Liya Selam She is an Ethiopian girl who lives in Addis Ababa, Abyssinia, during the Italian colonization/occupation of the kingdom after the victory in 1936. She has worked since she was 12 years old, carrying water on her head for kilometers to bathe and drink, she can read but doesn't know what's happening in her country, she is kind to those who are kind to her, sarcastic, playful, and easily stressed due to her demanding routine and being an only child.  