October 15, 2024, Population Media Center-Ethiopia (PMC-E) launched a writer’s training session in Addis Ababa for an innovative multimedia social behavior change project funded by DKT Ethiopia. This project, which began in May 2024, focuses on four key themes: Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), Family Planning (FP), Harmful Practices, and Social Cohesion.

Project Overview
The project aims to improve SRH knowledge and behaviors, increase access to contraceptives, promote gender equality, and reduce gender-based violence (GBV), while enhancing social cohesion across five regions of Ethiopia. A central component of this initiative is a 104-episode radio serial drama (RSD) in Amharic, which will use storytelling to inspire positive behavior change.

Opening Remarks by Dr. Hailegnaw Eshete

Hailegnaw Eshete, Country
Director of PMC-E, welcomed the
trainees and set the stage for the
workshop. He emphasized PMC’s
commitment to advocating for
women’s and girls’ rights, advancing public health, and promoting global sustainability. During his presentation, Dr.Hailegnaw shared concerning statistics on Ethiopia’s SRH landscape, including the low contraceptive use rate, a 22% unmet need for contraception, and high child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in regions like Amhara.

Key Project Activities
The radio drama will target adolescents, youth, women, men, and influential leaders,
encouraging open dialogue around SRH, FP, and GBV. Dr. Hailegnaw also stressed the
importance of digital media engagement and community outreach, ensuring the drama’s
messages resonate widely. The project’s impact will be supported by ongoing capacity-
building activities and media strategies.

Project Implementation Timeline

Tigist Moges, Program Manager at PMC-E, provided an outline of the project’s first phase, which includes field trips for writers, pilot scriptwriting, and training for the development of the full series. Each step is designed to ensure the radio serial drama delivers high-quality, culturally relevant content.
Focus on Measurable Impact
Kefyalew Asmara, PMC-E/DKT Senior Project Coordinator, shared insights into the project’s objectives, which include increasing the use of contraceptive services, improving SRH literacy, and reducing GBV and FGM in the target areas. He also introduced the theory of change, a guiding framework that will help track the project’s

success.

Storytelling for Change
Leading the training was Chengo Musakanya, Head Writer and Trainer from PMC’s
Zambia office, who brought extensive experience from similar projects across Africa. He
focused on character development, explaining how positive, negative, and transitional

characters in radio dramas can influence behavior change by reflecting real-life
struggles and transformations. This training session represents a critical milestone in
developing a radio serial drama that will not only entertain but also educate and
empower Ethiopia’s youth to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.