We also pooled our experiences working on COVID-19 globally across Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action, and the Â鶹ԼÅÄ World Service. Our health advisors used these insights to develop  and who suddenly had to become experts on COVID-19 and Lifeline communication.

And, across ten states in Nigeria, we trained and mentored 130 journalists and producers on how to responsibly communicate in a public health emergency. “I learnt to be able to generate ideas that are relevant to the moment,” reported one trainee. “I learnt the value of data, timely data, consistent data, and correct data. I learnt there is value in getting correct data.”

What is more, we did all of this whilst most of Nigeria was under lockdown. Curfews were being imposed; many were suffering from an immediate loss of income and people wanted to know where and how to receive aid.

More worryingly, misinformation and disinformation were and are still rife – our current research has shown that 55% of people still believe in one or more myths about COVID-19.

Reaching millions at a time of critical need

Following audience research conducted in December 2020, we estimated that our radio programming reached 40.6 million Nigerians, or 35% of the population, during a time of critical need. Three in five (61%) Mu Tattau Na listeners and half (49%) of Talk Your Own listeners told researchers that they did change their actions as a result of listening.

In Kaduna, a man who listens to Mu Tattau Na told us “…listeners know how the program played a vital role in creating awareness… this is what you are supposed to do before you go out, how you wear the face mask, how to wash your hands and how to practice social distancing. Again, when you have a symptom of fever, what you are expected to do”.

Another woman, also from Kaduna, told researchers “they confirm information before they air it. Also, they are sourcing the information from Â鶹ԼÅÄ and honestly Â鶹ԼÅÄ doesn’t tell lies”.

Media at scale in a pandemic

Seeing our hard work pay off and make a difference to our audiences has given us a burst of energy to drive forward into 2021 – it feels good to know those late nights and our coordinated efforts have contributed to saving lives.

But we also know that great challenges are still before us. Nigerians are experiencing fatigue with the pandemic, and are less likely to take precautions to protect themselves. This is a serious concern given that, at the time of writing, the number of daily cases is around 2,000. At the peak of the first wave, the number of cases did not exceed 900.

Misinformation and disinformation persist around the pandemic. Our research shows that 25% believe that COVID-19 is a plot to divert public money and, perhaps even more alarmingly, 16% do not believe COVID-19 is real. What is more, we also know – from research and from our own work in childhood immunisation in the north of the country - that Nigerians have mixed feelings about vaccine uptake. Research conducted by SB Intel in Nigeria reported that 40% of Nigerians would not accept a COVID-19 vaccine if given the option. With the mass roll-out of vaccines scheduled for Nigeria later in 2021, I worry that even if vaccines are made available to Nigerians, this misinformation and hesitancy will hamper the country’s ability to curb the pandemic.

With news about the vaccine everywhere, Nigerians are already forming opinions and sharing their views with others. We cannot afford to wait – our work must continue to inspire people to carry on with preventative actions, while getting in front of this challenge to ensure success in vaccine uptake. As Africa’s most populous country, and its largest economy, the health and success of the entire continent depends upon it.

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Kaleem Khan is Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action's Country Director in Nigeria

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office support our national radio projects - Talk Your Own in Pidgin and Mu Tattau Na in Hausa. Learn more about the projects here.

A young inter-faith couple falling in love and marrying despite their parents’ concerns, an adopted daughter on a mission to discover her biological family, a journalist and filmmaker tackling fake news, and a family-run tea shop that has faced fires, economic meltdowns and now the COVID-19 pandemic – and through many other twists, turns, trials and tribulations, The Tea Cup Diaries has it all.

Since its launch in 2015, the show has reached millions of listeners across Myanmar – promoting understanding, openness, and respect for people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. Now in its eighth series, the show continues to touch the hearts of audiences with relatable characters who reflect the country’s rich ethnic and cultural diversity, and entertaining storylines that provide a window into the different lives, experiences and beliefs of its communities. In the process, it’s garnered a following of dedicated fans – like this group of weavers from remote Kachin state, who we featured back in 2016.

The Tea Cup Diaries is unique in its timely reflection of real-life events woven into the drama’s plotlines, and the impact of COVID-19 is no exception. Our team behind the show was quick to adapt to the upheaval – from setting up home recording studios, to introducing new storylines reflecting how different characters are dealing with the pandemic.

With the tea shop in the drama shut due to COVID-19, the characters are struggling to adapt and missing each other. Listeners follow them as they learn ways to keep themselves safe, asking each other: What are the rules? How do we keep our families safe? Are we allowed to go outside? Is there a vaccine and can local herbs cure us?

We’ve been following up each recent episode with a magazine-style programme in which we interview doctors, religious and community leaders, actors, celebrities and members of the public who have been quarantined or diagnosed with COVID-19. We talk about how their lives have changed during the pandemic – sharing diverse perspectives and fostering a sense of ‘we’re all in this together,’ regardless of ethnic or religious differences.

Since the beginning, we’ve used in-depth research to understand our audiences, explore their engagement with key communication objectives, and adjust content accordingly. The most recent findings from a panel study found that audiences were delighted to hear The Tea Cup Diaries continue to broadcast despite movement restrictions. Listeners reported learning about the ‘dos and don’ts’ of managing risks related to COVID-19 and enjoyed hearing how their favourite characters were dealing with these challenges:

 “Everything is included – such as washing hands, avoiding crowds and gatherings and talking from at least six feet away” – Female, 29, Ayeyarwady

“We should respect and follow [COVID-19 advice], as it is happening all over the world. We should not be neglectful and forget. [The show] is presenting according to what is practically happening outside – it is more complete and meaningful as they warn us with storylines and drama” – Male, 58, Bago

As access to the internet expands rapidly in Myanmar, and brings with it a burgeoning population of young Facebook users, we’ve also cultivated our own digital Tea Cup Diaries community. Almost 1 million people now follow – where we bring the themes of the show and the country’s diverse culture to life even more vividly through engaging daily video and social content. At the same time, we’ve worked to improve our followers’ digital literacy to help them navigate fake news and mis- and dis-information – all of which threaten to sow further division in the country.

Five years of The Tea Cup Diaries is a truly wonderful milestone and reflects an amazing creative journey with so many talented people who have produced and supported the show over the years. We are grateful for our loyal audience who have laughed, loved, learned new things, and travelled with us to understand more about Myanmar and, of course, each other.

We are all hugely proud of what the show has achieved and look forward to what the next 5 years (hopefully!) have in store. But, for now, it’s time to celebrate and raise a glass of – you guessed it – tea!

--

The Tea Cup Diaries is broadcast nationally on MRTV and Myanmar Radio, and is currently funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). Previous funders are USAID, DFID and DAI.

“He (the driver) declined saying he didn’t want to take a wheelchair and I discovered that about five or six taxis were not going to take me… I waited for about two hours… it's the kind of thing that an average person with disability faces in our society”.

These are the words of Dr Toyin Aderemi, a disability activist and researcher who was left unable to walk after contracting polio in childhood. Toyin shared her personal experience of discrimination on our radio programme, .

The World Health Organization estimates that there are . Unfortunately, stories like Toyin’s are widespread – with abuse, exclusion, and discrimination a daily reality for people with disabilities in Nigeria. And sadly this goes for the electoral process too. Disabled people are often excluded from elections – both as voters and as candidates – to the point where many have become disenfranchised, resulting in little or no representation within government.

Dialogue, tolerance and peace

Our longstanding weekly radio show, Talk Your Own, airs on 160 radio stations across Nigeria and helps people – particularly from marginalised groups – to make their voices heard, draw attention to their rights, and become more involved in political processes. Our programmes regularly feature people with disabilities talking about their expectations of an inclusive voting process and holding leaders to account, which is particularly important in the lead-up to our general elections this weekend.

The show has helped me to realise how ignorant I have been in the past when it comes to inclusivity.

For instance in the run-up to Nigeria’s last general elections in 2015, I worked as an Assistant Producer facilitating the recording of our ‘town hall’ meetings for radio broadcast. My job was to walk the floor with a microphone so the audience could ask questions of local leaders and politicians. In these meetings, I would hear people murmuring about the demands made by disabled people, such as requests for brail ballot papers, magnifying glasses, and accessible polling booths. I would occasionally catch myself wondering why they were asking for things which seemed so impossible to achieve. But I’m glad to say our work has helped me to know better.

Changing minds, changing lives

Hearing more and more from people with disabilities has helped me and our millions of listeners across the country gain a deeper understanding of why these demands are so important. It’s been a privilege providing them with a platform from which to speak, and in many episodes of Talk Your Own they have been able to extract commitments from leaders and policy makers to which they can be held accountable.

The good news is that these demands are being heard and acted upon!

On 9th January, the electoral body in Nigeria released guidelines for the conduct of the 2019 elections, and in a breakthrough these guidelines include the provision of brail guides and magnifying glasses, as well as priority voting for people with disabilities. And the icing on the cake? On January 23rd the President which prohibits discrimination against disabled people.

Both of these moments are just a small milestone in the bigger journey towards a completely inclusive Nigeria. But for me, as a member of the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action Nigeria radio team, now more than ever it strengthens my resolve that making inclusive radio programmes will lead to a better society for all.

-- 

Michael Ashofor is a Producer for Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action Nigeria, based in Abuja.

Our weekly radio shows Talk Your Own and its sister show (in Hausa language) Mu Tattauna reach 19.7 million and 11 million people across Nigeria respectively, regularly featuring the voices and stories of people with disabilities.

For more information about our elections work in Nigeria, click here.

Our radio drama Life in Lulu which depicts the lives and trials of people living in a small village in South Sudan and its regular listeners include inmates at Tonj prison. Henning Goransson Sandberg, our Research Manager, talks about his visit there to understand what they took from the programme.

The prison sits on a main road, overlooking the river that flows past the city of Tonj, in central South Sudan. The doors are open to the street, and the only guard at the entrance takes a cursory look through my bag as I walk past his desk on my way in. The courtyard, where most of the prisoners spend the day looking after cows, farming or cooking food, is patrolled by guards and surrounded by a low wall.

I meet the prison director who shows us around and tells me why the prisoners are there; their crimes range from fraud, shoplifting and petty theft to rape, assault and murder. The most serious offenders have their feet chained together, he tells me.

I am here to speak to inmates who have taken part in radio listening clubs facilitated by presenters from Döör FM, the local radio station. They have been discussing Life in Lulu, Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action’s radio drama about the residents of a small village. The drama, now in its fifth season, is broadcast across South Sudan and explores a number of issues including non-violent ways to resolve conflict. 

Döör FM, which means “Peace” in the Dinka language, is a private radio station broadcasting mainly religious, education and public information programmes in the local dialect. The station started the listening clubs around a year ago and has since staged discussions about forgiveness, peaceful conflict resolution, the dangers of weapons in civilian hands and the dangers posed by mines and other explosives. By showing its characters making poor decisions when they are angry or drunk, Life in Lulu highlights the dangers of owning and using weapons.

Most prisoners had not heard the programme before starting their sentences, mainly because they had no access to a radio. But for the past six months they had listened weekly and discussed the show when the Döör FM presenters came to visit. The storylines seemed to resonate with them.

Achol has served two years of an indeterminate sentence for a gun-related crime. "All the problems that exist in this community occur because of guns," he said. "If you don’t have gun according to the perception we have here is that you are not a man and you don’t deserve the respect that men in the society enjoy."

He is passionate when he speaks of Life in Lulu and what he has learned. He told me that since his arrest, he had changed his mind about gun ownership. "I came to realise that guns should not be handled by civilians," even claiming, "After I’m released I will never touch any gun again … I will tell people about what I have learnt about guns in the prison and I will advise them to surrender their guns to the government so that we can remain as civilians."

Our research has shown that Life in Lulu has been successful in targeting beliefs and norms around weapons, in particular the belief that they symbolise masculinity and command respect.

Discussing the programme with others is important – as it increases the influence of the programme beyond its immediate listeners.

Talking to the prisoners I was struck by how closely the stories in Life in Lulu resembled their experiences. Deng, another prisoner, spoke about the storyline related to a revenge attack after a cattle raid in Lulu in which one person in the neighbouring community was killed:

"If they were to follow the legal procedure I think they wouldn’t have killed that person just because of one cow," he said. "The government would have apprehended him and put him in prison and the problem would have been resolved amicably. That is why I am in the prison here now, because I failed to follow the legal way of demanding my right, rather than commit a revenge attack."

Deng later told us he thinks the programme has influenced how he handles conflict, "I have totally changed from the way I used to do my thing in the past, after listening to Life in Lulu. Now if I have a problem then I will sit with people and negotiate until we reach a peaceful resolution."

--

The prisoner’s testimony was gathered as part of a research study and all names have been changed.

Life in Lulu is currently starting its fifth season. The programme is broadcast nationwide in South Sudan in three different languages, Juba Arabic, Dinka and Nuer. The programme is funded by the Norwegian Embassy in South Sudan.

“My husband was killed in Myanmar, and I had to flee with my children, leaving everything behind. I didn’t know where I am going. But, after coming to this camp I am living a much better life.” Rohingya widow, Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh.

In late January I visited the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar to find out how the community gets its information and the media they preferred – to inform the humanitarian programmes we’re supporting local broadcasters to make in response to the emergency.

It was my first visit and I had mixed feelings – empowered at being part of this huge emergency response, yet not ready to confront the brutal reality of what so many people had faced.

While designing any research we always map the ethical considerations before we go to the field. I was hesitant to ask people to relive difficult experiences, and very conscious that Rohingya people are managing extreme trauma.

However, whilst people were distressed I felt the interviews acted as a catharsis for them as they talked about their past and expressed their fears about what the future held.

Many aid agencies around the world are responding to this unprecedented humanitarian crisis after more than 670,000 Rohingya people fled into Bangladesh last year. However, the illiteracy rate is high, so people living in the camps are often not aware they’re entitled to relief or how to access the services available.

This is where Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action comes in.

Since October 2017 we’ve been supporting local partners in the local dialect - which is, largely, understood by Rohingya people in the camps and the host communities in Cox’s Bazar.

But, we wanted to do more to reach the affected communities.

So, through focus groups we explored how people are able to access information. It was fascinating.

We discovered the Rohingya people in the camps get information via word of mouth from “Majhis”, selected leaders who, in turn, acquire information from aid workers. Religious leaders are also a trusted authority.

The majority of Rohingya are Muslims. Women tend to leave the home only if they have something important to do – and they cover themselves up while outside. “We pray during our breaks and talk to our neighbours, that is our only entertainment,” as one woman told me.

It means that many women rely on the men in their family for information – and those without male relatives (such as the large number of women who were widowed before leaving Myanmar) find it even harder to find out what is going on.

Most women have no access to mobile phones and even men, who own a phone struggle to recharge them because there is little electricity in the camps.

In other humanitarian emergencies, such as in and Darfur, our listener groups have helped vulnerable people – such as women and children – to get information and support each other. 

But here, whilst some women feel able to come to the listening group, others only attend if they are women-led, women-only groups and held inside homes or shelters.

Face-to-face communication

These research insights are being used to shape our communication plans – radio programmes, podcasts, vital face-to-face information at community hubs as well as sharing our content for the door-to-door communication carried out by UNICEF and other partners. And, we now know that making content aimed at women, as well as training and providing this content to information workers at the places that women (and children) are able to visit - is key.

But to continue making effective programming for displaced people and host communities (many of whom told us of their concerns about losing land, trees and other assets), there is still more we need to understand. For example, how we can work with the local and religious leaders to disseminate information using their networks. Likewise, we need to find a way to disseminate our media content further in the areas with scarce electricity. And, we need to continue to find ways to connect, support and inform female-led families and other vulnerable groups.

Without a doubt this is complex humanitarian emergency – where information is aid – so we continue to strive to reach those most affected with vital and life-saving information.

Aniqa Hossain is a Research Officer in Bangladesh

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With our support, Bangladesh’s state broadcaster and Radio Naf have now broadcast over 100 episodes of the radio programme Beggunar Lai (For Everyone), with our support Radio Naf is now producing Shishur Hashi (Children’s Smile) a programme aimed at children. A monthly programme called Betar Sanglap (Radio Dialogue) - aired by the state broadcaster – is offering a space for the local Bangladeshi communities affected by the emergency to ask questions and share their views with local officials and aid providers.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action’s work within the Rohingya emergency response is funded by Global Affairs Canada, the UK Department for International Development and UNICEF; and is delivered in partnership with Action Against Hunger and IOM.

The show aims to stop people thinking of malaria as ‘normal’ and actively encourage mothers and fathers to become determined to end malaria in their homes and communities. And we’re determined to reach and engage pregnant women – who are particularly at risk - with every episode.

Our research tells us people regularly consult their social network when taking health decisions; women tend to consult a trusted older woman, their partner or a friend, whilst men tend to consult friends or traditional healers. So we need to reach these influential people too.

We know media has great power to deliver health messages – but beyond that we’ve learnt the importance of dialogue in helping to change attitudes and behavior. So, we’re sharing people’s stories and experiences on radio and social media, and inviting the audience to have their say.

As we join many others around world today in the battle against malaria we are more determined than ever about beating the disease in Sierra Leone.

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Eastina Massaquoi is a presenter for Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action in Sierra Leone
is supported by a Comic Relief and GSK Partnership

For more about our response to the 2014-2016 Ebola crisis:

• - our Ebola radio show’s incredible bi-weekly journey across Sierra Leone

The scale of the humanitarian crisis is visible on the road winding away from Cox's Bazar long before you reach the camps.

Empty aid trucks head back to town as the landscape shifts from palm trees to rice fields and then hillsides full of shacks with orange and blue plastic sheeting for roofs.

These camps are who have fled violence in Myanmar - with more than 600,000 arriving since August 2017. That's more than the population of Sheffield.

There is no disguising that it's a major emergency and getting bigger and more complicated. It is predicted that will be born into these conditions where poor sanitation increases the risk that deadly diseases will spread quickly. People are traumatised: they have left behind their homes and livelihoods and witnessed unspeakable violence. Many are now at risk of exploitation by criminals.

In a situation like this, access to information is as important as food, water and shelter - it saves lives. And we are there, supporting our local radio station to produce providing vital information to Rohingya people on how to survive, cope and recover.

Beggunor Lai (For Everyone) is broadcast locally on Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh's state broadcaster and Radio Naf, a community radio station. With our support, Radio Naf also produces Shishur Hashi (Children) a programme aimed at children, who make up more than half of those displaced from Myanmar.

I visited Cox's Bazar to see first-hand how we're delivering this life-saving work and the impact it is having. People gathered around a wind-up radio in one of the day centres set up in the camp - a makeshift structure with a corrugated iron roof - and it was clear that . I also met our team and local broadcasters who all felt proud and enthusiastic to be producing programmes that are making life bearable for people in desperate need.

Programmes have given advice on getting vaccinated against cholera and , finding clean water, nutrition and keeping children and other vulnerable people safe. As cyclone season approached, the shows explained how to strengthen temporary shelters in preparation for storms.

And they give Rohingya people a voice through phone-ins and vox pops - vital for mental well-being.

The programmes - funded by Unicef - are broadcast in the local Chittagong dialect that the Rohingya people can understand. And we are working with a range of partners to set up listening groups, like the one I saw, because few people have radios of their own.

There are serious problems in store unless more land becomes available to build secure shelters before the monsoon season starts in April. The hillside camps are at risk of serious mudslides, and disease will spread if floods pollute water points.

And the next stage - with a new tranche of UN funding - involves us working with and to strengthen the two-way communication between people affected by the crisis and aid providers so that Rohingya people can help shape the services and information that they receive.

I have never come across a crisis where communication is recognised as such an integral part of the humanitarian response - thanks in large part to our work in Bangladesh over many years to help prepare for natural disasters. The work is impressive - but there is much more to be done.

It’s not surprising to hear people in the media talk defiantly about their responsibility to stay on air during a crisis. What is striking is how many women in the media are leading the charge. Fatima is the north east’s first and only female station manager. She was appointed in 2015, after studying mass communication and climbing the ranks of Borno Radio Television Corporation (BRTV) – the state’s broadcaster. Today, women are producing and presenting some of Peace FM’s most popular health, politics and current affairs programmes. “I give female employees lots of extra opportunities so they feel motivated”, she explains. “If we are invited for training, two out of every three participants sent from Peace FM will be women”. For a change, we heard male employees grumbling about equal opportunities.

As we make our way around other stations in Maiduguri, we encounter the same boldness and vibrancy amongst the female production staff. At Lafia Dole, the community station down the road, Abigail Henry is the Head of News. Her reason for working in the media is simple, even if being a female boss isn’t. “I have a flair for going out and finding out what’s going on in my community. But sometimes people don’t want to do what you ask of them. If you send reporters out to gather news you have to beg, you have to continue asking them to do things.”

Elizabeth Ameh is a reporter for the University of Maiduguri’s campus radio. She was gathering vox pops outside on the day we visited her station. “I am not afraid for now because of the level of peace that has been sustained. Honestly, I don’t have that fear anymore. I can go out and interview people, get information…I’ve been doing that, and I’ll continue.”

It’s true that women continue to face huge challenges in Northern Nigeria. And they’ve been particularly vulnerable in the Boko Haram conflict – subjected to violence and rape and accounting for the highest numbers of displaced people. But just like many places at the centre of conflict or disaster, the richness and complexity of people’s lives often gets lost. Fatima and a lot of the women we spoke to are determined to change that. “We won’t want people telling our stories for us. We have to do this on our own.”

Real role models

Our most recent episode focused on crime, gang violence and abuse against women.

In the first part of the show, we interviewed a reformed gang leader called ‘ICE’, who talked openly to us about his old life and why he gave up violence to work with The Anti-Violence Movement in Sierra Leone (AVMSL). He encourages young people to build a peaceful life that is beneficial to their community rather than starting a life of crime.

''There is no pension in crime'' said ICE. "It's never too late to transform to a positive life.''

In the sports segment of our show, Kung Fu expert Ezekiel Bangura teaches our presenter, Maraya Conteh, some new moves which could be used to ward off attackers.

“I was surprised to learn the Kung Fu is a game of discipline” Maraya says breathlessly after recording the training. “There are misconceptions that this sport is violent, but it is all about self-defence and peace.”

And in our discussion segment, representatives from the police department highlighted the serious consequences of having a criminal record – and the dangerous effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

Media has played a role in perpetuating negative stereotypes for young people here but we know it also has a significant role to play in changing them. By highlighting young role models and real stories in Dis Na Wi Voice – we hope to inspire young people to create positive change for themselves, their families and for everyone in Sierra Leone.

Dis Na Wi Voice is produced as part of the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme, funded by Comic Relief and produced by Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action. We are not funded by the Â鶹ԼÅÄ licence fee and depend on the generous support of donors. Help our work.

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(Airport District) has all the hallmarks of a classic soap opera; romance, personal ambition and revenge. “It’s about love and war, it’s about leaving or staying, it’s a question of life,” says the drama’s executive editor, Hozan Akko.

Each episode is scripted by a team of Syrian writers and touches on a different issue relevant to life in Syria today; the ongoing civil war, domestic violence, education and migration – to name a few.

“Syria’s conflict has divided neighbourhoods, gone through the centre of families, destroyed friendships, pitted neighbour against neighbour…the whole fabric of society has been shredded,” says Lyse Doucet, the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s Chief International Correspondent, who has reported extensively on the conflict.

Fuelling this division is a media that supports one side or the other.

That’s where drama can have an impact. It has a unique power to get people thinking and talking about their differences and what unites them.

The writers have a variety of political points of view so their characters and stories help listeners break the stereotypical view they might have about people with different beliefs.

Hay el Matar has been on air - and online - since last September and listeners told us they found it positive and humanising - portraying how Syrian people come together in times of need. Many focused on the character Nidal who offers assistance to a displaced family, saying this reflects the helpful nature of the Syrian people, and that “every house has a Nidal.”

The power of drama to change attitudes and help people take action is well established in the UK. For many years soap operas have been bringing important social issues into our homes. From the reality of living with HIV on EastEnders to the fight for trans rights on Coronation Street.

Just last year The Archers explored emotional abuse in relationships with Rob’s treatment of Helen. The story had such an impact that the National Domestic Abuse Helpline saw a 20% increase in calls, largely attributed to the 'Archers' effect'.

At Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action we’ve recognised the importance of drama as a tool to aid social change in developing countries since our early days.

In Afghanistan our radio drama New Â鶹ԼÅÄ, New Life - sometimes known as the Afghan Archers - began in 1994 and continued uninterrupted through the war, tackling issues like child health and education as well as mine awareness and the Taliban’s restrictions on women. A rapid decline in land mine injuries is just one example of the impact directly attributed to the programme.

In Nigeria, our radio soap Story Story highlights the effects of corruption or a lack of government accountability on ordinary people. And it’s incredibly popular - reaching an audience of over 13 million. Our research shows that more than half of listeners said the drama made them think differently about some of the issues featured.

Drama works because we can relate to characters on all sides as we follow them through, often difficult, storylines. Sometimes the characters change their minds - and sometimes we change ours with them. For Syria, as we’ve seen in other conflicts, greater understanding is the vital first step towards a lasting peace.

Hay El-Matar is produced in partnership with Batoota Films and broadcast on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Arabic in Lebanon on 93.6 FM and in Syria on 720 MW. It is also available to listen in Arabic on the programme and .

We are not funded by the Â鶹ԼÅÄ licence fee and depend on the generous support of donors. Help our work.

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Â鶹ԼÅÄwork vs housework

Stella’s story is a common one. Many people in South Sudan believe a girl should be doing housework, not homework. Whole communities of girls are prevented from getting an education for fear that they will lose respect for time-old traditions that place women firmly in the home.

Stella had wanted to sneak into school with the boys from her village but the prospect was daunting, “We didn’t know people in town and were scared that we’d get lost on the way,” she says.

Her father finally relented once convinced of the future economic benefits of educating his daughters.

“My father only gave my sisters and I permission to go to school when he realised the benefits school had on my brother,” she says.

“My brother… has bought many cows for my father…paying for him to travel between the village and town by car whenever he wants.”

Like Stella’s father, Lopeyok a father and community elder changed his mind about school being a ‘dangerous place’ for girls.

“Now I have realised that the school is good for girls, I am ready to pay for my daughter’s school fees” he tells Tina. “If they ask me anything for school I have cows that I will sell for my children to study.”

I want to be a doctor

Despite starting school relatively late, Stella is working hard to achieve her dreams.

“It won’t take me long to finish my school” she says defiantly. “I want to be a doctor to serve…my community.” She’s aware of how different things could have been: “If I had remained in the village up until now, I would already be married, have many children – and be working on the land.”

I hope her story is an inspiration for all our listeners - girls, parents and community leaders. The more that fathers realise that educating their daughters is beneficial for their family, community and country, the more that girls will realise their potential.

Our School – funded by DFID through the Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) project – is produced by a team of local producers and broadcasts in nine languages.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action isn't funded by the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s licence fee and depends on the generous support of donors. Help our work.

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Collaborating and rebuilding

In Nepal, people help each other with work in the fields and construction, as well as during religious and social events, but building houses was something the residents of Taruka had not done for some time.

“We used to do arma-parma (community coming together to help each other) for building houses as well. From building the walls and the roof to carrying water, everything got done as a community, but we forgot about it over time,” said Rudra Prasad Dhakal after listening to the drama.

But listeners said that the drama had reminded them that it was still possible.

“It used to be a good way of sharing work in the olden days. You could ask neighbours to help you and offer to pay them with a meal and everyone would come out and help,” said an elderly woman who identified herself as Ambika. She said she had been living in a tin shelter with her husband since the earthquakes.

“It is actually going to be cheaper to do with the help of villagers, instead of bringing people from outside,” added another listener, Radha Shrestha.

Everyday realities in Nepal

Since the earthquake, most people have been living in temporary shelters in the villages so information about reconstruction is seen as valuable by those affected.

KathaMaala is now in its second series and has evolved to address the changing information needs of the audience. The first series followed the narrator, Maala, as she went from door to door selling milk. Her stories helped people see how they might cope better in the aftermath of earthquake. In the new series she has trained as a mason to rebuild homes in her village, becoming one of the first women in the country to take on a job that has been traditionally assigned to men. During a pilot episode, listeners said that Maala’s role was inspiring to men and served as a role model for women.

Daily life in Nepal has been difficult since the earthquake for people living in the worst-affected areas. The rural population depends greatly on radio as their source of information, and providing practical advice through radio drama is one of the most effective ways of communication.

KathaMaala is produced with support from and is broadcast on Radio Nepal at 8:15 am 12:15 pm, 6:15pm on Sundays, and at various times on 58 community radio stations across Nepal.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action does not receive funding from the Â鶹ԼÅÄ licence fee and depends on the generous support of donors.

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Radio is seen as decidedly “old” technology. Iraqis prefer social media and satellite television. But for Ahmed and many others, this is now a lifeline. So much so that the first thing he did when his father visited him was to borrow his phone and call Radio Nawa.

UNHCR calculates about 160,000 people were recently displaced in northern Iraq. This brings the total number of displaced since IS arrived to three million people. Not all are in camps. Even so the vast majority face problems with the basics of civil life; such as how to sit exams when you are registered in another province or how to get your pension when far away from your assigned pension office.

Phoning in

With Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action’s support, Radio Nawa produces a daily two-hour programme where people can phone in, raise their issues and seek an answer from one of the officials invited to join the show.

It’s not just about venting. For people in need it’s about trying to find solutions and link up the dots: families stranded in an isolated spot near the front line and in desperate need of aid, a woman from the camp in need of an urgent operation, a boy who wanted to sit his exams but was not allowed to leave the camp. The calls have prompted provincial officials to respond, many times successfully. The stranded families got help, the woman had her operation and the boy sat his exams. They all phoned back to thank Radio Nawa, including the officials themselves.

In theory, when compared to the Syrian refugee crisis, the situation in Iraq should be simpler to resolve. After all, the majority of Iraqis who fled IS are displaced within their own country. Iraq is not poor and there is a ministry that deals with migration and displacement. But the status of internally displaced people is a political hot potato.

One of the people the team from Nawa talks to when they visit the camps says his house is a kilometre away, but he’s not been allowed to return. He is not quite sure of the reasons. It’s a complicated story in keeping with a complex situation - one in which many factors come into play, including Iraq's sectarian divide and a long-standing territorial dispute between Kurds and Arabs. When IS first came to the region locals often said they were more afraid of government security forces than of IS.

Lifeline radio

A month after distributing the radios, Nawa’s team holds the first “information clinic” in the camp, bringing with them officials and microphones. It's especially valuable for those without phones and unable to make contact any other way.

It is overwhelming listening to them.

There are countless satellite TV channels in Iraq – mobile phone use is extensive and Facebook for mobile is probably the most prolific means of getting information and keeping in touch.

Yet as this latest twist in Iraq’s long and difficult journey from dictatorship and international sanctions to a shaky democracy shows, radio is once again a lifeline.

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action began working in Iraq in 2004, setting up and assisting local radio to give the community a voice and hold officials to account. 

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As we step into the front yard of a straw-roofed house – one of many in the village – we’re welcomed with a Namaste by Sita Poudel, a farmer and housewife. When Bhawana introduces herself as presenter of Milijuli Nepali, Sita excitedly invites her neighbours to meet her. The women in the village are fans of the show, and say Bhawana’s motivational conversations about reconstruction have inspired them to get through their more difficult days.

“I remember the episode where you interviewed a group of female builders. Skills you learn are always your own!” says Sita, smiling. “I love that your programme motivates women to learn new skills.”

Sita lives in what remains of her house after the 2015 earthquakes. The first floor was destroyed and the ground floor, with its partially cracked walls, is now the place where the family cooks and sleeps. Others in the village were forced into similar arrangements; while many continue to live in makeshift tin huts that were built after their houses collapsed.

As the reconstruction slowly gets underway, Sita’s neighbours say they are grateful for information about safe and sustainable construction that they heard on Milijuli Nepali.

Nearby in the village of Raatmate, we speak to Kanchi Rai, a member of the Danuwar community who have their own language and are often marginalised in Nepali society.

Kanchi tells us that, as a Danuwar, she faces cultural and language barriers in her quest for information about post-earthquake reconstruction. She said she would like Milijuli Nepali to explain how she can access Nepal’s government reconstruction fund.

We’re now planning to include this information in future episodes. Nepal’s government has committed to provide 300,000 NPR (about 2,260 GPB), to people who are rebuilding their houses damaged by the earthquakes. Broadcasting simple, clear information about what government help is available and how to access it can be life-changing, and helps makes the government more accountable for its promises.

As we wrapped-up our Nuwakot visit, Bhawana tells us that going to the villages to seek feedback from listeners helps her appreciate the impact of the programme – as well as research new ways to help her audience. “As a presenter, I feel inspired when I hear that people have done things differently because of our show. That’s when I feel like my work has paid off,” she says with a wide smile.

Milijuli Nepali is produced with support from USAID. Â鶹ԼÅÄ Media Action doesn’t receive any funding from the Â鶹ԼÅÄ’s licence fee and depends on the generous support of donors. .

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