project

Nekakat

Radio Show

Ethiopia

Acting together, the Ethiopian Government and United Nations Fund set life-changing objectives for Ethiopians. Included among their goals was zero tolerance for female genital mutilation by 2024 (often written as FGM). They also wanted to increase the number of women of reproductive age who were using contraception (contraceptive prevalence rate or CPR). To complement these goals, PMC-Ethiopia strategically designed Nekakat (“Cracked”) to educate and entertain listeners on these issues as part of a nationwide communications campaign.

“By addressing family planning, sexual and gender-based violence, child marriage, and female genital mutilation, PMC is contributing to a more equitable Ethiopia.”

– Wendi Stein,
PMC Program Manager

“Nekakat teaches so many lessons about different socially important issues even within one episode.”

– Female Listener

While it’s too soon to share the overall impact of Nekakat, there are dozens of listener groups across the region providing feedback and expanding messages and perspectives from the show to families and neighbors.

Rights of Women and Girls

Building global sustainability for today and for tomorrow all begins with the rights of women and girls. The right to education, economic independence, and reproductive autonomy are the building blocks and must-haves for gender equality and a climate-conscious world.

Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Family Planning and Modern Contraception Gender Equality

Woman laughing with her head tilted back a bit. Over all pure joy.

Woman standing in front of stacks of fabric at her fabric shop

Listening Together

How radio listener groups in Ethiopia support dramatic change on complex issues.

PMC launched Nekakat in Ethiopia in December 2020. This 156-episode radio show will air through 2022 in Amhara, Tigray, Oromia, and other Amharic speaking regions.

Nekakat follows several storylines and characters facing decisions on the core issues of the show — family planning, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, and child marriage.

PMC’s transformative storytelling began in Ethiopia, with the first PMC stories for social change broadcasting in 2002. The significant impacts of previous programs in Ethiopia — such as Yeken Kignit and Sibrat — laid the groundwork for a successful launch of Nekakat.

To complement Nekakat, PMC-Ethopia launched the radio talk show Yalaleke Guzo (“Unfinished Journey”). The 30-minute episodes illuminate the issues in Nekakat with expert interviews, related news articles, health tips, and featured personal stories.