SIDE POCKET


SIDE POCKET

A new road around the Sheraton Addis Hotel opens a quick detour across aesthetically pleasing scenery. A severe shortage of cement as the 12 operational factories meet less than half of the 36 million tons demanded has caused the delay of several road projects in the country. With only a few key projects in selected areas receiving priority, the inability to juggle contractual delays are leading to constant disputes between contractors and clients. A staggering 41pc of projects administered by the Ethiopian Roads Administration operated at less than half of the planned capacity, with 20pc lacking both planning and implementation.

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In-Picture

CHAIR FARE

In the streets of Tor Hayloch, wheelchairs once designed to carry people simmer in the rain, gazing out at the street and reminiscing about their past lives. These chairs have rolled into a second career as rain-drenched vending carts on a busy Addis sidewalk. Built for mobility but now hustling in the service of commerce, they show how the city refuses to let any piece of metal retire quietly. What was once a medical aid has become a street-side business model, proof that in Ethiopia, even whee...


In-Picture

ROOFTOP MOSAIC

In the bustling Mesqel Flower area, rooftops of small cafes and shops wear a patchwork of objects as armor against the wind. Tires, wooden planks, and old containers cling to the corrugated sheets, keeping them from flying off during harsh weather. Each rooftop tells a story of materials that once served one purpose inside the home, now repurposed as guardians above. The scene also reflects Addis Abeba's broader plastic disposal culture, where discarded containers, bottles, and other plastics of...


In-Picture

FENCE PEEK

Peering through the wooden fence of a muddy pen in Qera ox market, a brown cow pushes its head out, rope still looped around its horns, as if drawn by an irresistible scent or the promise of a new taste. The animal seems determined to investigate, curiosity winning over caution, while its companions wait patiently in the rain-soaked mud. These cows, soon to be sold for the holidays, offer a glimpse of farm life at its busiest, where the promise of the festive season meets the playful stubbornnes...