Program Manager Wendi Stein’s Message For Nekakat Launch Event

Dear esteemed UNFPA partners, special guests, and PMC-Ethiopia colleagues,

I sincerely wish I could be with you on this celebratory day for the launch of NEKAKAT.

It is indeed a special day for the country as NEKAKAT kicks off and, so too, a journey for the audience. Over the next 18 months, listeners will be treated to recognizable characters reflecting the realities that people and families face. Characters will navigate situations and make decisions that challenge social norms. Listeners will come to love some characters and despise others; they will laugh and empathize and see themselves or their neighbors in these characters; they will see how their choices can lead to a more equitable life in which women and girls, men and boys can embrace their full potential.

I gratefully acknowledge the support and partnership of UNFPA, without whom this project would not be a reality. I also wish to congratulate Dr. Hailegnaw and the entire PMC-Ethiopia team and our colleagues for their hard work and commitment to the project. Many people have worked diligently to bring us to this day. To appropriate a phrase, “It takes a village to create a fictional village!”

Congratulations on the launch! And enjoy the program.

Most sincerely

Wendi Stein | Program Manager

Population Media Center | Global Headquarters | Vermont, USA