WHAT IT MEANS BEING A MALE MODEL IN ETHIOPIA ?

Ethiopia is a country situated near the horn of Africa,making it one
of the countries in Africa whose citizens can easily migrating to the
Europe and Arabic Zone to seek green pastures.
Residing in a country which has designers who prefer to design female
cloths making it clear that the runways are female dominated and also
where by photographers prefer to work with only female models.
24 year old, Ethiopian model Merawi Tsehay tells Aftv (Tapiwanashe
Rubaya [TR]) how male models manage to survive in Ethiopia.


TR:Merawi good day to you,can you kindly introduce yourself tell us
about your bio ?
MT: My name is Merawi Tsehay I am 24 years old I was born in Addis
Ababa the capital of Ethiopia. I am happy in being a model. I started
modeling before two years after graduating from university. I love the
life of modeling but it is not easy to be male model in Ethiopia. I am
first son of my family because of it i have many responsibilities from
my family that's why i work in public service and modeling as par time
job. For models in Ethiopia it is hard to do modeling as permanent job
you must do other job that support the modeling career .
 Most of the models here do other jobs to support their lives. I
started loving modeling from the age of 17 but i couldn't venture in
it at that time because the industry is not developed and it can't be
the first choice of life at that time that's why I start modeling
after i finished my university class.

TR:Take us to your journey in the modelling industry?
MT: I started modeling before 2  (two) years by attending the class on
Abyssinia modeling and art school it is the biggest modeling school in
Ethiopia.Even if i studied it before two years the interest on
modeling started when i was high school student. After i start
modeling it wasn't easy to be selected on jobs.
I  was hard worker from the day i started the class. Although I work
hard to be best model in Ethiopia,the industry doesn't allow me to be
best because it is not open for new faces.
I worked my first job in modeling after 3 (three) months it was for
fund raising for orphans and it was fee free fashion show but it
helped us to get mental satisfaction and experience.
 After a month from this fashion show i was selected to participate in
the hub of africa fashion week as a model it was the biggest day of my
life i was so excited being part of this kind of biggest stage in
ethiopia after that i start doing many jobs in modeling such as:TV
adverts; photoshoot and other fashion shows.
 The limitation on the industry and the number of models in the
country is no comparable because of that the work we do in a year is
very limited.
I work 10 fashion shows such as addis bridal show,hub of africa all
african leather fashion show,and other..and i do more than 5 TV advert
and many photoshoots.

TR:What challenges are you facing as male models in Ethiopia?
MT: The industry in Ethiopia is not supportive for male models. It
starts from the societies attitude they take it as only fame industry
so to be male model you must start convincing from families or friends
of your own.
After challenging them you face the industry. Many designers in
Ethiopia don't want to make male clothes because of the market in the
country so they organise small amounts of male models fashion show.
The other thing is the photographers they don't want to work with male
models they are interested on female models.
The income that we get from modeling is very low when we compare with
the out come.

TR:Summaries the modelling industry of Ethiopia?
MT: I think the industry in Ethiopia is very backward and it is far
from calling it as industry because there is no modeling
agency,modeling association,fashion association,proper policy and
strategy that can change it.
Also the government in the country doesn't give attention for the
industry even getting visa for models is difficult most of the time so
it is far beneath being an industry.

TR:Ethiopia is situated along the horn of Africa which is near Arabic
region,with economy downfall immigration is taking place with some
Models from your country migrating to Arabic states and
Europe.Creating a competition with you guys back home.How do you
manage to survive in such situations?
MT: Its hard to compete with international models of Ethiopia but from
Ethiopia there is only one international male model and other models
are immigrate only for competition so their isn't  much difference
between the level and the quality of models in Ethiopia.

TR:Speaking about emigration there are fake agencies which are created
by people from other continents to take advantage of Africans upcoming
models.Is that happening in your country and if so how is the
government helpful to stop it?
MT: There are some fake agencies who behave as a real agency but still
now they don't harm models here because getting visa is hard to get
and we don't communicate with them unless we have confidence on them.
But the government doesn't give attention for this kind of thing.

TR:This year which shows are you looking forward to participate in ?
MT: I hub of africa ,Africa mosaic,Addis bridal show are the show that
I am looking for but their are other shows which are not fixed
annually.

TR:You are one of models from your country who have joined the AMMFI
tell us what you are expecting from AMMFI ?
MT: I expect international fashionshows,professional
mentoring,promoting my self to other african countries and other
continent,and helping me for being international model.

 facebook: merawi tsehay mesfin
instagram mera taehay
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By Tapiwa Rubaya