otoma
Gamole Walled Village, Ethiopia, 17 November 2018

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My name is Keire Salia, and I’m 50 years old. I have eight children. Except for one, all of them are married. I have two grandchildren who are living with me. I am happy with my life, thanks to Allah.
 
We grow different types of cereals and corn. We bring water from the nearby stream bed with donkeys. But now, I want to buy a cattle, İnşallah.

Keire Salia
Butajira, Ethiopia, 18 November 2018

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