Yegna, Girl Effect’s multi-platform youth brand in Ethiopia, has launched its brand-new TV drama, created to tackle the complex issues that affect the lives of millions of adolescents across Ethiopia.
Since 2013, Yegna has used the power of storytelling to reach girls across the Addis and Amhara regions of Ethiopia via music, radio and digital channels. Now, Yegna is taking to TV screens across the country, adding to the brand’s existing product mix as it strives to make an impact for a whole generation of young people. The show will follow the lives of seven characters (five girls and two boys) as they overcome challenges throughout their teenage years, highlighting and confronting issues that will ring true in many Ethiopian lives.
By creating characters which resemble a diverse representation of adolescents across Ethiopia, Yegna provides viewers with roles models to guide them through their teenage years.
As the first Ethiopian TV drama targeted at adolescent youth, Yegna will uniquely reflect the complex lives of teenagers across the country. Launched on International Women’s Day 2019, the new TV show has garnered support from influential figures across the Ethiopian media landscape, and from viewers of all ages.
#Girleffect is in full force in Ethiopia. Yegna, Girl Effect’s multi-platform youth brand in Ethiopia, tackles issues through its radio drama and talk show, TV special, digital channels and music. It inspires behaviour change. pic.twitter.com/IO9oje2WCR
— lemn sissay OBE FRSL (@lemnsissay) March 16, 2019
True to Girl Effect’s belief in using storytelling and role models to drive behaviour change, the new product will provide millions of teens with a roadmap to the challenges they face in their own lives. The new TV show tackles issues such as sexual violence, positive masculinity, and promoting meaningful conversation between girls and parents, as well as reinforcing Yegna’s brand values: friendship, aspiration, self-worth and courage.
“We watched it, we like it. We don’t want it to stop.”YouTube comment translated from Yegna TV viewer
Gayathri Butler, Country Director of Girl Effect Ethiopia, said: “This is an incredibly exciting next chapter for Yegna. By launching on TV and with a new set of characters and storylines, we have the potential to reach even more people and have even greater impact, building on our past successes through radio and music. We’re incredibly proud of what Yegna has achieved to date, and all the people who have helped to get it there.”
Click to learn more about Yegna or about how you can partner with Girl Effect to empower girls via digital technology.