Not Ours To Carry

Meet Gabrielle.

Artist. Animator. Storyteller.

During the Tigray war, no cameras were allowed in. The atrocities were hidden by design.

The animation of Gabrielle Tesfaye is the only way we can show what happened. Her style is rooted in Tigrayan art and cultural heritage. It doesn’t illustrate the story from the outside. It speaks from within it.

Her work has been featured in BBC and Vogue. She is based in Mekelle, Tigray, where she returned after the war to contribute to cultural recovery.

She didn’t just animate this film. She gave it its soul.

Follow along as we take this film around the world.

For direct donation to survivors of CRSV please see here: https://www.notourstocarry.com/donate

Meet Birhan.

Engineer. Witness. Truth-teller.

When war came to Tigray, Birhan walked away from her career and towards the women nobody else was listening to. She sits with survivors. She documents what happened. She refuses to let the world look away.

“What happened to you is a crime, not a punishment. You did nothing wrong.”

She is one of three Tigrayan women at the centre of Not Ours to Carry - a documentary about what it means to bear witness when institutions fail.

Follow along as we take it around the world.

For direct donation to survivors of CRSV please see here: https://www.notourstocarry.com/donate

Meet Rita.

Engineer. Advocate. Unstoppable.

Rita was born in Adwa, Tigray, and grew up in Manchester. When the war started, she flew to Sudan, where the largest mass of Tigrayan refugees had fled, to document conflict-related sexual violence for use in a court of law. She conducted more than 300 interviews.

She has spoken in the UK Parliament. She has stood before the African Commission on Human Rights. She refuses to stop.

“This world is inflicting this kind of violence on women and children. It’s our responsibility to do something about it. And if we’re going to do something about it, we have to be able to listen to them.”

She is one of three Tigrayan women at the centre of Not Ours to Carry.

Follow along as we take it around the world.

For direct donation to survivors of CRSV please see here: https://www.notourstocarry.com/donate

Meet Berkti.

Soldier. Advocate. Lioness.

Berkti grew up in Tigray, joined the army, and fought for her people’s survival. When the war ended, she didn’t stop fighting - she changed how.

She knows that for many survivors, the violence didn’t end with the war. Stigma, silence, and shame followed them home. She is on the ground, working with her community to make sure that changes.

“If we, the Tigrayan women fighters are called Lionesses, then the survivors also deserve that respect. They are heroes, just like us. Because their bodies have been used as a battlefield.”

She is one of three Tigrayan women at the centre of Not Ours to Carry.

The film is now on the international festival circuit. Follow to stay up to date.

🔗 www.notourstocarry.com/

In conflict zones, women face significant challenges, including violence and trauma. This statistic may even underrepresent the reality due to barriers like underreporting, stigma, and limited access to support services.

Violence in conflict zones is not just a local issue, it’s a global concern 🌍. We must stand together in solidarity ✊ to address these systemic challenges affecting women worldwide. By raising awareness 📢, amplifying the voices of survivors 🗣️, and advocating for accountability ⚖️, we can work toward breaking the cycle of violence and inequality.

Let’s strive for a world where no woman is silenced by conflict or injustice ✨.

Ashenda is vital for girls as it celebrates femininity, self-expression, and empowerment in Tigray, Ethiopia. It allows them to showcase their cultural pride, build unity, and feel valued in their communities.

Currently celebrated in Tigray, Ashenda is a vibrant three-day festival. The importance of it has grown even more profound in the aftermath of the Tigray conflict, especially due to the widespread GBV that women and girls have faced. In the midst of such trauma, Ashenda serves as a powerful symbol of resilience and recovery. The festival provides a much-needed space for women to reclaim their dignity, express their cultural identity, and heal collectively.

Heartbreaking reality from an IDP camp in Mekelle: this mouldy injera symbolizes the severe food shortages and unreliable food aid many are enduring. Some IDPs we visited have had to wait up to 9 months for food assistance, leaving thousands without consistent access to nutritious food. This dire situation forces people to beg for food daily on the streets to survive and feed their children.

Sources: UN OCHA, World Food Programme, Reuters

Heartbreaking reality from an IDP camp in Mekelle: this mouldy injera symbolizes the severe food shortages and unreliable food aid many are enduring. Some IDPs we visited have had to wait up to 9 months for food assistance, leaving thousands without consistent access to nutritious food. This dire situation forces people to beg for food daily on the streets to survive and feed their children. #foodaid #idp #mekelle #tigray #famine