This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Lale was born into the Kara tribe in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley and was one of the first of his tribe to receive a formal education. This exposure to the bigger world led Lale to realize the devastation of Mingi and the critical importance of ending this outdated tribal practice. He has saved the lives of dozens of children.
National Geographic Emerging Explorer Lale Labuko witnessed the unspeakable and spoke out. At age 15 he saw elders from his tribe in Ethiopia tear a two-year-old girl from her mother’s arms. The child was never seen again. On that day, he heard the word “mingi” for the first time, an ancient term to describe a cursed infant deserving death. He co-founded Omo Child to stop the ritualistic killing of infants and children.