Birhan Woldu (born 1981) is an Ethiopian famed for being the starving child, near death, shown in a video at
Live Aid
Live Aid was a multi-venue benefit concert held on Saturday 13 July 1985, as well as a music-based fundraising initiative. The original event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 fami ...
in 1985.
Woldu was originally found in 1984 by a
CBC documentary crew led by
Brian Stewart and
Tony Burman. Her family walked from their village in
Tigray to
Mek'ele in hopes of finding food or relief. The harsh journey proved too much for many: her sister Azmara died during the trip; she and her mother both became very ill.
While at the aid center her father, Woldu Menameno, was told by the attending nuns that his daughter Birhan, would likely die within the next fifteen minutes. Her father, preparing for the worst, wrapped her in a white
burial shroud, and began to dig a grave. However, as he began to bury his daughter, he noticed a faint pulse. He alerted the nurses, who restored her to health.
She subsequently became the iconic symbol that rallied the world to address the
19841985 Ethiopian Famine. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the image of her face "changed his life." In 2004, an adult Woldu appeared in
Band Aid 20's music video for "
Do They Know It's Christmas".
In 2005,
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter, and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Rock music in Ireland, Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved ...
had the film played again, at the
Live 8 concert in London, then introduced Woldu, who thanked the audience for their support, in her native tongue. She remained on stage for the first part of
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's performance of "
Like a Prayer". It was reported 13 January 2010 that Birhan, then a nurse, had become engaged to Birhanu Meresa, whom she had met while the two attended an agricultural college in Ethiopia.
"Ethiopian famine girl Birhan Woldu set to marry"
(accessed 23 May 2010).
References
External links
Indepth: Ethiopia - Strange Destiny
CBC website
Original TV report
that inspired the aid projects around the world (1 November 1984)
1981 births
Ethiopian nurses
Live 8
Living people
{{Ethiopia-bio-stub