Ethiopia was in a state of civil war for approximately two years starting in 2020. Intense armed clashes between government forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) persisted, primarily in the northern Tigray region, resulting in the loss of many precious lives.
(Photo by Finbar O'Reilly/The New York Times)
Our studio in the capital city of Addis Ababa was fortunately spared from the ravages of war, and none of our employees were called to the front lines. Nevertheless, the war's impact was far from distant.
Tamasgen's younger brother, for instance, was forcibly conscripted into the TPLF and sent to the battlefield. When he returned after the war ended, he suffered from severe PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), unable to eat or use the restroom without assistance. Tamasgen frequently took leave from work to care for his brother, continuing to support him alongside his family.
Another staff member, Tigist's husband, joined the government forces. Having lost his parents to the TPLF as a child, he volunteered himself. Tigist spent two years raising their young child while waiting, believing her husband would return. When he finally came home, he too was severely mentally ill. She tearfully pleaded, “I need more work to pay for my husband's treatment. I'll do anything.”
We kept our business running without halting operations even during wartime, but it was by no means an easy journey. Foreign currency was prioritized for military spending, industrial material imports stalled, and sourcing leather became extremely difficult. Compounded by severe inflation and the impact of the novel coronavirus, safeguarding our staff's employment was no simple task.
War brings suffering to everyone. Those who were on the battlefield and those who were far away alike live on, each bearing their own wounds. Just because the war has ended does not mean everything returns to the way it was. The scars left behind continue to cast a shadow over people's lives for a long time.
Even so, in this country, people are rebuilding their shattered daily lives through small, persistent efforts, striving to move forward toward the future. Their determination sometimes truly moves me.
I hope that it is not conflict, but these peaceful daily activities that quietly accumulate in this land and throughout the world.
