Yegna encourages positive behaviour change for girls in Ethiopia by tackling real-life challenges through stories and music.

While Ethiopia is a country on the rise, girls still face serious challenges – from  educational access to early marriage and violence.

Yegna, Girl Effect’s multi-platform youth brand in Ethiopia, tackles these issues through its radio drama and talk show, TV drama, digital channels and music. It inspires behaviour change for girls, boys, their families and communities, by encouraging them to rethink what it means to be a girl in Ethiopia today.

Meaning ‘ours’ in Amharic, Yegna is rooted in Ethiopian culture. It’s built around the insight that one in five Ethiopian girls don’t have any friends, and encourages them to overcome adversity by forging meaningful friendships.

The Yegna cast - five girls and two boys - play characters that represent the lives of millions of Ethiopian teens as they form friendships, strive to find their voice and follow their dreams. Its storylines have been developed with young people, their families and communities across Ethiopia, to ensure that they accurately reflect their realities. 

Since launching in 2013, Yegna has reached 50% of the population across Addis and Amhara following the story of five girls who start their own band. Yegna is provoking positive conversations about the important role girls can play in Ethiopian society.