ENTRY DESCRIPTION
A priest sits in the shadow of an ancient tree in northern Ethiopia. The region's churches are built high into the surrounding cliffs, accessed by an often perilous, vertical climb of several hours. Trees like this are used by people unable to make the long, steep hike to their church to pray, as a sort of conduit to communicate with god. Standing gnarled and alone in the parched valley plains, they are the remnants of vast forests which once spread across this land. Scenes like these have played out in Ethiopia since Christianity was first introduced in the 3rd century AD.

AUTHOR
Natalia is a photographer and content producer. For the last 15 years she has documented social and environmental issues for the United Nations, the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and various development and wildlife conservation NGO’s through photography, text, and video.

Her work has taken her from her home in Australia to Europe, Central America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and, finally, Africa, where she has been based in Kenya for the last ten years.

A former radio presenter and producer for SBS Australia, Natalia studied media and communications at the University of NSW, where she specialised in journalism and audio-visual production.

She has collaborated on a range of media projects with organisations including: UNEP, UNOCHA, UNDP, UN - WTO, Oxfam, World Vision, Nutrition International, CNN, MSNBC, Deutsche Welle, Daily Telegraph (UK), Columbia University, Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation, Unilever, Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

She never travels anywhere without her camera and coffee-making kit.

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