Snapshot

A sense of pride in Ethiopia

I met this woman during an assignment for an organisation that carries out aid projects in Ethiopia. She lives in the town of Baabile, in the east of the country, where she and other women take part in a community programme to become small business owners. It’s a huge step on their journey to independence. Even though we didn’t share a common language, the woman led me into her hut to show me a light bulb she’d bought, dangling from the ceiling. Rarely has an experience made such an impression on me: standing in front of someone and looking into such confident and happy eyes.