Humans of APOPO: Tamirat on Collecting TB Samples in Addis Ababa
Tamirat is a 27-year-old sample collector with APOPO in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since joining the team over four years ago, he has become a vital link between the city’s health centers and the lab where tuberculosis detection begins. His work is quiet but critical, helping ensure that patients get a second chance at diagnosis and treatment.
“I’ve been with APOPO for four years and five months. Before that, I worked at a waste management facility and also as a messenger on a motorbike for a microfinance company. I had to stop school after grade 10 when my father passed away. Since then, I’ve been working to support my mom and sisters. We all live nearby and they work at the waste facility.
I first heard about APOPO through friends near the hospital. When I joined, I was given an orientation and shown how the rats work. I was amazed. I showed videos and pictures to my family and they were happy and proud.
Each day, we plan our route and visit between 12 and 15 health centers. We collect sputum samples and bring them back to the lab. Sometimes we are on the road for four to five hours. The farthest centers we go to are in Summit and Aqaqi.
We always wear protective gear like gloves, masks, and lab coats. We also use a triple packaging system to handle the samples safely. The job can be tiring, especially during rainy weather and heavy traffic, but I stay focused because I know we are saving lives.
There are five of us in the sample collection team. I usually collect around 30 samples a day. The more I collect, the better I feel because it means more people have a chance to be diagnosed and treated. I often see patients at the health centers. Some of them look like they are struggling and that motivates me even more.
When people see the APOPO logo on my motorbike, they sometimes ask if I’m delivering rat poison. I explain what we do and how the rats are trained to detect TB. Some people think I’m joking but others say they’ve seen it on TV.
We’ve also started a small garden at the center. I take home vegetables like carrots, zucchini, beetroot, and potatoes. My family is happy to have fresh produce. This job gives me an income and lets me help people. That’s why I’m happy here.”
