At Merkato, the busiest market in Addis Ababa, so many people were wandering here and there for different kinds of activities. Buses, taxis,automobiles, motorcycles, and other types of vehicles are doing on their usual activities. Behind the market place, houses had been built together. Nobody could easily identify a single house. But the identified person is living in one house from the rest of those houses- Elisabeth Yimamu.

She has an oval face with a defined, slightly pointed chin. Her dark eyes are large and sitting below trim eyebrows that seemed to curve as a natural extension of her broad, rounded nose. Her hair was naturally brunette but powdered to brown color.

She had passed so many obstacles in her life.” Elizabeth is living with HIV virus for more than 17 years. She was not able to have a child till the age of 48. She feels sad when she remember her past life. Because she left her birthplace, family, village and friends without thinking wisely about the problem she would encounter.

Elisabeth came to earth 50 years ago. She was born in South Wollo zone, Borena woreda. When she was 13, she was forced to make marriage as per the tradition of her community. She lived with her husband only for two years. She was divorced because she was barren. “According to the tradition of our society, barrenness was considered a curse. The community gradually discriminated me labeling me a ‘mule.’ Consequently, I fled to Addis Ababa with only 250 birr, without the consent of my family,” she said.

But life in Addis was not a bed of roses for the fugitive. She had soon finished her money. Until then, she never knew what hunger meant. Everything became miserable for her. Thus, she decided to work in a nightclub. Her flash of experience in a local art club called Kebelle Kinet” to survive working in the nightclub. But her new job did not stay long as the hotel was closed six months later.

She left Addis Ababa and went to eastern Ethiopia, Dire Dawa town. In Dire Dawa she had an uncle and stayed there for a year. Stay in Dire Dawa didn’t make her happy. Because she had interest to develop her talent, she was looking for opportunity and she went to another town, Gode. Gode was a better place for her.

Elisabeth went to Gode with Derg troops to mobilize the army. There was an orchestra group that was mobilizing the army and a good opportunity came to her. There, she was also able to make some new friendships. After accomplishing the mission, she went to a western province then called Wollega.

Wollega was the place where Elisabeth stayed for long; she lived there for nine years. She married a man who was working in road construction. The couple built a residential house. In addition, they started running a local beer hall, ‘Tej Bet.’ It was well-known in the community. At that time she was very happy in life. Unfortunately, her barrenness launched a second strike against her marriage.

Her husband’s families were not happy because of her barrenness. “You see how our tradition is similar and becoming the cause of the problem of the pleasant family,” said Elisabeth. His families forced him to make divorce.

“Child is the gift of God; the womb will be opened and clothed by Him. So, why not people believe in God’s will? Why disturbed the lovely family?” she said angrily. I asked what she did at that time. “By the way, my husband loved me and I also loved him. But the only problem was his family. They planned to get him married to another woman and get a child. So, I wrote a letter for him to do his family’s wish and at night I came back to Addis Ababa,” she replied me.

When she arrived in Addis Ababa, everything was new. She amusingly says “The road constructions, different buildings, and the like made Addis Ababa look like New York City.” I asked her “Have you ever been to New York city?” She laughed and answered me “I don’t know but I am talking what I heard from peoples.”