Not Ours To Carry

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Not Ours To Carry

A documentary about conflict-related sexual violence in Tigray. Three women. Their fight for justice. Donate to support survivors through our impact campaign.

notourstocarry.com

12/05/2026

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

04/05/2026

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

01/05/2026

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

28/04/2026

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/

20/09/2024

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 ✨.

24/08/2024

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.

02/07/2024

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

01/07/2024

When we met Ghenet, she embraced us with such warmth, a smile, and a loving hug. It is difficult to fathom the immense hardships she has endured and continues to navigate through to this day.

In her own words, she bravely recounted her reality and described how it still shapes her life.

“I’m 39 years old. I have five kids. I am now in Mekelle.

I came through a terrible situation. I’m one of the few who survived. I still have wounds that are not yet healed.

We used to own a restaurant, shop and a farm together with my husband. At the moment I don’t know where he is. Last time I saw him, he was a prisoner in my hometown.

I walked from my home to Shiraro with my kids. We had a lot of problems on the road. I lost my children at some point and found them again. I also have a child born from the enemy.

It (the r**e) was right after I left home. There were 9 of them. I am still on medication, I have urinary incontinence (fistula).

Finding medication was not easy, I went through a lot. At the moment, I do get some medication. But urinary incontinence (fistula) is a big problem. As you can see, l use socks and plastic to avoid public humiliation.

At a moment, everyone (at the IDP) is sleeping together, men, women, sick, pregnant, m**s, children. There is no separation.

Food aid is also not coming that much. We walk around the Mekelle neighbourhood begging for food. Mekelle people here also have their own problem. We are burden to them. This can not continue. Security is also an issue. Due to scarcity people are fighting with knives for the remaining food. Children also keep fighting for the same reason. I want to return home. That is the only solution, I think.

My number one wish is to go home.”

30/06/2024

📍 BTS at Sabacare IDP Camp, Mekelle, Ethiopia

🎥 Behind the scenes of an interview with Abreha, 42 years old, at Sabacare IDP Camp in Mekelle. She and her six children walked for months before finding refuge here, where they’ve been living for 2 years.

“There are a lot of problems here. If you get flour, you don’t have wood to make a fire. If you have fire, you don’t have flour. Except for water, there is a shortage of everything else.”

🏠 Sabacare is the largest IDP camp in the region, housing 5119 households and 27,272 people who fled from western Tigray, other parts of northern Ethiopia, and Sudan. The conflict has displaced over 1 million people, leading to critical shortages of food and sanitation.

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