Photo journal: Ethiopia shoe-shine girl

Meskerem’s mother, Bercha Yanaga, 29, says life was hard when Meskerem was younger.

"When she was a child I raised her in difficult conditions but now she’s growing up and helping me I feel so happy.

"My husband was a drunk and we were fighting about money all the time."

He died when Tigist, right, now two years old, was just a few months old.