Ethiopian humanitarian Lale Labuko is a social activist and founder of the Omo Hope (formerly known as Omo Child), a nonprofit organization with the mission of raising awareness about mingi practice and it houses children who are at risk of being killed due to tribal beliefs in the Omo Valley region of southwest Ethiopia.
Ancient belief says children who are thought mingi will bring drought, famine and disease to the tribe if allowed to live. Ceremonial killing is seen as the only solution. His greatest accomplishment came in July 2012 when his tribe, the Kara, officially banned mingi.
He fights to stop the ceremonial killing of infants and children and provides shelter, care and education for the children he saves. Currently, he runs a shelter for the so-called cursed children.
The Ethiopian Herald’s Abdurezak Mohammed sat down with him to discuss matters relating the activities of Omo Child. Excerpts;
The Ethiopian Herald: Thank you very much for dedicating your time.
Lale Labuko: You’re welcome.
The Ethiopian Herald: Let us begin with introducing yourself. How was your childhood like?
Lale Labuko: I am from South Omo Ethiopia, Omo Valley. I was born in a small village called Kara Dus in Southwest Ethiopia, around 1981. When I was nine years old, in 1989, upon my father’s permission I left my hometown and went to a missionary school in place called Kibish, which is located 65 miles away. Normally, in my culture young boys of eight or nine years of age are supposed to look after goats and cattle.
The Ethiopian Herald: What was your dream job as a kid?
Lale Labuko: Actually, I was pastoralist small Lale Labuko has no idea about world. I was isolated and no ideas about other world. What I knew about was my tribe and other neighboring tribes like Nyagatom and Mursi. When I was 9 years old I left my village because of my father’s permission to attend a missionary school.
I am among the first Kara boys to get an education with permission of my father. My school life was very tough and full of challenges. I attended Kibish Primary School from 1st grade-5th grade. I learned English and Amharic as second languages there. Also, I learned how to speak the Nygatom language and also I speak other tribes’ languages. On my way to school I had to trek about 70 miles over the mountain and across the desert. Each year I have to walk four or six times back and forth to visit my family.
I faced conflict and hunger. However, the most horrible and unforgettable moment was seeing and hearing about “mingi” for the first time at age of 15. Afterwards I was dedicated to solve all my school life challenges and this horrible practice. Due to a tribal clash in 1993, I intended to change the school from Dimeka to Hamer town, where there was a government boarding school. I attended at the Dimeka primary and secondary school from 6th grade – 8th grade. In 1996, I successfully passed grade 8th exam with a good result though normally many students’ fail. I never failed in my grades from 1st up to high school. In 1997, I went to high school in Jinka town, which is around 180 miles far away from my village. I attended and completed successfully in Jinka secondary high school from 9th grade up to 12th grade. Afterwards, I went to Bonga Teacher Training Institute (TTI) in the western part of Ethiopia for one year. After graduation from TTI, I decided to go back to my village and to help my tribe who were still uneducated and suffering from poverty. I realized that going back home to help my tribes was part of my dedication. In my life education has been part of my struggle.
The Ethiopian Herald: What is all about mingi? How and when did you get yourself involved in raising awareness? What inspired you to do so?
Lale Labuko: Mingi is a curse. Three tribes Kara, Hamer, and Bena tribes believe some children born curse means three types of Mingi:
Teeth mingi means when the first teeth come before the bottom teeth on upper gum that children or baby considered as teeth mingi the children will be killed.
Girl mingi is the girl pregnant before the marriage that pregnancy considered mingi.
Women mingi is when the women or married couple pregnant before culture blessings if they miss one blessing still that pregnancy would be mingi and the child or baby will be killed.
The Ethiopian Herald: How and when did you get yourself involved in raising awareness? What inspired you to do so?
Lale Labuko: I started my mission of saving mingi kids. I am the first man said in public, ‘Mingi is blessing, not curse.’ When I was 15 years old, I have seen a two years old baby being killed for being a mingi. I was walking in the village and suddenly saw elders grabbing the two years old baby from the mother. Both of them were crying. About five elders snatched the baby from the mother, rushed to a nearby river and drowned it. I ask my mother and she explained to me all the hidden secrets about mingi. She also told me about my two elder sisters were killed in the same manner for being mingi. These changed my life to start the awareness to eradicate mingi practice and other harmful traditional practices.
The Ethiopian Herald: What was the reaction of the community following your fight against this harmful tradition? And what challenges did you encounter?
Lale Labuko: The community was not happy. My family was isolated and was as a result considered mingi in Kara. Even people in our neighborhood stopped having coffee and eating with our family for several months after I started this project. There was a time when I risked my life. Many people were not happy when I rescue the mingi children.
The Ethiopian Herald: What contributions have you made so far?
Lale Labuko: I have rescued more than 100 children and built some schools. I have built a church and am giving awareness raising activities for the three tribes: Kara, Bena and Hamer. We have managed to totally abolish mingi practice among Kara tribe.
The Ethiopian Herald: How did the idea of establishing “Omo Child” pop into your mind?
Lale Labuko: After I rescued the children, about 12 were living in my house and I decided to raise more money to run the project. My wife and I have limited resource and we decided to establish the Omo Child organization to have sustainability.
The Ethiopian Herald: What is the intended target of “Omo Child”?
Lale Labuko: The mission of Omo Child is to educate and provide the rescued and orphans in Ethiopia. Our goal is to eradicate mingi and create a mingi-free zone by 2035.
The Ethiopian Herald: How many children have you saved? What is going to be the fate of the children?
Lale Labuko: We have rescued 50 mingi children and hope they would be the future leaders of Ethiopia and world. Our plan is to support the children up to university and college.
The Ethiopian Herald: How is the current attitude of the community towards “Mingi”?
Lale Labuko: I guess maybe 60 percent of the communities have become aware that they should not kill mingi children. Most of the villages do not practice mingi anymore. Young people have been my biggest support in my fight against mingi practice and other harmful traditional practices.
The Ethiopian Herald: Describe your plans for the future?
Lale Labuko: I want to work on youth education in Ethiopia. Education is the most powerful tool you can use to change impossible things to possible. As a result, I want to build a private school and engage in a missionary work around Omo Valley. I want to be an educator. Teaching, preaching and sport basketball are my hobbies. My future plan is to build good private school and excellent discipleship training spiritual based church in Jinka and other parts of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Herald: As a final point, is there anything you would like to convey to The Ethiopian Herald newspaper esteemed readers?
Lale Labuko: I ask youth in Ethiopia to focus on humanitarian work and help people. People need and should be cared and loved in Ethiopia. Because life is precious and you cannot find one life in any planet. Please do not lose hope on your country. Ethiopia is a beautiful country and we are one people. We are Ethiopia. My warmest greetings to all Ethiopians and I love you all.
The Ethiopian Herald May 16/2020
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
