DIGITAL DETOUR


DIGITAL DETOUR

A sign advertising the Telebirr mobile payment service hangs inside a taxi, promising passengers a seamless, cashless fare experience. QR codes, Merchant IDs, and Operator IDs offer multiple ways to pay if only the network held up. In a city racing toward "cashless" status, many can’t help but chuckle at the idea of tapping phones in beat-up, overcrowded taxis where connectivity is as wobbly as the suspension. Modern finance meets old-school transport, with results that are, at best, aspirational.

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In-Picture

CONCRETE CHAOS

On a soggy morning in Addis Abeba in Torhayloch, three retired utility poles lie proudly on a bed of jagged rubble, daring pedestrians to navigate the city's newest obstacle course. The wet asphalt gleams beside them, mocking the careful passersby who hop, sidestep, and sometimes plunge, while the poles themselves remain stoically indifferent to the chaos, as if silently judging the city's ability to manage basic infrastructure. Meanwhile, traffic carries on with a resigned patience...


In-Picture

PRODUCE PARADE

In a colorful corner Gofa neighbourhood, a determined vendor bends low over her vibrant spread, orchestrating a miniature symphony of fresh produce awaiting customers seeking cheap purchases. Crisp green lettuce fans out like a leafy crown in a turquoise basin, while stacks of glossy green peppers and neat piles of fiery chilies march in orderly rows across a recycled sack. Bright yellow lemons add a cheerful pop of sunshine, mingling with the earthy browns of ginger and the pungent white bulbs...


In-Picture

SONG TRAVELERS

Middle aged performers travel from small villages to the city, weaving through the streets with tambourines, fresh grass and sticks in hand and voices raised. They share the melodies of holiday tradition, singing songs that mark the spirit of Irreecha and the upcoming Mesqel festival, their cheerful rhythms coaxing coins and smiles from passersby. In each note, they carry the hopes of their villages, the joy of celebration, and a reminder that the city, even in its rush, pauses to listen to the...