This past week, Consumer Insight, a pan African research company in partnership with 251 Communications, an advertising agency based in Ethiopia, released its research study on Ethiopian women lifestyle, as identified by a survey of 555 women of all ages and income levels.
"The answers they gave were a real window into their world.", the report says.
when asked about what they considered most important to them, 88 per cent answered “My health” . Though the higher and middle income women considered it more than those with lower income, they all gave health a high value. Happiness was the second important value, even more important than money and security. Clearly having a sense of the 'good life' is the highest aspiration of their lives. But it isn't the only strong belief.
A good number, especially amongst the more affluent women, said they had a desire to make a difference in other people's lives, not just have a job or buy the usual materialistic 'stuff'. But this noble attitude should not be taken to mean that they don't enjoy themselves. The reality, as the study found, is quite the opposite:
“We have fun with our friends!” was the universal answer all women interviewed gave when asked what they did with their free time. Though music and radio provide entertainment when alone, it is only when they get together that the real fun starts.
Church was the favorite meeting place, followed by movie theaters (especially for the under 30s) and friends’ homes. Other liked social places were restaurants: this is consistent with the eat-out culture evident with all women, especially the higher income earners.
Women worldwide love shopping – and the Ethiopian women are no different. Shopping malls were the next most popular public place visited. And about a quarter of those interviewed admitted to visiting a shopping mall regularly. It was here that the most unexpected attitudes and practices towards money and spending were revealed.
Take budgeting for example: the women said beauty care products ranked almost as high as bread and cooking oil on their shopping lists. A shocking reality no doubt. Especially since a good number said they depended on family for income, compared to salary. Even more, they insisted on getting quality when they shopped, not just low prices. And all this was preferably done in a clean, one-stop shop.
And what did they buy from these shops? Ethiopian brands of course! Across six categories, local brands were leaders. The lucky ones were Showa bread, Mama milk, Rany juice and Selam Baltena spice. For the heavily used beauty products, several brands were mentioned, but international brands Max and Mac stood out.
While TV might lead in giving public information, word-of-mouth is just as important when women are shopping for products.
But it takes more than brands and friends to shop. Money is just as important, and here a huge difference in attitude between women of different ages and income levels was evident.
As expected, higher income earners have more spending power, but unusually the lower income group said they used bank accounts more. Also, women who are divorced are more concerned about saving, unlike their single younger sisters.
The one thing uniting them was how they managed their household family money. When asked whether they shared a joint account with their husbands, majority said 'No'. Interesting enough, they admitted that household shopping was also done by men.
But all the budgeting, spending and shopping must make one tired. So how can a diva relax? Simple: turn on the radio or TV.
The survey also gaged womens media consumption. While the upper and middle income said they listened more to Sheger FM, the overwhelming number of lower income earners – 88pc – chose Radio Fana 98.1. English stations and foreign music were almost exclusively a higher income affair. Afro FM seems to serve this segment well.
Compared to radio – with a big audience in public vehicles – TV is overwhelmingly a house-event: 88pc said they watched it at home (with the latest copy of Kumneger magazine or Kalkidan magazines close by). Movies and music kept the young watching their screens, while those aged 30 and above said they preferred to watch news and drama.
A stand-out finding was the popularity of the presenter Sew le Sew with women aged 24 and above, especially in the mass market. The higher income group prefers Gemena, but agrees with their lower income group on one thing: there needs to be more cooking shows and religious programs on TV.
Also the study revealed some truths towards sex and contraceptives. The big revelation here was a more conservative and religious attitude by the ladies of lower income. They admitted to a lower use of contraceptives and disapproved of multiple partners.
When asked what they valued most in a man, they all agreed that an open-minded and an honest man win. For marriage, it also helped if he was helpful around the house.
The respondents also admitted to a number of things that caused them worry. The two most mentioned were ill health and death. The world would definitely agree with them on that. But a positive surprise was the fear of not achieving anything significant in life. No doubt reflecting the underlying belief in the need to make a positive change in people's lives.
Overall, the report presents a detailed look into the individual and social lives of the Ethiopian women. Regardless of the differences between the women of different ages and income levels, it found that they have much in common. Their positive attitudes to life, family and even nature gives them the assurance to face the future. No wonder they're so optimistic.
Source: 251 Communications
