3. Photo Comic Book
Developed by:
Editorial Main Cast
Abiy Alazar Assamenew Demessie as Yonathan Urgessa
Afeefa Abdur –Rahman Netsanet Mesafint as Bilen Teferra
Dr. Daniel Fekade
Sossiena as Mare Zenebe
Dr. Sori Ararsa
Malda Nadew Nebiyou Abera as Henok Abinet
Selamawit Fikre Anfune Temesgen G/Egziaber as Sammy Girma
Sofnias Nega
Ruth Clarke
Professor Tsige G/Mariam Supporting Cast
Yonas Endalamaw Adefres Alemu as Gima , Sammy’s father
Alemayehu Belayneh as Tariku
Production Team
Ashenafi Hadera Azeb Teklu as Helina
Ephrem Sheferaw Bahrian kedir as Ezana
Mekdem Kebede Beiniam Berhanu as Tamerat
Sonya Colomer Dejene Gemechu as Dawit
Yordanos Kassahunh
Eden Derebe as Seble
Graphic Design and Layout Eleni Belete as Nitsuh
Ayenew Girma Esubalem Mersha as Biruk
Ephrem Bayissa Ermias Zeinu as DJ Biniam
Tsigereda Abay
Frezewed Kebede as Beza
Zerihun Workeneh
Helina Kebedeas Tege
Script writers Henoke Behanu as Matheos (Mati)
Binyam Woubshet Lemlem Wolday as Beliyu
Emebet Worku Marta Taye as Mahlet
Fikru Kassa
Marta Noah as Betty
Fitsum Asfaw
Zekarias Samuel Mesay Berhanu as Teddy
Zewge Abate Meseret Woube as Sammy’s Mother
Solomon Hagos as extra
Consulting Team Tewodroas Mekuria as Belay, Sammy’s brother
Andrew Whaley (Storyline development)
Frank Odoi (Comic development) Weinesht Terfe as Rahel
Suleiman Shifaw (Art Direction) Yohanes Damte as Tadesse
This comic book was produced by the Addis Ababa University MARCH Project with technical
assistance from the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the National Aids
Resource Center and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Funding was
provided by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through CDC.
4. MEET THE KIDS OF
‘LIFE 101’!
Welcome to ‘Life 101,’ a long term comic book serial* which follows the lives of five
fictional Addis Ababa University students.
First, meet Bilen Teferra and Yonathan Urgessa!
This couple has it all. However, the path to
true love is rarely a smooth one. Follow the
story of these two 3rd year students and find
out why!
Next meet Mare Zenebe. Mare has come from a small town to
study at university. For her, Addis and AAU are all new worlds,
where the pressures to fit in come at her from all sides!
Now meet Henok Abinet. He’s one of the most
well liked guys on campus. Women, drinking
and partying IS LIFE for him. Will reality ever
kick in for this second year student?
Finally, meet Sammy Girma. Sammy is a virgin hoping to broaden
his education on all fronts! His parents never talked to him about
sex, so he is eager for the advice of his ‘experienced’ friends - no
matter how bad the advice is. This first year student has more on
his mind than just his grades!
This comic book was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number U62/CCU324877 from CDC. Its
contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views
of CDC. All characters and stories in this comic book are fictional and do not in any way representative
real life people, departments, or faculties at Addis Ababa University.
*A serial an ongoing drama that tells a continuing story throughout multimode edition or episodes.
27. Discuss ‘Life 101’
with your friends and your peers!
Here are some questions to help guide your discussion:
Edition One
1. Which characters do you relate to the most among the characters in
“Life 101?” Why?
2. Mare has left her home and family to begin life at university in Addis Ababa.
How did leaving home and coming to a new environment affect you? If you
are a freshmen, have you had experiences like Mare? If you are not a freshman,
what were your own freshmen year campus experiences?
3. Bilen and Yonathan are a couple at AAU. How do students meet and date at
university? What type of intimate relationships do students have at university?
What are the positive or negative consequences of these relationships?
4. Henok is a “player” (which is slang for a person skilled at sexual seduction
and who intends to have sex with multiple people). Do students like Henok
exist on your campus? How do their friends and other people perceive them?
5. Sammy is a young man eagerly looking to end his status as a virgin. He’s
excited about the new opportunities open to him. Do you know students like
Sammy at AAU? What challenges do they face? What do you think Sammy
should be aware of as he explores love and sex on campus?
There is more to university than lectures, assignments and
exams. Stay tuned to the next edition to know what is
going to happen to Mare, Henok, Sammy, Bilen & Yonathan.
28. visit us on the
World Wide Web!
For info on what the AAU MARCH
Project is doing on campus go to:
www.aau.edu.et/march
For the most updated statistics on
HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia visit:
www.etharc.org
Call 952
The Toll Free Hotline Today!
Just dial 952 from any landline
or mobile phone in the country
and get your burning questions
answered for free!
29. For additional information about
this comic book, please contact:
ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY
MARCH PROJECT
P.O. Box 1176
Tel: 251 (011) 1248887
E-mail: aau_march@yahoo.com
website: www.aau.edu.et/march
AIDS Resource Center
MARCH Project
Bole road, Dembel Building,
10th floor
Tel: 251 (011) 550 3749
Fax: 251 (011) 550 3749
E-MAIL: arc@etharc.org
website:www.etharc.org
