We had heard about the women firewood carriers prior to going to Addis...but seeing them was unbelievable. The loads they carry were huge and many of them were very old. Our guide told us they walk up to 35 km (22 miles) a day. The loads can weigh up to 75 pounds!! They looked like they barely weighed more than that themselves. Most of these women earn less than $12 a month!! When we passed them we would make the driver pull over and we would give them some money. They were so thankful and had a great sense of peace about them. We will never forget them.
We had heard about the women firewood carriers prior to going to Addis...but seeing them was unbelievable. The loads they carry were huge and many of them were very old. Our guide told us they walk up to 35 km (22 miles) a day. The loads can weigh up to 75 pounds!! They looked like they barely weighed more than that themselves. Most of these women earn less than $12 a month!! When we passed them we would make the driver pull over and we would give them some money. They were so thankful and had a great sense of peace about them. We will never forget them.
