Where play, culture and learning come together
Nu Chika Enabuka means “Come, let’s play with clay” in Amharic. Our story began at the home of artists Yoseph and Hamere, where their two daughters grew up playing outdoors, tending vegetables, caring for chickens and making art. Neighborhood children soon joined them. Inspired by that shared joy, the founders opened their home for after-school activities and later organized a summer camp at their daughters’ school. Today, our artists, educators and volunteers bring children and families together through hands-on art, Ethiopian cultural traditions and nature-inspired play. From our roots in Ethiopia to our work in Maryland and Greater Seattle, we create opportunities to learn, connect and make something together.
What guides our work
Learning Through Play
Children learn by exploring, imagining and creating with their hands. Our activities make room for curiosity, experimentation and the joy of discovery.
Community & Belonging
Families, artists, educators and volunteers create and learn together. We welcome people of all backgrounds and abilities and invite conversations about participation needs.
Culture & Connection
We share Ethiopian traditions through art, stories, crafts and games, while welcoming the experiences and creativity of every family.
Creativity & Innovation
From clay and paint to books and children’s media, we explore different ways to make learning engaging, imaginative and meaningful.
Nature & Discovery
Time outdoors helps children connect with the world around them. Nature-inspired play encourages observation, curiosity and care for living things.
The people who started it all
Hamere Mulugeta
Vibrant visual artist, musician, potter, graphic designer, educator and entrepreneur.
Yoseph Weldeamanuel
Visual artist, sculptor, potter, children’s book writer and illustrator, kids TV show producer and host, and entrepreneur.
Artists, educators and volunteers, creating together
Our journey through play, culture and creativity
- Between 2021 and 2025, we hosted three family festivals with more than 70,000 attendees. Children and parents explored traditional games, shared cultural experiences and enjoyed music, dance and circus performances together.
- In 2023, we began sharing Ethiopian childhood experiences internationally, starting in Dubai and extending to communities in the USA. Our USA work includes Maryland and Greater Seattle, with creative workshops, cultural activities and opportunities to plan community and recreation programs. We are exploring partnerships to bring these experiences to more USA communities.
- Our play, culture and art center in Addis Ababa gives children and parents a place to create, explore and learn together. In 2020, we received the ChewataCon Award for Best Playful Space of the Year, organized by the German Cultural Center. In 2021, we received the Healthy and Clean Food Provider Award in a global competition organized by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
- In collaboration with Canal+, we produced 100 programs in Amharic and Afaan Oromo to help children learn the alphabet. Our children’s television program ArtAmba on DStv explores creativity, art and recycling and has reached hundreds of thousands of viewers.
- Bira & Biro is a multilingual learning platform for children ages 3–8. It connects digital learning with hands-on activities, creativity, culture and real-world exploration. The project is being developed with support from the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship and Reach for Change to help children learn through play, on and beyond the screen.