The people of the Karo tribe in rural south-western Ethiopia have a culture rich in tradition. However, the tribe lives in fear of evil spirits who they believe bring ill fortune to their villages. They use the word “Mingi” to describe persons they consider cursed or otherwise imperfect. Those deemed Mingi face severe consequences, as the Karo believe the presence of these children on their land curses the tribe. Their solution to this perceived threat is to drown Mingi in the river. Last year, 7 percent of Karo children were associated with Mingi, resulting in the deaths of 77 children. If the two other nearby tribes practice the Mingi tradition at the same rate as the Karo tribe, then the Hamer, Mursi and Karo populations may have a combined 3,000 children whose lives are at risk.

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