Media & Journalism
About nine years of experience in radio, television and print, including editorial, presentation and column-writing responsibilities in Harari and Amharic media.
Elias Tesfaye — Shagiz Adonay
Shagiz Adonay is the pen name and public identity used by Elias Tesfaye on social media and creative platforms.
Professional profile
Elias Tesfaye, widely known as Shagiz, is a journalist, cultural consultant, creative practitioner and youth leader focused on Harari heritage, media, arts, research and youth development. His work connects historical documentation and cultural knowledge with contemporary communication, creative production and community development.
His professional experience includes radio, television and print media; cultural and heritage consultation; scriptwriting, directing, acting and musical composition; organizational development; youth mentorship; research and documentation; and digital archive initiatives.
Cultural Advocacy
Work focused on Harari history, manuscript recovery, traditional arts, heritage documentation and public cultural education.
Creative Arts
Experience in scriptwriting, directing, acting, musical composition and multimedia storytelling.
Youth Leadership
Founder/manager of Harari Youth Development Association and mentor of young people in arts, history and practical creative skills.
Major contributions
- Founder/manager of Harari Youth Development Association (HYDA).
- Founder/manager of Ardale Multimedia and related digital archive initiatives.
- Author of Ili Wa Limi and Gey Feqer.
- Documented and supported recovery of historic Harari manuscripts.
- Contributed to revival and documentation of traditional arts including Welkibab and Shemedin.
- Worked on theatre and musical productions related to Adwa, Sheikh Abadir and Emir Nur.
- Contributor/actor in the film HAIRAT.
Harari Youth Development Association (HYDA)
HYDA is a community-based non-profit organization rooted in Harar and focused on youth development, volunteerism, arts, cultural preservation and socio-economic development.
Vision
To cultivate a resilient and interconnected society where volunteerism is a pillar of progress and empowered youth draw inspiration from Harar’s history of unity and love to build a sustainable future.
Mission
- Promote volunteerism and community service.
- Build the capacity of youth-led initiatives.
- Use arts and heritage preservation for social and economic empowerment.
- Provide mentorship, ethical leadership training and resources.
- Operate with transparency, ethics and social accountability.
Core competencies
- Creative arts training
- Cultural preservation
- Environmental advocacy
- Educational support
- Resource mobilization
Organizational information
Full name: Harari Youth Development Association (HYDA)
Sector: Youth Development / Heritage & Arts / Volunteerism
Registration No: 0586/02/03
Headquarters: Harar, Ethiopia
Postal Address: P.O. Box 1459
Contact: Elias Tesfaye
Phone: +251 913 176 852
Email: hydango98@gmail.com
Governance
General Assembly, Executive Committee, specialized committees for technical/development, monitoring & evaluation, credit/finance and audit, plus an operations team.
Achievements and growth
- 72 active permanent members and 89 associate members were reported in the supplied organizational profile.
- More than 25,000 digital community followers were reported.
- Shuwal Eid street festivals were organized for five consecutive years with more than 500 youth participants annually.
- More than 200 youth were reported trained in professional arts and digital skills.
- Sub-associations such as Ameshna Youth Community and Chelanko Shehidach Association were organized.
Contact Shagiz
Phone: +251 913 176 852
Email: eliastesfaye1872@gmail.com · Shagizadonay1114@gmail.com
Location: Harar, Ethiopia