Addis Ababa: Coffee is an important part of all Ethiopians' lives.
Many people, from farmer to financier, can't start their day until they've had a cup of the black stuff.
So, one NGO has taken advantage of Ethiopia's caffeine addiction to promote family planning and safer sex.
Washington-based DKT International is a non-governmental organisation distributing mainly contraceptive products.
It came to Ethiopia in 1990 and since then has distributed around 625 million condoms.
Searching for a way to encourage Ethiopians to use condoms - it's produced the 'coffee-flavoured' condom.
Andrew Piller, DKT's Director in Ethiopia, has been doing social marketing of condoms for 20 years.
In 2007, DKT distributed up to 70 million condoms in Ethiopia. The organisation is responsible for between 60-70% of all condoms distributed in the country.
Andrew Piller says condoms are a difficult product to promote in Ethiopia due to government restrictions and resistance to condom use.
He adds that DKT came up with the idea of a coffee condom because many people complain about the smell of the contraceptive.
DKT International also conducts sex education classes, promoting the use of condoms, including its new coffee flavoured variety.
Its objective is for people, young and old, to try out the new 'gimmicky' coffee condoms, and then continue using condoms.
A company in Thailand produces DKT's un-flavoured condoms and the organisation had to try out around 20 different samples before agreeing to this one, which smells like the popular 'macchiato' drunk in Ethiopia - an espresso with cream.
Since the coffee flavoured condoms were launched in September - one and a half million have been sold and approximately 300,000 of them were bought in the first week.
Many people, from farmer to financier, can't start their day until they've had a cup of the black stuff.
So, one NGO has taken advantage of Ethiopia's caffeine addiction to promote family planning and safer sex.
Washington-based DKT International is a non-governmental organisation distributing mainly contraceptive products.
It came to Ethiopia in 1990 and since then has distributed around 625 million condoms.
Searching for a way to encourage Ethiopians to use condoms - it's produced the 'coffee-flavoured' condom.
Andrew Piller, DKT's Director in Ethiopia, has been doing social marketing of condoms for 20 years.
In 2007, DKT distributed up to 70 million condoms in Ethiopia. The organisation is responsible for between 60-70% of all condoms distributed in the country.
Andrew Piller says condoms are a difficult product to promote in Ethiopia due to government restrictions and resistance to condom use.
He adds that DKT came up with the idea of a coffee condom because many people complain about the smell of the contraceptive.
DKT International also conducts sex education classes, promoting the use of condoms, including its new coffee flavoured variety.
Its objective is for people, young and old, to try out the new 'gimmicky' coffee condoms, and then continue using condoms.
A company in Thailand produces DKT's un-flavoured condoms and the organisation had to try out around 20 different samples before agreeing to this one, which smells like the popular 'macchiato' drunk in Ethiopia - an espresso with cream.
Since the coffee flavoured condoms were launched in September - one and a half million have been sold and approximately 300,000 of them were bought in the first week.
