Dessie/Kombolcha — July 21, 2026: As part of its community engagement strategy to strengthen the prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), SYGE, in collaboration with the South Wollo Traditional Music Band, organized a series of public edutainment events targeting internally displaced persons (IDPs), host communities, youth, women, and other community members.
The activities, held on July 20–21, 2026, combined traditional music, drama, interactive discussions, and educational messages to make SGBV prevention information more accessible, engaging, and relevant to local communities.
The initiative used cultural expression as a platform to address sensitive issues surrounding SGBV and encourage communities to take an active role in prevention. By integrating education with entertainment, the events created an environment where participants could learn, ask questions, share experiences, and discuss practical ways to prevent violence.
Community Events Reach Multiple Locations
On July 20, public edutainment activities were conducted at Gerado IDP centers, Gerado Monday Market, and the Piazza area of Dessie town. The following day, July 21, similar activities were held at Degan IDP centers, Degan town, and the Piazza and Bus Station areas of Kombolcha town.
The selection of venues enabled the project to reach both displaced and host-community populations in locations where large numbers of people regularly gather.
The events featured a range of interactive activities designed to communicate key SGBV prevention messages in an accessible manner.
Drama performances presented realistic situations illustrating the consequences of SGBV and emphasized the importance of prevention, reporting, and collective action.
The South Wollo Traditional Music Band performed traditional music and cultural shows, attracting large audiences and creating an energetic and welcoming atmosphere for community participation. The use of familiar cultural forms helped make the awareness messages more relatable to participants.
Interactive question-and-answer sessions provided community members with an opportunity to engage directly with facilitators, clarify misconceptions about SGBV, and share their views and reflections.
Thousands Reached through Cultural Edutainment
The activities successfully reached thousands of community members, including IDPs, host-community members, youth, and women. Participants demonstrated strong interest and active engagement throughout the events.
The activities contributed to increased awareness of SGBV, its consequences, and the importance of collective responsibility in preventing violence. Participants also gained opportunities to discuss harmful attitudes and practices and explore the role individuals and communities can play in creating safer environments.
The strong community turnout and participation demonstrated the effectiveness of cultural edutainment as a community mobilization and awareness-raising approach. By bringing together traditional art, entertainment, and social advocacy, the events created opportunities for meaningful dialogue while reaching audiences that may not always engage with conventional awareness activities.
Strengthening Community Ownership
The successful implementation of the events highlighted the value of working with local cultural actors to address sensitive social issues. The collaboration with the South Wollo Traditional Music Band demonstrated how traditional music and creative expression can be effectively integrated into humanitarian and protection programming.
Beyond delivering information, the edutainment activities encouraged communities to see SGBV prevention as a shared responsibility. The participatory nature of the events helped foster dialogue, strengthen community ownership, and encourage individuals to contribute to prevention efforts.
Looking Ahead
The July 20–21 edutainment activities demonstrate the potential of innovative, culturally appropriate approaches to strengthen SGBV awareness among both IDP and host communities. The strong turnout and active participation indicate that combining education with entertainment can help sustain community interest and make sensitive protection messages easier to understand and discuss.
Moving forward, continued use of community-based and culturally relevant awareness approaches will be important for sustaining SGBV prevention efforts, strengthening community resilience, and promoting collective responsibility for protection.
Overall, the activities reaffirmed the power of culture and creativity in addressing sensitive social issues. By bringing communities together through music, drama, dialogue, and education, the initiative not only increased awareness of SGBV but also encouraged communities to participate actively in building safer, more inclusive, and violence-free environments.
