It’s been a year since Christian Aid’s ‘Loss and Damage’ project in a rural corner of south-west Ethiopia was boosting the resilience of communities impacted by extreme weather and flooding.
It was funded by the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund and delivered by our local partner Action for Development. When documenting the work and its impact, we embedded elements of a storytelling approach called Picture Power. It’s a participatory photography model which Christian Aid has been developing, part of our Pledge for Change commitment to show people’s strength and amplify their stories by putting local people at the centre of the story. Through photos, that is what is being done here.
Members of the Dasenech community were invited to get involved and four volunteers stepped up to take on the challenge. Following a crash course in mobile phone photography and gentle encouragement, they had the complete freedom to capture what was important to them. Freedom to document the way that extreme weather (cycles of floods followed by drought) impacts their quality of life.
Over the course of a couple of days, they snapped away. They took pictures that captured not just their daily lives but also photographing their landscape, homes and daily routine – all of which are being impacted by climate change.
Even for a professional photographer the local environment would pose many challenges including extreme heat, wind and fine sand particles in the air. But the pictures they took were vibrant, colourful and crucially gave us a window on their world. They took pictures of women proudly showing the fish they’d caught, women building huts from tall water grass that has grown in the flood waters, goats grazing, food being prepared, and children playing.
And, importantly, they told us it was an enjoyable experience. Ekayo Lokabel, one of the volunteer photographers said:
“When I was asked to take part in Picture Power, I thought it would be very difficult. I had never been involved in this type of work before. In the past, it was government employees, NGO people, or tourists who came to see the local culture who took pictures, not someone like me. But when I got training and started working, it gave me a different feeling.”
He added: “I am very glad. I think that I have been able to convey to others in a good way the damage and effects of frequent droughts and floods in our area. I was also able to show the support provided by the loss and damage project which has brought good benefits to our community.”
In September 2024, a selection of the photos, and the stories behind them, were displayed at an event in Edinburgh. The exhibition was called Voices from the frontline of the climate crisis.
In January the exhibition was shown at the Scottish Parliament where MSPs, people working in the climate sector and members of the public saw the climate crisis through the lens of these photos.
Crucially in November 2024, at the UN climate conference COP29 in Baku, the photos were displayed in one of the exhibition halls – allowing a global audience to see the real impacts of climate change.
With the funding for the Loss and Damage project announced by the Scottish Government at COP28 in Dubai it feels the project has come full circle.
Christian Aid’s Ethiopia programme officer Netsanet Feleke, who supported the wider project, including the Picture Power photography pilot said:
“It’s wonderful to hear that the photos from the Dasenech community were displayed at the UN climate summit. Showcasing their perspectives at such a significant event is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness about their experiences and the impacts of climate change on their lives.
He added: “The ACT Alliance stand was a great platform for these important visuals. Unfortunately, the community has been impacted by more flooding in recent months, causing further displacement.”
What’s been clear throughout the whole process is that the community members welcomed the opportunity to tell their own stories. And everyone who has seen the photos has been moved and inspired by the authenticity of the Picture Power approach.
At Christian Aid, we’re considering next steps, for example how the Dasenech community and our partner AFD can use the images as a local advocacy tool. And within the wider organisation how we continue to imbed community-centered storytelling.
You can view the photos and the stories behind them on Christian Aid’s website: Loss and Damage in Ethiopia: Photo Exhibition – Christian Aid and read more about Pledge for Change