New Animated Series Taps Ethiopian Roots For Fresh Take On Kids Content

An ensemble of young creatives is drawing on Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage to produce animated musical series for children. Behager Lij Studio, a five-year-old advertising company is blending education and entertainment in a bid to introduce community values to a new generation of Ethiopian youth.

Dubbed Behagerlij Kids, the animated series introduces four endearing characters who were named through a public poll infusing cultural nuances that contour spirits of childhood in Ethiopia.

Kimem, the sweet and endearing soul; Abule, the sports enthusiast; Bitiqo, the creative and outgoing spirit; and Bochera, the foodie – debuted on the show’s first episode two weeks ago kindling fond memories for many.

Nahom Abiy, co-founder and general manager of Behager, relays how the characters were developed to embody universal Ethiopian childhood archetypes.

“These characters are like old friends, familiar and comforting," he says.

Founded in 2019 with an initial capital of 250,000 birr, the studio has quickly established itself within Ethiopia's animation sector, most notably through its partnership with Awaqi to produce uplifting and inspirational stories.

The studio has worked with organizations such as EBS TV, Nahoo TV, The British Council, Enat Bank, The Goethe Institute, iceAddis, and many more.

Blending inspiration from the past with the essence of contemporary childhood energies is the goal according to the co-founder.

"We're creating a world where kids can connect with their Ethiopian heritage and learn the power of friendship," Nahom told Shega.

Children’s content garners significant interest across the web. Cocomelon, a YouTube channel that features animated children content was the second-highest-viewed channel last year with 188.5 billion views.

In Ethiopia, the launch of Behager lij Kids comes at a time when there is a scarcity of locally produced children's content in Ethiopia. This gap often leaves parents and children navigating a landscape dominated by foreign media, which can lack localized cultural relevance.

“We aim to fill this void by providing high-quality content that reflects Ethiopian roots,” Nahom noted.

The debut episode, titled “Guadegnaye” (meaning “My Friend”), premiered on September 20 and features a lively animated song about friendship delivered through engaging visuals and catchy melodies

The studio is currently exploring partnerships and integrated learning with stakeholders, aiming for broader recognition of the characters; for now, its only monetization comes from YouTube. Aside from outside help in mixing and mastering, the series is entirely produced and developed in-house by the studio. The production has taken 3-4 months with two additional episodes lined up in the production schedule.

While the expansion of affordable internet coverage unlocked access to foreign content, there is a shortage of media content for children that fuses education through play. In line with nationwide education reforms, the Addis Ababa City Administration Education Bureau has issued a directive promoting game-based teaching methods in pre-primary schools, two weeks ago.  It looks to incorporate these methods into the curriculums of both public and private pre-primary schools.