Nowhere in Africa is more remote than the valley of the lower Omo river in the far south-west of Ethiopia. Isolated by mountains to the north, swamps to the west and deserts to the south, the lower Omo is the world’s last great tribal stronghold. Untouched by colonialism, largely ungoverned and only tenuously connected to the rest of Ethiopia, the valley is a vast elongated basin occupied by 16 tribes, totaling some 220,000 people.
The peoples of the Omo valley live by herding cattle and goats, planting crops after the river floods its banks, and conducting violent raids on each others’ livestock. Many wear animal skins and adorn themselves with mud, paint, goat fat, ostrich feathers, lip plates, elaborate hairstyles, piercings and scarification patterns.
I recently came across the inspiring story of Lale Labuko, a native of the Kara tribe in the Omo region, working to save Mingi children. Lale is one of the founders of Omo Child, an organization that rescues Mingi children in the Omo Valley.They also provide education and a safe, nurturing shelter for rescued children. Lale himself lost two sisters to Mingi ritual killing. He believes he can best help his tribe through education and developing humanitarian support to overcome their many hardships.Read more about this at Omo Child.
