Dhimbibba

Dhimbibba (”Getting the Best Out of Life”) was broadcast during the same period as Yeken Kignit, from 2002-2004. The drama addressed issues such as reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, early marriage, women’s empowerment, education of female children, and use of family planning.

As of November 2004, 63% of new clients seeking reproductive health services at 48 clinics in Ethiopia reported that they were listening to one of PMC’s serial dramas. In fact, 26% of new clients named one of PMC’s programs as the primary motivating factor for seeking services. Of new clients who cited radio programs as the impetus for seeking services, 96% said that they were motivated by one of PMC’s programs.

The post-broadcast survey revealed the programs’ impact in terms of knowledge, attitude and behavior change – with particularly striking differences between listeners and non-listeners. A multiple regression analysis was done to eliminate any effects that such factors as income, educational level, age, marital status, ideal number of children, place of residence, ethnic group or language may have had on family planning use or HIV testing, and the results showed highly significant effects of the serial dramas.

  • At the end of the serials, listeners were 5 times more likely than non-listeners to know 3 or more family planning methods.
  • Among married women in the Amhara region who were listeners, there was a 55 percentage point increase in those who had ever used family planning methods, while among non-listeners, the change was only 24 percentage points. A similar increase occurred among male listeners in the Amhara region.
  • Spousal communication about family planning issues among married women climbed from 33% to 68%.
  • There was a 50% increase in communication between mothers and their children about sexuality issues.
  • There was a 52 percentage point increase among men and a 21 percentage point increase among women in recognizing the importance of girls’ education.
  • There was a 35 percentage point increase among men and a 13 percentage point increase among women in the belief that women are fit to hold public office.

    • The outpouring of emotion in Ethiopia, in response to PMC’s programs, was overwhelming. From all over the country – and even beyond the borders of Ethiopia – 15,000 letters poured in to PMC’s office in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia’s news media ran almost a hundred stories on the phenomenon PMC created with its programs.

    Following Yeken Kignit and Dhimbibba (supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and other donors), PMC developed a new program in Ethiopia, with support from the government’s HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office. A fourth serial drama was developed with support from UNICEF, and a fifth program is being supported by Save the Children-Norway, with funds provided by the Norwegian government.

    WHAT'S NEW

    Following the success of our previous projects in Ethiopia, PMC recently received funding from Save the Children-Norway (funded by the Norwegian government) for a four-year social content radio serial drama project. The program, Sibrat ("Trauma") went on the air in September 2007 and is broadcast nationwide on Radio Ethiopia two times per week.

    The project also involves production of a radio talk show for youth; two radio magazine programs addressing FGM, production of various print materials on reproductive health and capacity building programs for journalists, playwrights, religious leaders, women leaders, youth associations, and reproductive health professionals.

    Recap of all Programs done in Ethiopia

    RADIO SERIAL DRAMAS

    Yeken Kignit ("Looking Over One's Daily Life")

    Dhimbibba ("Getting the Best Out of Life")

    Menta Menged ("The Crossroads")

    Maleda ("Dawn")

    Sibrat ("Trauma")

    RADIO TALK SHOW AND PANEL DISCUSSION PROGRAM

    Alegnta ("Security")

    RADIO MAGAZINE PROGRAM Naedetai (“Let’s Stop”)
    Igaddaa (“We Do Not Want It Anymore”)

    SHORT STORIES COLLECTIONS
    Drops of Life (2003)
    Winged Dreams (2004)
    Waiting for the Rivers to Rise (2006)

    FULL LENGTH PLAY
    Ysak Jember (Laughter at Dusk)

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Ethiopia Yeken Kignit in Population Reports (PDF, 2 MB)

    Hearing Is Believing By Dr. Negussie Teffera (PDF, 2 MB)

    Case Study Organizing a Comprehensive National Plan for Entertainment-Education (PDF, 208 KB)

    Ethiopia Final Report on Yeken Kignit and Dhimbibba (PDF, 807 KB)

    The Effects of Listening to Entertainment Education Radio Serial Dramas on Reported Beliefs Surrounding Spousal Abuse in the Amhara and Oromiya Districts of Ethiopia (Word doc., 143 KB)

    CONTACT US

    Dr. Negussie Teffera
    Country Representative
    Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    program@populationmedia.org

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