Hamlin Ethiopia Adventure

I went to Ethiopia expecting an adventure. What I did not expect was how deeply it would move me.

The Hamlin Ethiopian Adventure with Huma Charity Challenge is not just another trip. It is a journey that connects you with a place, its people, and a cause in a way that leaves you changed. I travelled with a small group. There were sixteen of us in total. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warmth and purpose.

Our adventure started in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, a city alive with energy and tradition. Between the vibrant chaos of the Mercato market, the largest open air market in Africa, tasting injera with our hands and standing before Lucy, the 3.6-million-year-old fossil that rewrote human history, I realised just how rich Ethiopia’s culture is. This is a country that has never been colonised. Its language, faith, food and people all tell stories that are uniquely Ethiopian.

But the heart of the journey came when we stepped inside the Hamlin's Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital.

This hospital was founded by pioneering Australian surgeons, Dr Catherine Hamlin AC and her husband Reg in 1974. It exists to give life-changing treatment and loving care to women who have suffered devastating childbirth injuries. Before this trip, I barely knew about the condition. We met women recovering from surgery, students training to become Hamlin Midwives and the deeply dedicated staff who make it all possible. The strength and dignity of the women, many of whom had lived isolated for years due to their condition, left us in tears.

Every traveller on the trip fundraises before departure. The target is $4,000, which is enough to fund life-changing surgery for three women. Most of us raised even more. Once people hear why you are going, and who you are going for, they want to help.

After Addis, we flew south into the Omo Valley. We met the Ari, Mursi, Hamar, and Karo tribes. These are communities whose lives, ceremonies, and artistic expressions are beautifully different from each other. There were coffee ceremonies under acacia trees, pottery demonstrations, hair braiding and face-painting using natural pigments. We danced together.

In Konso, a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape, we wandered ancient walled villages and learned about how community decisions are made under totem poles marking generations of leaders. There was something so grounded about this place. People live with rhythm and respect for both the land and each other.

Then there was the wildlife. We saw hippos in Lake Hawassa, flamingos rising from the twin lakes of Abiata and Shalla, monkeys in the trees and hyenas in the distance. Ethiopia’s landscapes are as rich as its culture. From lush valleys to highland plateaus, each day brought something new.

The accommodations were simple, clean and always welcoming. Some nights we stayed in lodges tucked among bougainvillea gardens. Other nights we were off grid, with no Wi-Fi, just the stars and the stillness. It was a gift to disconnect and be fully immersed.

What tied it all together was the team. Our guide Eyayaw was fluent in English, deeply knowledgeable and always made us feel at home. The local Hamlin Midwives we met in regional clinics beamed with pride. They showed us maternity waiting rooms and upgraded health centres supported by Hamlin’s outreach. It was clear that every dollar raised goes somewhere real.

This was not just a trip I took. It is a story I now carry.

If you are someone who wants to travel with meaning, to walk beside communities rather than through them, this journey is something special. It is not easy. It is not fancy. But it is unforgettable.

Explore the journey:
Hamlin Ethiopia Adventure with Huma Charity Challenge
Learn more about the Hamlin Foundation