By Ade Oyeyemi
A 26-year-old Ethiopian woman, Muluwork Ambaw, has claimed that she has survived for 16 years without eating food or drinking water after losing her appetite at the age of 10.
Ambaw, who lives in Jimma, Ethiopia, said she last ate lentil stew as a child before she suddenly stopped feeling hungry or thirsty.
Her unusual account came into the spotlight after travel content creator Drew Binsky visited her in Ethiopia and documented her daily life.
According to Ambaw, the change began when her family routinely encouraged her to eat breakfast before leaving for school.
She said she would pretend to have eaten while concealing the fact that she had lost her appetite.
“I used to live with my family, and they asked me to eat breakfast and go to school. I said I had eaten, but I was pretending,” she said, according to Binsky’s account.
Despite her claim that she does not eat, Ambaw said she still prepares meals for members of her family and visitors. She reportedly grows vegetables in her garden and uses them to prepare food whenever her sister or guests come around.
“I cook as much as I want, but I have no appetite,” she said.
Ambaw also claimed that she has not defecated for 16 years, saying she only uses the bathroom to bathe.
Her account has raised further questions about how she managed during pregnancy. Reports surrounding her story said she received glucose infusions while pregnant to provide her body with energy.
Following the birth of her child, Ambaw said she was unable to breastfeed because she did not produce breast milk. The baby was subsequently fed with artificial milk.
The Ethiopian woman said she had undergone several medical examinations, including tests in Addis Ababa as well as in India, Qatar and Dubai.
She reportedly said the examinations did not provide an explanation for her claimed lack of appetite. She also underwent mental health assessments in Qatar and Dubai.
When Binsky questioned her about the truth of her account, Ambaw maintained that she had not eaten for 16 years and attributed her condition to God.
She said she intended to continue her fast and did not expect to resume eating.
However, there is no independently verified scientific evidence establishing that Ambaw has actually survived for 16 years without consuming food or water.
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Medical science considers water essential for human survival, while prolonged dehydration can become life-threatening within a short period. As a result, extraordinary claims of this nature require rigorous and independently verified medical evidence before they can be accepted as fact.
Ambaw has reportedly invited sceptics to visit her and observe her lifestyle for themselves, as her story continues to generate debate and disbelief online.
