THE SINGER Home From The Field The Singer

“I believe everything is possible! It is possible to protect yourself from HIV/AIDS, if you are infected you can learn and understand that there is hope and that there are ways to live a long and positive life. This is what I sing about. I am dedicated to music and I find music in everything, in the rhythm of a wooden stick knocking on my table. My dream is to become a famous singer, but my dream is far away, as I am a refugee. I don’t know where to go next, as I can’t go back to my country. Nobody knows when this will be possible again. So nowadays I see myself as a young African and I believe that us Africans have to be healthy and strong to build up our countries and do something for peace and reconciliation” … 23 years old, arrived at the camp alone, he has gone on to become a well known face throughout the camp, thanks to his life long love of music.
A special thanks to our photographer Michael Tsegaye; ; Born in Addis Abeba in 1975, I came to photography by accident. Whilst studying Fine Arts at Addis Ababa University School of Fine Arts and Design, a German photographer invited me to join his workshops. With his support I discovered my passion and skill for photography, visualizing and translating the lives and experiences of others, whilst expressing my own ideas. Approach; My camera enables me to cross all kinds of boundaries, be they physical, social or oral. With a lens I don’t have to speak a language, I let the pictures speak for themselves. I felt honored to be invited into the lives of these people and touched by how much energy and dignity they have. Exhibitions; 2007 – WFP / World Press, Gao, Mali Photo Essay about rice farmers * 2005 – 2007 – GTZ/ECBP Ethiopia (project visits, workshops, seminars etc) * 2006 – World Press photo essay about climate change for a pan-African * 2006 – Snap Judgments: Contemporary African Photography * 2006 – Special mention in the New Yorker magazine, April 24th addition * 2006- Kwas Meda, Goethe Institute, Gebrekristos Desta Center, Addis Abeba * 2005 – Religious Ceremonies, Royal Netherlands Embassy, Addis Abeba * 2004 – 06 Publications, including front cover image for the African Politics magazine (France).