Born in Addis. Built for the World.
An Impact Communication Agency.
We use the power of narrative, data, and design to solve the world’s “wicked” problems for NGOs and multilaterals.
We are Youthopians,
You can call us YTH
The Phonetics
[ youth-oh-pee-uns ]
The Narrative
A name rooted in the belief that the energy of the youth is the most powerful resource on the planet.
The Short-hand
We know it’s a mouthful. Our partners, our team, and our community usually just call us YTH.
Our Origin
We started with a lens and a dream. Founded by a photographer with a business brain and an operations wizard, we became the “go-to” for high-end production. But we realized: a beautiful film that doesn’t change a behavior is just a very expensive home movie.
Now
We are not just a production house. We are not just “video guys.” We are an Impact Communication Agency. We use the power of narrative, data, and design to solve the world’s “wicked” problems for NGOs and multilaterals.
Core Philosophy
The Myth of Sisyphus.
The Struggle: Social change is a heavy boulder. It is resistant, complex, and often rolls back down the mountain despite our best efforts.
The Resilience: We apply SBCC Theory and the Social-Ecological Model to ensure that every push is strategic, not just strenuous.
The Joy: Like Camus, we don’t view the struggle as a tragedy.
"One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
We reject the idea that the struggle must be exhausting. We don’t just push against the weight; we change the gravity of the mountain itself. We find the points of leverage where effort becomes impact.
Impact is the currency.
We are the exchange.
Our
Human-Centered
Design
Discover
We peel back the layers to find the hidden “Why.”
Understand
We don’t just see the data; we feel the heartbeat.
Create
We turn insights into “Fire” stories that demand attention.
Implement
We launch with precision. No fluff, just frictionless scale.
We convert deep-dive empathy into high-velocity action.
One Mission.
Two Worlds.
The Brain · Our Senior Strategists
The Architects of Logic.
Decades spent navigating policy, social data, and complex global systems. They ensure the foundation is unbreakable. They distill 100-page reports into 1-page strategic “North Stars,” and ensure every creative move is anchored in evidence and global rigor.
The Roadmap
They distill dry behavioral data and policy frameworks into strategic “North Stars.”
The Bullseye
They ensure every creative is surgically aligned with your Theory of Change.
The Rigor
They bring the global standards of multilaterals to the creative process, ensuring dignity, ethics, and accuracy.
The Engine · Our Young Creatives
The Architects of Fire.
Digital natives who don’t just watch trends, they start them. They turn strategy into high-saturation, thumb-stopping content, and speak the language of the “now” so the message doesn’t just land, it spreads.
Digital Natives
They know exactly where the attention is and how to capture it in under three seconds.
Radical Authenticity
Social impact messages never feel like “corporate preaching,” but like a movement people actually want to join.
Artist-First
A “Gallery-Standard” in every frame: dignity and beauty are never sacrificed for the message.
The Collective
Adane Firde
Founder and CEO
Hewan Giday
Founder and COO
Samuel Getu
Creative Director
Arsema Giday
Art Director
Hanna G/Hiwet
Research Analyst
Natnael Nigussie
Business Development
Hermela Amdeslase
Digital Marketing Expert
Nathnael Akuri
Senior Graphics Designer
Mulat Ambachew
Senior Photographer
Yonas Berhanu
Senior Videographer
Eyob Solomon
Junior Art Director
Kibrom Haftom
Operations Support
Yosef Kibret
Account Executive
Bereket Sisay
Costume Designer
Wubet Mogninet
Traffic Manager
Our
Think Tank
Our core team is supported by a global brain-trust of researchers, policy-makers, and sectoral experts. They act as our internal “Think Tank,” ensuring every campaign is grounded in academic rigor and systemic truth.
The Advisory Council
Specialized consultants in Public Health, Behavioral Science, and Economic Development who peer-review our strategies.
The Grassroots Network
Local community leaders and cultural anthropologists who provide real-time “ground-truth” data.
The Policy Bridge
Experts who help us translate grassroots energy into language that resonates with governments and multilateral institutions.
The Studio &
The Inventory
Our philosophy is backed by high-performance hardware. We maintain a full-spectrum inventory of capture and post-production technology to ensure the vision is never compromised by the medium.
The Studio
Multi-color cyclorama infinite backdrop · Podcast and vocal booth · Ceiling-mounted and portable LED soft-box lighting rig
Cameras
2× Sony FX3 cinema unit for narrative and documentary · 2× Sony A7 IV B-cam and gimbal unit
Optics & Glass
Sigma prime set (24, 35, 50, 85mm) · Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
Sound
Sennheiser MKH 416 boom · Rode Wireless PRO lavaliers · Hollyland neck mics
Stabilization & Aerials
DJI RS 4 Pro gimbal · DJI Mavic 3 Pro (4K 10-bit HDR)
Post-Production Forge
Mac Studio M2 Ultra stations with 4K color-calibrated monitors · DaVinci Resolve Studio · Adobe Creative Cloud
Service Offerings
01
Strategic Intelligence
Behavioral Audits: Analyzing the friction points in your current mission.
Narrative Design: Crafting the “Brain” of your campaign’s message.
SBCC Roadmaps: Multi-year strategies for Social and Behavior Change.
02
Content Production
High-Impact Documentary: Long-form storytelling for donors and stakeholders.
Social-First Campaigns: Short-form, high-velocity content for youth mobilization.
Immersive Media: 360° video and interactive digital experiences.
03
Mobilization & Reach
Community Activations: Street-level events that turn viewers into participants.
Influencer Alliances: Partnering with cultural leaders to amplify the “Pulse.”
Digital Guerrilla Marketing: Unconventional tactics to break through the noise.
04
Insights & Analytics
Sentiment Tracking: Measuring how the public heart is moving in real time.
Impact Reporting: Data-backed dossiers for your board and funders.
The Local Heart.
The Global Reach.
Impact doesn’t live in a vacuum. To move mountains, we connect local grassroots energy with the world’s most powerful platforms and institutions.
Strategic Alliances: We bridge the gap between Ethiopian talent and global multilateral organizations (UN, NGOs, Foundations).
Cultural Export: We don’t just import global best practices; we export African innovation, showing the world how change is being pioneered in the Global South.
The Scale-Up: Our systems are “locally-grounded but globally-scalable.” We build models that start in a neighborhood and resonate across borders.
Case Studies
Every project pairs a problem with a creative formula. Here’s how the formula played out.
Photobook · Documentary
IOM
With USAID closing its engagement, IOM needed to retain ECHO as a major funder. We produced an ethnographic documentary tailored to ECHO’s humanitarian mandate, securing a high-level UN briefing slot.
Dignity + Transparency = Policy Action.
TV Ad · Photography · Social Media
Yango
An international tech service needed to adapt to Ethiopia’s language, culture and market fast. We built a localized vernacular communication strategy so the brand resonated from day one.
Global Brand + Local Tongue = Mass Adoption.
TV Ad · Photography · Social · Design
Edge Program
A digital economy initiative needed to onboard 300,000 young female gig workers despite cultural hesitation and low platform trust. TVCs, podcasts, photography and social content kept hitting onboarding milestones.
Authentic Representation + Omnichannel Media = Mass Onboarding.
Documentary · Photography · Social Media
Farmer Chat
Multiple donors, and an audience of low-literacy, multilingual rural farmers. One framework produced tailored outputs: radio and voice notes in Afaan Oromo, Amharic and Somali, plus photo ads for field impact.
One Data Set + Multiple Outputs = Total Donor Satisfaction.
Photography · Social Media
Lersha
An agritech startup raising funds lacked visual proof of its impact. Our documentation of modern, data-driven farming turned its pitch deck from a theoretical proposal into an investment prospect.
Visual Verification + Modern Narrative = Capital Acquisition.
Documentary · Impact Report · Photography
IDH
Four complex interventions, from industrial wastewater to worker cooperatives, needed one closing narrative. A Strategic Impact Framework and end-to-end film, photo and reports made systems like Zero Liquid Discharge clear.
Strategic Synthesis + Evidential Strength = Institutional Credibility.
Photography · Social Media
Zemen Bank
Outdated imagery and a fragmented social presence undercut a modern bank. A full corporate production plus a content framework with platform guidelines and templates modernized its digital footprint.
Visual Modernization + Strategic Cohesion = Brand Trust.
Capacity Building · Video · Branding
Reach for Change
Social entrepreneurs had strong solutions but weak branding and communication. Brand audits and a modular toolkit of workshops, videos and pitch decks made them investment-ready.
Human-Centered Design + Scalable Toolkits = Investment Readiness.
Photography · Social Media
Here We Grow
Diverse project impacts had to meet strict safeguarding standards and show scalability. One unified narrative and ethical photo, video and reporting turned community data into a polished package.
Measurable Outcomes + Ethical Storytelling = Scalable Credibility.
“I think this is the best photo series I’ve ever seen IOM published.”
Patricka Chulamokha, MA, MPH
Regional Vaccination Support Officer for Europe and Central Asia, IOM
Regional Vaccination Support Officer for Europe and Central Asia, IOM
“The billboard visuals dramatically improved brand visibility in key urban locations. Social media engagement rose as a result of locally tailored content. The cohesion across all assets reinforced Yango’s identity in the Ethiopian market and made us more relatable to our users.”
Yekenalem Abebe (PhD)
Yango Ethiopia
Yango Ethiopia
“They were organized, patient, and genuinely fun to work with. The team understood the brief quickly and captured exactly the energy we needed for FarmerChat. Smooth coordination, zero stress, and great creative instincts.”
Bezawit Girma Kebede
Communication Officer, Digital Green Foundation
Communication Officer, Digital Green Foundation
“Their materials have been incorporated into donor reports, pitch decks, websites, and partner communications. Most importantly, the storytelling helped us highlight the real-life transformations.”
Abrhame Endrias
Founder and Managing Director, Green Agro Solutions | Lersha
Founder and Managing Director, Green Agro Solutions | Lersha
Trusted by
the Changemakers
We don’t just work with clients; we build alliances with organizations moving the needle on the world’s most pressing challenges. From global multilaterals to local innovators, our partners trust us with their most sensitive and significant narratives.
See it move.
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Connect with us
Let's Build
The Direct Line
The Digital Gateway
The Hub
Bole, Behar Building, Addis Ababa