Twelve women, all with one thing in common: they have HIV/AIDS and are in a country where just being a woman is difficult enough. They live in the Oromo region outside Addis Ababa with two members living in the workshop and the other ten in nearby villages. These women are proud and have no intentions of begging to survive. They have a small craft business, making baskets and crocheted placemats which they try to sell at the markets.

We visited the women at their workshop during our last field trip. Upon our arrival they bowed and shook our hands, delighted that we’d broken our journey to visit them. They told us of the difficulties they have in surviving and how weak the illness could make them but how they are determined to support themselves. We asked if we could take photographs and they said ‘yes that would be alright’, but, as you can see from the photo, some of them did not stop working. It was as though they had to physically demonstrate the importance of their work - that it could not be set aside for a moment.

To be able to work and support yourself in Ethiopia is not only a necessity to survival, it gives personal pride and independence. LUCIA is committed to try and purchase the baskets and crocheted work (although it has to be said the colours of the crochet work will have to be addressed – currently florescent yellow and jet black) to sell here in England on behalf of these women. The quantity will be very small to begin with as the women are often too weak to work but if LUCIA can extend the project to other HIV/AIDS sufferers perhaps more women could benefit. We’ll try!

All items from Ethiopia bought through LUCIA have been ethically traded, with any profit made sent back to support sustainable development projects, street children and orphaned girls.