Ethiopian Outreach Guide for Direct Service Providers

Bridging the Gap between Communication and Shared Understanding

Many of the best practices for direct service providers relate to communication skills. You may share information and people may understand the words but not understand what is being said. Effective communication must build upon a shared understanding of the cultural and personal context between the people served and the providers themselves.

Direct service providers are responsible for bridging these understanding gaps to best serve their community members in need.

Ethiopian Languages: Amharic and Beyond

Ethiopia has over 80 different languages. For many years, Amharic alone was the official language of Ethiopia and the working language used by the central government. In 2020, Oromo, Somali, Afar, and Tigrinya also became official languages.

People from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and the Amhara region speak Amharic as their primary language. People from other regions in Ethiopia may speak Amharic but were likely raised using another primary language.

People’s spoken language preferences may be different from their written language preferences. As of 2017, about 52% of people in Ethiopia were able to read and write in any language. People who have immigrated to the U.S. may feel more comfortable reading and writing in English, especially those who came to the country as children or teens.

How to Work Towards Shared Understanding

Take literacy out of the equation (*as much as possible).

Community members prefer in-person methods first and foremost, followed by phone calls, audio and video clips, and text messages. Keep the language simple and rely on visuals to help convey your message.

Keep in mind that translating your content to Amharic does not automatically make your message culturally appropriate or accessible.

While it takes more time to gather input, you should always ask community members for input to determine whether your materials are understandable and culturally aligned. Ensure that interpreters and translators have the context of the situation so they can adjust their vocabulary to fit the client’s cultural understanding.

Be aware of power dynamics.

As a program/service provider you are playing a gatekeeper role and hold power over those seeking support. Be clear about the intention of your outreach efforts e.g. inform, solicit feedback, recruit, etc. Expect the community to initially be skeptical of any outreach efforts. Being transparent, direct, and following through is incredibly important to building long-term trust.

Take literacy out of the equation (*as much as possible).

Use accessible communication methods for the Amharic-speaking community:

  1. In-person
  2. Phone calls
  3. Pre-recorded video or audio clips
  4. Text messages (and existing community Telegram networks)

Ask separately what language people prefer to speak versus what language they prefer to read.

Consider how people will be reading your materials (e.g. on their phone, as a flier, etc.).

Use simple visuals and pictures to explain what the text says. ​

Use plain language, short and to the point (e.g. using bullet points instead of long paragraphs).​

Create a frequently used terms list and share it with your clients. Translate difficult or specialized words (e.g. medical, legal, public benefits terminology) in both English and in-language.

Ethiopian Leaders Working with Organizations and Providers

Listen to Sophia Benalfew, Executive Director of Ethiopian Community in Seattle (ECS), as she shares how the center supported the Ethiopian community throughout COVID-19. In the early days of the pandemic here in the U.S., the priority was gathering and sharing up-to-date information from King County Public Health. Protocols and guidelines were evolving as new research and data emerged. The available materials were primarily in English and shared on the internet, creating barriers for the Ethiopian community to access timely and relevant info.

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Tesfa Program Founder, Selam, speaks with Sophia Benalfew, Executive Director of Ethiopian Community in Seattle (ECS), about COVID-19's impact on the local Ethiopian community and ESC's efforts to support its members. Topics: Unemployment, COVID-19, Vaccination, Misinformation, Technology, Immigration
Find all podcast episodes here

Keep in mind that translating your content to Amharic does not automatically make your message culturally appropriate or accessible.

Create communications materials directly in Amharic rather than directly translating materials. While translating from English to Amharic languages is critical, it is ideal to create communication materials starting from the client’s preferred written language.

Cultivate existing resources in Amharic before creating new ones (*but still vet it with community members).

Know what subjects or issue areas need more sensitivity around given a community’s history and background. For example, mental health and domestic violence are two cultural taboo topics that require a lot of framing and defining to help the community better understand what these issues are before introducing resources for members.

Provide culturally appropriate examples and pictures to accompany outreach materials.

Do not rely on automatic translation tools to create in-language materials. You must have a translator, or at the least, a community member who speaks/writes in-language, review the translation, and edit.

Define your topic and terms upfront. Do not assume the community understands what the word means.

Do not use metaphors or idioms since they likely won’t have the same cultural context as they would do in English.

Vet all materials with Ethiopian community members.

Be aware of power dynamics.

As a provider, you hold a lot of power as a gatekeeper and the person with the most knowledge about the program. By being transparent through sharing appropriate information, you can make a good first impression.

Clearly list eligibility requirements for the program. Highlight how immigration status plays a role if any.

Explain each program’s process and timeline. For example, once the person calls this recommended resource, describe what will happen next.

Be direct about why you are asking for certain private information.

Answer any questions using neutral language and without judgment (i.e.just state the answer).

Follow up on anything you offer to the community member in a timely manner. Word of mouth travels quickly in the community, so each interaction is an opportunity to build or break trust.

Consider how community-targeted outreach events or efforts may unintentionally evoke community mistrust.

Reaffirm that the rules of patient/client confidentiality apply to interpreters. Community members may feel uncomfortable not being able to directly communicate private information to the provider helping them.

Tesfa Tales

When Targeted Marketing Leads to Distrust

During our weekly session, we shared information about a specific COVID-19 vaccination event only for people who identified as Black or African-American. A participant spoke up and asked, ‘Why is this vaccine clinic only for Black people?’ They were worried that this vaccination event was offering a different vaccine for people, based only on race. In an effort to promote health equity and access, this event unintentionally alienated its intended targeted audience.

In addition to the U.S. history of medical experimentation and exploitation of Black communities, Ethiopian communities have their own unique experiences with health care providers. There are several claims in Ethiopia and abroad that Ethiopian women received vaccines that resulted in temporary or permanent sterilization (e.g. refugees in Israel, government-provided vaccines in Ethiopia, etc.). Regardless of the individual citations, these stories are shared across the community and further medical skepticism.

We tell this story to highlight how good intentions without appropriate outreach can backfire. We are not recommending that providers stop targeted programming but highlight how the unique experience of the community impacts their willingness to participate in such programs. Market and host your programs within the communities you are trying to reach rather than asking people to come to you using your criteria. Work with local leaders and organizational partners who already have established community trust and offer ongoing services right there.

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Provider checklist

Tips for Starting Your Own Tesfa Program Model

Tesfa Program Founder, Selam Misgano

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