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BBC Media Action: using media to eradicate polio

2018-11-08T12:00:00+00:00

Once a globally feared disease, polio has largely been eradicated around the world. In Afghanistan, however, the disease is still endemic, and despite the existence of a nationwide scheme to eradicate the disease, over half a million children remain unvaccinated and at risk.

At BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity, we’ve been working with Unicef in Afghanistan to try and halt the spread of polio. We use media to inform and engage caregivers about the risks and promote vaccinations to protect those most vulnerable to the disease: children.

Before starting the project, we conducted research with our target audiences in Afghanistan – parents, caregivers and community leaders – to understand their media habits, the kind of programmes they like, and the sources they most trust. It revealed that drama is very popular in Afghanistan, that radio was the most accessed media platform in the country, and that religious leaders and health experts were trusted communicators.

As a result of the research, we produced Ghamai (meaning ‘jewel’), a weekly Pashto radio show featuring drama, special reports and interviews with health experts and others to help give people in Afghanistan the information they need to keep their families happy and healthy.

The show is broadcast on a range of local radio stations, as well as through the BBC World Service, to make the content accessible, even in remote communities.

One of the main problems leading to parents not vaccinating their children was misinformation. In our research, people spoke of rumours that vaccines are a conspiracy, that they contain harmful contents or are ineffective – in addition to general uncertainty as to whether Islam permits vaccination against the disease.

To tackle these rumours, we brought in trusted figures such as religious leaders and doctors to feature on Ghamai to address the issues head on. By ensuring the show was family-friendly, we also managed to engage people who were sceptical by encouraging discussion among family members.

We recently completed research into the impact of Ghamai, as well as research into similar polio eradication projects we run in Nigeria and Somalia, and the findings indicate that our polio-related programming has been very effective.

Our recent research shows that listeners discussed what they learned from the programme with their neighbours and local leaders, beginning to build up community trust in the vaccinators. Our results also indicate that Ghamai helped to quell harmful rumours and misconceptions, with some respondents saying that listening to the show had motivated them to vaccinate their children.

I think the success of the project relies a lot on the quality of the content and the trust people had in the show. By addressing barriers to polio vaccination and conducting research around motivators and communication habits, we were able to make Ghamai resonate with our audiences.

It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our work at BBC Media Action, in partnership with Unicef, is helping to keep children safe and to move towards a world where polio is eradicated once and for all.

Find out more about BBC Media Action here.

Transforming lives through media around the world

2018-10-17T11:00:00+00:00

Have you ever considered how important media and communication are in your day to day life?

Perhaps you’ve mistakenly left your phone at home one day or run out of battery, suddenly finding yourself without the means to send or receive messages, check the news or merely make a phone call? While frustrating, I’m sure you still managed to get by. But what if this lack of information or connectivity lasted longer and made a profound impact on the quality of your life?

My name is Caroline and I’m the CEO of BBC Media Action – the BBC’s international development charity. We use media and communication as a force for good around the world, helping to reduce global poverty and transform lives for the better.

I joined the charity in 2009, having started my working life as a teacher and gone on to work for various charities, including Oxfam and VSO, both at home and overseas.

Throughout my career, I have seen first-hand how positive change can happen when people – be they children in a classroom or people fleeing conflict – have access to reliable, timely and useful information, and the opportunity to talk about it.

So, what do we do?

We produce a wide range of media and communication programming, from radio and TV shows through to social media content and public service announcements, to help people make sense of the world around them and take action to improve their lives. We work in partnership with local journalists and broadcasters to inform, connect and empower people so they can hold their governments to account, improve their health, and know how to prepare for, survive, and recover from humanitarian emergencies.

Our programming reaches more than 200 million people every year.

We also train and mentor journalists and communications professionals in developing countries to help them produce informative, accurate and engaging content – ensuring free and fair media sectors that work in the public interest. We work in three main areas:

1. Governance

This means supporting more accountable, inclusive and peaceful states and societies. Our work helps people to understand their rights, hold those in power to account and negotiate their differences peacefully.

For example, in Somalia and Somaliland, we’ve inspired people across the country to engage with, and hold to account, those in power through radio and TV debate shows similar to our very own BBC Question Time in the UK. We’ve helped produce audience-driven programmes where the studio audience can raise important community issues, giving many an opportunity to communicate directly with their government for the first time.

One viewer said “I have always looked forward to meeting my Mayor face to face and asking him issues regarding sanitation in our city. I am glad I had a chance to ask a question which prompted the Mayor to act on it”.

2. Health

This is building people’s knowledge so they know how to best take care of their own health and when and where to seek help.

Building on our successful work using media to dispel misinformation and rumours during the Ebola crisis, we’re broadcasting a weekly radio show called Tawa Fo Welbodi (Determined for Health) across Sierra Leone to bust myths and misconceptions about another deadly disease: malaria.

The show features a range of voices – from children and parents through to community leaders and doctors – to provide vital information on malaria prevention, testing and treatment.

The programme is supported by a series of public service announcements shared through Media Action Sierra Leone’s Facebook page, the most popular Facebook page in the country.

3. Resilience and humanitarian response

Our programming helps people survive and cope with humanitarian crises, as well as helping them to minimise the risk of disaster in the first place.

In Bangladesh, we’re supporting two broadcasters to produce daily radio programmes for displaced Rohingya people and host communities. These programmes don’t report what is happening in the camps, but rather provide affected people with essential information on how and where to access aid, helping them to help themselves stay safe and healthy in the camps.

We also collect community feedback from Rohingya people to give them a voice and to inform humanitarian response agencies, ensuring that their needs are heard and addressed.

Making a real difference

Next year marks BBC Media Action’s 20th anniversary. Since our launch, we’ve helped millions of people around the world to lead healthier, safer and more fulfilled lives – all through the power of communication. And we’re not slowing down. In the coming years we want to build on our successes and continue to inform, connect and empower people – with an increasing focus on gender equality, young people and people with disabilities.

I am personally immensely proud to lead an organisation which brings together some of the brightest and most dedicated people from both the media and international development sectors. Their work really makes a difference and goes to show that communication is, in itself, aid.

Find out more about BBC Media Action here.

Working together to help save lives

2017-02-13T09:15:54+00:00

Clare Lyons worked with BBC News for over 16 years, including a period with BBC World Service. She's now a senior media trainer for BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity.

The phrase "working together" is one I’ve heard often in my three years of mentoring and supporting journalists in Myanmar - but it doesn’t always mean much in practice, and sometimes it's used to avoid assigning blame or taking responsibility for problems!

But last year we saw the genuine and positive embodiment of the phrase among most of the 120 or so participants of Lifeline training – a course bringing together journalists, aid workers and government officials to improve their communication with people during humanitarian crises.

Myanmar is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and also suffers ongoing ethnic and inter-communal conflict in various parts of the country.

Media professionals have communications skills, a platform and an audience, while governmental and non-governmental organisations are experts in disaster response. Between them they can share practical information which can help people survive - and recover from - crises. During Lifeline training we demonstrate how they can work together so that more people can be given life-saving information and communicate their needs.

Feedback indicated that, despite some initial reservations, trainees found the experience of ‘all coming together’, a positive one.

Humanitarian workers and journalists participate in Lifeline training in Myanmar

A new experience

It can be hard for journalists to switch from a “news mentality”, but most of the journalist-participants recognised the value of creating Lifeline content during crises.

Our own experience suggests that audiences here are very appreciative of such programming. In 2015, we helped the state broadcaster, MRTV, create a radio programme aimed at those affected by heavy flooding. It was the first regularly-broadcast show of its kind in this country, and it’s still on air. A listener in Rakhine, affected by flooding, described it as ‘remarkable’ that he was able to speak to journalists and later see the interview on air.

Lifeline training participants in Myanmar edit audio

Media landscape changes

In Myanmar, radio has long been the quickest, easiest way to reach a wide audience. But the landscape is changing. More people can afford TVs, and our research suggests an estimated 84% of people nationwide have access to a mobile phone at home. So we took this into account when choosing participants for our Lifeline training course. Just over a third worked in radio, but we also had TV journalists and those working in online media.

Peter Aung works at Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), an independent media organisation with a strong public service remit. Shortly after he attended Lifeline training, monsoon rain flooded many parts of the country.

"DVB was able to provide life-saving information such as official warning announcements [and] guidelines…via TV, website, Facebook, Viber and SMS news” he said, “We also shared government hotline numbers and relief agencies' numbers."

Myanmar is a country in transition, where media freedom is still somewhat restricted and many in authority remain wary of the press. But it is good to know that in the area of communication during disasters, both sides are showing a greater willingness to work together in order to save lives.

Clare Lyons is Senior Trainer at BBC Media Action

Visit the Lifeline course on BBC Media Action's website
Read more about the BBC Media Action’s work in Myanmar

BBC Media Action is not funded by the BBC’s licence fee and depends on the generous support of donors. Help support its work.

‘Sofa’, so good: BBC Breakfast’s red sofa makes its way to Ramallah

2017-01-18T09:00:26+00:00

Walid Batrawi explains how one retired BBC Breakfast sofa found a new home in the Palestinian Territories with BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity.

The BBC Breakfast sofa is a TV icon. During the show’s 34 years countless presenters, politicians, musicians, pundits and members of the public have settled down on its bright red upholstery.

When BBC Breakfast moved from London to a smaller studio in Salford in 2012, they needed a new sofa that would fit the space. The BBC was keen to donate the old one – and we needed to furnish the set of our new TV shows in the Palestinian Territories. Saved from the scrap heap the iconic red sofa was shipped, via the BBC’s Jerusalem bureau, to start a new life in Ramallah.

Voices from Palestine: panellists and audience members discuss whether political parties are marginalising young people and women in local elections. Ramallah, September 2016. Photo credit: Walid Batrawi

Five year anniversary

For the past five years, the former Breakfast sofa has been a fixture on two ‘Question Time’ style TV debate shows, Aswat Min Felesteen (Voices from Palestine) and Hur El-Kalam (Free to Speak). It has seen high profile guests put through their paces by a lively studio audience – vital in a place that has suffered years of conflict and instability.

Guests have included former Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad who was challenged on his plans to plug the brain drain among Palestinians, and Dr Anan Masri, Deputy Minister for Health who promised to look into an alleged case of medical misdiagnosis.

Being able to question public officials has given our audience members greater confidence. One man in his 20s living in Gaza told us, “I learnt not be afraid about questioning an official – and if they evade the question, I can ask it again.” Others thanked us for helping point them in the direction of organisations that could solve their problems.

Since launching in 2012 with our partners BBC Arabic and the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), we’ve reached 1.17 million adults in Gaza and the West Bank helping people understand their rights and hold public officials to account.

Signature sofa

Part of the project involved helping PBC train its production staff and upgrade its studios.

“This is the first time I’ve seen nice set designs and a good selection of panellists,” one media professional told us. “It looks like the shows on international channels.”

I’m pleased to report that the iconic sofa continues its life at the centre of a project that’s helping the Palestinian Territories build a more inclusive society.

Walid Batrawi is Director of BBC Media Action, Palestinian Territories

BBC Media Action doesn’t receive any funding from the BBC’s licence fee and depends on the generous support of donors. Help support its work.

BBC Media Action: A producer’s epic journey to broadcast a radio show in South Sudan

2016-02-12T07:24:00+00:00

“At last!” smiled Abraham Malual as he grabbed hold of the CD. Abraham had every right to be happy, the radio editor from Rumbek FM in South Sudan’s Lakes State had just finished a two day trek to reach our offices in Juba. Poor internet connections and a non-existent postal service meant that he had finally resorted to collecting it in person. And now he had it - the latest episode of Life in Lulu, a BBC Media Action radio drama focused on peace-building in war ravaged South Sudan.

Set in a fictional village, Life in Lulu storylines focus on solutions to everyday problems – from domestic violence, disagreements over the use of plots of land for crops, and care for communal areas. Addressing these issues is more important than ever as war has displaced millions of people in South Sudan, exacerbating tensions in many communities.

Despite a peace deal in August 2015, fighting between warring factions in South Sudan continues across the country. Some roads are also affected by bandits, who stop and loot cars in search of food, money, and electronics. Delivering Life in Lulu each week to some of our more remote radio stations remains a challenge, relying on a host of transport methods and a touch of luck.

The first attempt to get the latest episode of Life in Lulu to Rumbek FM happened in December. When it was sent by email, downloading proved impossible due to the destruction of the area’s main mobile and data control centre. A back-up was sent with a producer who happened to be travelling half-way to the tiny harbour town of Minkaman. From there, he was able to get the CD to a passenger heading to Rumbek using a UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flight – though it was lost on arrival. So close – yet frustratingly – so far!

Fortunately most of the Life in Lulu episodes do eventually reach our 13 partner stations. Our friends at the UN and World Food Programme even allow some of our CDs to hitch a ride on their flights, while most episodes are safely emailed through, albeit at times, extremely slowly.

As Abraham readies himself for his epic return journey, I think of the many reasons why the broadcast of our programmes can be so challenging. In addition to poor transport and a lack of internet connectivity, many radio stations contend with electricity black-outs or being shut down by the government for airing sensitive topics.

Abraham isn’t fazed! He’s clear about why he’ll continue to broadcast Life in Lulu no matter the challenges. “Life in Lulu is important because its stories explore ways to achieve peace and harmony – something that everyone wants for this beautiful nation.”

South Sudan has been through many ups and downs since we started producing Life in Lulu over three years ago. Now with more than 100 episodes under its belt, the radio drama has covered everything from conflict resolution to child and maternal health. Despite the challenges, radio station producers like Abraham continue to make sure that – by hook or by crook – Life in Lulu continues to help communities through drama across South Sudan.

Winnie Jarguru is a scriptwriter for BBC Media Action and works on the drama 'Life in Lulu'

Find out more about Life in Lulu
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BBC Media Action is not funded by the Licence Fee. Find out how to support the charity on the BBC Media Action website.

Tricks of the trade: BBC Media Action training in Cambodia

2015-07-02T10:08:43+00:00

How does a TV presenter’s facial expression help or hinder the tone of a programme? Do presentation styles help to engage an audience or get in the way of the story?

These were some of the topics covered in an intensive training session I recently conducted with 14 TV presenters from Cambodia. In a series of practical tasks we also covered fact-checking, broadcasting on location, interview techniques and how to calm pre-broadcast nerves.

Collectively reaching tens of millions of viewers every day, these young presenters have a range of experience, spanning commercial and public service broadcasting. What they share is an interest in engaging young Cambodian audiences on topics including unemployment, sexual health and voting.

Raised eyebrows

We all had to leave our egos at the door, which can be challenging for presenters! 'It's not about you, it's about the story,' I told them. Greeted with one or two raised eyebrows at the beginning of the training, by day three it was clear we shared a desire to engage with audiences in a fair and transparent way that placed the story at the heart of what we do.

Like the rest of the world, the Cambodian media has embraced the digital revolution.

Love9, a BBC Media Action TV and radio show on sexual health, is a shining example of the power of social media. The show’s co-presenters told me about its 100,000-strong Facebook following.

But underneath this progressive use of technology, Cambodian presenting styles are very traditional and respectful. This can make it difficult to engage audiences, especially with younger viewers. Showing too much personality is frowned upon in Cambodia, the presenters told me, and they were nervous about their manager’s reactions to change. As BBC journalists we are fortunate to have the freedom to suggest improvements or raise concerns, something I realised we often take for granted.

Through test filming and honest critiques, the presenters learnt how subtle changes to their presentation style, such as facial expressions, more open body language and a true grasp of the story can enhance their relationship with the viewer without compromising their integrity or the story itself.

Babita with the young Cambodian presenters she was training

Responsibility

One of the group summed up what many were thinking: "I feel lucky to do this job but it's a big responsibility, right?”

Right.

Despite our different professional environments, we all share the same responsibility – to place audiences at the heart of what we do. I am hopeful that the talented presenters I met will have the confidence to push boundaries to reach out to the next generation of Cambodians. We're going to stay in touch and I look forward to seeing how things evolve for the team in this exciting country.

Babita Sharma is Presenter, BBC World News and co-host of the channel's Asia breakfast programme Newsday.

Babita’s training is part of a wider effort by BBC Media Action to strengthen the ability of its media partners to use radio and TV to improve the lives of young people in Cambodia. Recent projects have included TV and radio programmes on youth employment, volunteering and sexual health.

Read more about BBC Media Action’s work in Cambodia
Discover more about the work of BBC Media Action
Follow BBC Media Action on Facebook and Twitter

Nepal Earthquake: When no home is safe where can you go?

2015-05-14T12:46:35+00:00

Yesterday, news came from Kathmandu that the family home of my BBC Media Action Nepal colleague, Bidhya Chapagain, had fallen down. No one was hurt, but Bidhya was badly shaken. The building had managed to stay standing after the first earthquake, but Tuesday’s second 7.3 shock caused an already weakened structure to collapse.

Bidhya is the presenter of BBC Media Action’s Sajha Sawal (Common Questions), Nepal’s most popular current affairs television and radio show - reaching 5.6 million people (just under one-in-three Nepalis). This programme and other ‘Lifeline’ radio shows have played a vital role in providing information to people affected by the earthquake about where to receive aid and how to stay safe and healthy. I had been filming with Bidhya in her home village just days before the first earthquake in April struck. On hearing this latest news I looked back at the photos I had taken.

Bidhya outside her childhood home, just days before it collapsed in the second earthquake

There was that building still intact, in a farming district on the outskirts of Kathmandu, pictured behind a large group of smiling faces: Bidhya’s extended family. We’d sat inside on the earth floor with Bidhya and family and shared a generous and delicious Dal Baht. That room, that home, is no more. How quickly things change, how fragile our assumptions and supposed securities can be.

Access to information can help or it can hinder: it depends on its timeliness, its reliability and is always subject to change. Our work in Nepal is using media to help people deal with the changing challenges of chaotic and frightening times. Reports are saying that Tuesday’s huge aftershock has taken efforts back to day one: it’s about survival and rescue again. And my colleagues are once again providing updates through their network of radio stations. It’s utterly vital to cut through the confusion with clear information.

Elsewhere in the world, but still with a focus on Nepal, the media is playing its part for good and ill. A bizarre story has emerged of Facebook users, far from Nepal, clogging a new service designed to track and check on the safety of those in Nepal. People who are thousands of miles from Nepal have thought it funny to confirm they are ‘safe’ too. They are being ‘de-friended’ at pace but it is curious and striking how fragile that concept of ‘safety’ really is.

When I was in Nepal and we visited Bidhya’s home, it was a very happy and celebratory day as we talked with her family about her rapid rise as the new presenter of Sajha Sawal. Bidhya’s family home was simply too small to fit all her neighbours and friends in, so after dinner we crowded into a neighbour’s house to watch that evening’s show.

Bidhya, her family and friends, in a neighbour's house, watching the programme she presents

When the programme finished her parents spoke with pride of how Bidhya now provided not only a role model for the country’s girls, but that as a poor farmer’s daughter, “It was a lesson for all farmers to aim high”. Bidhya’s father had beamed this last sentence, his eyes shining with tears.

Now, with the monsoon approaching and with so many farmers unable to cultivate their land (rice seed stocks destroyed, the working day thrown into the uneasy rhythm of aftershocks and coping with damage and loss) there are fears about food security and for livelihoods. Even while people are trying to cope with the immediate crisis of the earthquakes and aftershocks there are other, longer-term concerns. Nepal, after so much gained and with so much potential, is a country again struggling with the most basic and urgent priorities of life: shelter, water, food, health, sanitation.

We can all help: from near and far. In the days following the first earthquake hundreds of people started flying into the country: journalists to take the story to the world, aid and health workers to provide support, and many expatriate Nepalese, returning to help the country rebuild.

I was touched to hear that my former colleague Dipika Shrestha has flown back from a ‘new life’ in the US to resume our work in Nepal. Nepal, in this time of great insecurity, needs our support more than ever. I don’t yet know of the welfare of all of those I interviewed, and I’m especially concerned about those I met in vulnerable Himalayan towns close to Tuesday’s earthquake epicentre. Their stories, back then, were of poor and marginalised people standing up for their rights through our radio shows. How those rights and priorities have had to change – buildings, lives, hopes, assumptions – need to be rebuilt.

In these uncertain times we are working with the BBC World Service’s BBC Nepali and a network of radio partners in Nepal to broadcast our radio programmes – helping people keep safe, find missing loved ones, and access food, water and shelter. In the wake of the second major earthquake, our work helping people access information is more important than ever, so if you can support us please do.

Kirsty Cockburn is Director of Communications and Fundraising for BBC Media Action.

BBC Media Action is an independent charity and not funded by the licence fee.
If you’d like to support BBC Media Action’s work in Nepal, you can donate online or text “INFO15 £5” to 70070 to donate £5.

BBC Media Action on World Radio Day 2015

2015-02-13T11:00:09+00:00

Tom Baker from BBC Media Action's Africa team introduces some of the development charity's work in Somalia, Tanzania and Nigeria.

World Radio Day is on Friday 13 February. Broadcasters across the world will join forces on the day to celebrate the radio medium and raise the profile of their own organisations work in using radio to change lives.

BBC Media Action, the BBC's development charity, has produced a short film introduced by project manager Tom Baker, showcasing a handful of endeavours using radio to reach out to young people across the world. Those projects include a weekly radio drama in Somalia called Maalma Dhaama Manta and a national radio show called Niambie (Tell Me) in Tanzania giving young people parliamentary and presidential election information.

Follow the #worldradioday hashtag for updates throughout Friday 13 February. There's also more information on the World Radio Day website.
Find out more about the work of BBC Media Action on their website.
BBC Media Action isn't funded by the UK Licence Fee. Donate to the development via the website.

From the Docklands to Dhaka: calling the midwife to Bangladesh

2014-09-02T08:44:24+00:00

Production still from BBC Media Action's drama Ujan Ganger Naiya

Terri Coates is the midwifery advisor on Call the Midwife. Earlier this year she went to Bangladesh to advise the BBC's international development charity BBC Media Action on their maternal and child health drama series Ujan Ganger Naiya.

In April, I found myself in a tent in rural Bangladesh, in 46 degree heat, teaching young Bangladeshi actresses how to breathe as if they were in labour. Not quite what you might expect from an NHS midwife and midwifery lecturer. But then I have an unusual job. For half the year, I’m also the advisor to the BBC One drama series, Call the Midwife, where I help the actors and production team depict pregnancy and births in the East End of London of the Fifties.

When I was invited by BBC Media Action to advise the cast and crew of a new TV drama in Bangladesh, I was intrigued. Bangladeshi TV had never shown a woman in labour. While the maternal death rate in the country has fallen dramatically in the last decade, pregnancy and childbirth still claim the lives of around 20 women a day, leaving plenty of material for the drama to highlight and explore.

Though there was a language barrier, being on the set of Ujan Ganger Naiya, (Sailing against the tide), was in many ways like watching the BBC crew on Call the Midwife. But there were some very marked differences. One arose when I produced one of my most reliable props.

On Call the Midwife I make sure the pregnant characters move and walk as if they are really pregnant and not just wearing a prosthetic tummy. I coach them to make the right noises and to breathe correctly. In midwifery, we often use dolls as props and I took one to Bangladesh to tie to the stomachs of the actresses to help them get used to moving around with an abdomen that wouldn’t bend.

The crew of BBC Media Action drama Ujan Ganger Naiya with the much-loved prop doll

When I took the plastic baby doll out on set and put it on a table, it provoked an amazing reaction. The cast and crew were completely enchanted. It was kidnapped for two days by the doctor on the set who took it home in his car. Over the course of my time there it was passed around among the cast and crew, and of course I left without it when I returned home.

Part of my role was to guide the recording of the first ever TV birth scene. The cast and crew of Ujan Ganger Naiya probably had less experience of childbirth than my colleagues in the UK. Bangladesh is a conservative country and child bearing is not discussed very much. The crew were all men and unlike their UK counterparts not one had experienced childbirth. They looked particularly uneasy during the rehearsal for a birth sequence! This was a first for all of us but I think we did it in an appropriate way and didn’t show anything that should not have been shown - the most you ever see is an ankle.

On Call the Midwife we’re very keen that portrayal of anything clinical or medical is as accurate as humanly possible. Likewise, in Bangladesh I was extremely impressed with the level of research and amount of preparation that had gone into the programme.

It was gratifying to be able to help the crew to show an accurate portrayal of childbirth on television for the first time. And with my lecturer hat on, I was extremely excited to put out health information to many millions of people at one time.

Switching between the reality of midwifery and the fictional world of drama means I have a unique perspective on childbirth. It can be a bit surreal though. Back at my normal job, when a woman has just given birth, I do sometimes feel tempted to say to her, “Well if that wasn’t quite right for you, perhaps we can just rerun it one more time!”

Terri Coates is midwifery advisor on Call the Midwife.

Find out more about the work of BBC Media Action
Read Terri's TV blog Call The Midwife: I have the strangest job

BBC World Service joins the fight against Ebola

2014-08-13T07:55:26+00:00

BBC World Service Group Director Peter Horrocks explains how the BBC World Service and BBC Media Action are helping to counter misinformation about Ebola with special updates broadcast on the BBC's Africa, English, French and Hausa services.

The Ebola outbreak in Western Africa has so far claimed more than a thousand lives. As medics struggle to treat the sick and stop the spread of the disease, there is another vital front in the battle – bringing people the accurate and up-to-date information which can, literally, save their lives.

Countering misinformation is crucial. In Sierra Leone, for example, myths and rumours about Ebola abound – such as the claim that it is not a real virus at all or the theory that it can be prevented by traditional medication.

And this is where the BBC World Service can play a part. As a trusted source of news in the affected regions, with millions of listeners, the World Service is ideally placed to bring the latest life-saving information to its audience.

From today (Wednesday 13 August) the BBC World Service will join forces with the BBC’s international development charity, Media Action, to produce and broadcast special Ebola updates which will air across BBC Africa language services broadcasting to Africa on Wednesdays and Fridays.

These updates will cover the basics of how the virus is contracted, the symptoms and what to do if people suspect they or someone close to them is affected. They will cover the latest expert advice and new developments, as well as debunking myths and rumours, and combatting misinformation.

They will be broadcast in the countries worst affected by the disease: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria – on the BBC’s English, French and Hausa services. Other BBC Africa services Swahili, Somali and Kinyarwanda/Kirundi will also carry the broadcasts.

The BBC is also working with its FM radio partners to broadcast information about Ebola in other widely spoken local dialects: Liberian English in Liberia, Soussou in Guinea and Pidgin in Nigeria.

BBC Media Action has already been playing its part in the fight against Ebola in West Africa. For the past few weeks, it has been producing half-hour programmes on Ebola which have been broadcast across Sierra Leone in the Krio language.

In July, Media Action brought together staff from 30 radio stations across the country – including those reporting from the heart of the outbreak – with health experts to discuss how best to report on the current outbreak of the Ebola virus.

Media Action has also produced public service announcements (PSAs) for broadcast on local radio stations throughout Sierra Leone. Since there is no broadcaster which reaches the whole of the country, these programmes and PSAs have been made available on DVD and sent by road via courier to more than 35 local radios stations across the whole country.

Media Action’s Rebecca Wood spoke about this work on the Today programme this Saturday.

The World Service will also broadcast a special debate on Ebola on Friday 15th August where we will bring together families, health workers, government representatives, scientists and World Health Organisation officials.

Peter Horrocks is Director, BBC Global News and BBC World Service Group Director

Listen to the BBC World Service online
Find out more about BBC Media Action
Read also BBC Media Action: Responding to the Westgate attack

Measuring the impact of the BBC’s international charity

2014-06-13T21:06:56+00:00

Yahaya Abdul-Rahman and his wife Salamatu listen to a BBC Media Action show in Nigeria.

BBC Media Action reaches over 200 million people worldwide. It uses a variety of media and communications to help improve health, reduce poverty and support people in understanding their rights in 28 countries around the world. Caroline Nursey is the Executive Director.

Last week at the Media Corporate Social Responsibility Forum, I delivered a speech about how BBC Media Action measures the impact of our media output. I wanted to share some of the points I raised in that presentation in a blog post.

The Forum’s 2013 Mirrors or Movers report explored that a "unique contribution of the media sector [is] that of shaping public debate, changing behaviours and promoting sustainable lifestyles."

BBC Media Action actively sets out to enable change. The BBC itself has a set of public purposes as defined in its charter including sustaining citizenship and civil society; promoting education and learning; bringing the world to the UK and the UK to the world.

As the BBC’s international development charity, BBC Media Action goes a step further. We work on specific development projects while abiding by the BBC’s values and editorial standards. We also use tried and tested processes to measure the impact of those projects.

It is not easy. The audience we want to reach is difficult to survey – often the poorest in society, who are isolated, vulnerable, illiterate, hard to reach. It can be difficult to determine what media output a person has seen let alone isolating the impact of a specific media intervention.

We have surveyed people in conflict-torn Somalia, rural China and the mountains in Pakistan. Last year, more than 60,000 people took part in our research through quantitative surveys, qualitative focus group discussions, expert interviews or other research techniques.

Improving health

One of the areas identified in the Mirrors or Movers report was the role of the media in normalising behaviours - introducing or legitimising new forms of behaviour. We do a lot of this in our health work to change knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.

BBC Media Action - transforming lives through media around the world.

In India for example, we broadcast public service announcements which tried to get people talking about condoms for the first time. Initial research showed not only a low incidence of condom use but little interest in using them. But we knew that interpersonal discussion led to young men recommending HIV prevention to friends and family. So 'Condom Condom'was a national campaign in India to "normalize" condom use by talking about them.

Research looked firstly at whether the campaign had encouraged conversation about condoms and secondly whether it had changed public perception of condom use in India.

5,718 half hour interviews amongst the target audience of men aged 15 - 49 tested recall and engagement with the adverts. Had they discussed 'Condom Condom'? And what had they discussed?

Then we looked at whether knowledge of, attitude towards and actual use of condoms were higher amongst people who had watched the announcements than among those who had not. 150 million Indian men watched the adverts and the research showed that the more frequently people watched the adverts, the better quality their subsequent discussion about condoms was – and the more likely they were to use condoms themselves.

What’s more, during the ‘Condom Condom’ campaign there was an 8% increase in condom sales across India. It’s perhaps worth mentioning that the adverts worked creatively too, winning CNN's Public Service Announcement of the Year Award in 2010 and a Bronze Palm at the Cannes Film Festival.

Encouraging debate

The Mirrors or Movers report also highlighted the media’s role in shaping public debate. While we don’t see this as something that we should do ourselves, we do invest heavily in creating platforms where people can do so.

Sajha Sawal in Nepal.

Since 2007, Sajha Sawal (Common Questions) has provided a platform for people in Nepal to express their views on issues that matter to them and to hold leaders to account. To measure its impact, we used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods.

A nationally-representative survey of 4,000 people aged between 15 and 65 showed that 32% of people had watched or listened to Sajha Sawal - almost 6 million people. More than half (59%) had discussed the programme with others - a useful indication for us that they had really engaged with it. 89% viewers felt that Sajha Sawal was effective in asking the questions that people would like to ask politicians. There is, of course, a problem with self-reported views of this kind as respondents may want to be 'nice', but it still gives us a useful perspective.

On the qualitative side, activity included focus group discussions with listeners or viewers and, as a control group, with non-listeners or non-viewers; in-depth interviews with public figures, NGOs, religious leaders; and focus groups with staff of partner radio stations.

Qualitative research often gives richer insights. One female listener from the rural area of Surkhet told us, "When I see ordinary people talk in the programme I feel motivated and it gives me confidence that I can also speak in front of the public."

Findings from the focus groups indicated that audiences appreciated the programme’s inclusiveness while in-depth interviews with media commentators said that the quality of the questioning had improved over the duration of the show as members of the audience learned how to better ask questions.

So, we knew that people watched the programme, enjoyed it and said that it was helping hold leaders to account. But was it leading to changes in attitudes and behaviour?

We found that a higher proportion of those who watched or listened to the programme were willing to take part in public action (eg signing a petition or participating in a demonstration) than those unexposed. And they were more likely to vote in the next general elections (69%) compared to the unexposed group (59%).

But this begged the question of cause and effect. Was it the more educated and politically engaged that watched or listened to the programme to begin with or could the higher level of political engagement really be attributed to Sajha Sawal?

Our research staff use statistical analysis to rule out other factors and have been able to show that there is a clear link between exposure to our programming and political participation, even when other possible influences are taken into account (such as gender, age and education). And we were also able to see that those who watched the programme more often were more likely to become politically engaged. (For more on this work, read the research team’s fascinating report.)

BBC Media Action has grown substantially over the last few years and a great deal of that growth is down to the investment we have made in measuring impact. Donors trust us to do what we say we are going to do, and when we have done it to prove it through research.

We are a media charity that exists to effect change. It is our research and measurement that underpins our ability to achieve change and makes us not just a mirror but, we believe, a real mover in achieving development outcomes.

Caroline Nursey is Executive Director, BBC Media Action

Today it was announced that Caroline Nursey has been awarded Order of the British Empire.
Read other blogs about BBC Media Action
BBC Media Action also blog regularly over on their dedicated blog.

BBC Media Action: responding to the Westgate attack

2013-10-04T15:49:42+00:00

Jackie Christie is a senior production manager in Kenya for BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity which uses media to improve health and help people understand their rights in developing countries. She manages the team that produces weekly TV and radio debate programme Sema Kenya (Kenya Speaks), which travels around the country enabling ordinary people to directly ask questions of their leaders.

Last week’s Sema Kenya was different from our usual shows. There was no set, no desks or podiums. No analysis, political point scoring or punditry. Instead, we brought together people from all walks of life affected by the attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi to speak to one another, and to the nation, about what they experienced.

The programme, of course, was dominated by moving and dramatic personal testimonies. One of the survivors described the day of the attack as just “a normal day for me” and the ordinary, mundane details in their recollections throw the horror of the event into relief all the more.

During the programme, survivor Bernard Mulwa talked about hiding behind a plant stall in the basement of the building where a frightened security guard joined him. The guard was shot and died beside him. Bernard narrowly escaped with shrapnel wounds.

Bernard Mulwa with his family at home after the attack

A supermarket worker described how she hid in a tunnel with two children who had lost their mother. “We heard a man walking toward the tunnel about three steps from where we were. I think because he didn’t hear anything, he assumed there was no one in there so he turned and left. They then continued with the shooting.”

One of the many heroes from the mall was Abdul Haji, who described how he responded to a text from his brother who had been caught up in the shooting. “It was a very short SMS saying ‘pray for me’.”

Haji joined others in the mall working for hours to get people to safety – his bravery captured in photographs seen all over the world. Even now, he can’t remember how many people he helped or the names of those with whom he fought. “In a few minutes we banded well together and we were like old friends who had been doing this job for a long time,” he said.

Trauma expert Dr Gladys Mwiti was another guest on the programme and spoke about the physical and emotional effect of witnessing such violence.

For her, talking to survivors about what they need is key to their recovery. “When we talk to survivors, we don’t use words such as ‘trauma debriefing’ because we are not the ones telling the story. It is them telling us.”

Some members of the audience who had survived the American embassy bombing in Nairobi in 1998 spoke about the absence of counselling support.

Dennis Muriuki lost his father in the 1998 bombing and spoke about the long-lasting emotional scars of surviving such an attack. “We take every day at a time. You cannot say that you are completely healed. When something like this happens it returns you to the past.”

The imam of a large mosque in Nairobi closed the show with a call for unity. “What they want is for us to mistrust each other,” Sheikh Ahmed Athman said. “So these events should not divide Kenyans. Kenyans are developed people who know their rights. Islam and Christianity have the same aim - to bring peace to Kenya. Kenya is one amazing country”.

As one of the survivors remarked afterwards, this episode of Sema Kenya was the first time a number of people who had experienced the attack had come together.

And I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that bringing people together in this way was perhaps a small contribution to the healing process which is just beginning.

Sema Kenya gave people the time and space to talk, and participate in a unique, if emotional national conversation.

Above is a picture of people who featured in the episode, from left to right: Richard Mayaka, a security guard who was one of the first on the scene; trauma expert Dr Gladys Mwita, who is working with many of those traumatised by the event; freelance photographer Joseph Mathenge; Sema Kenya’s presenter Joseph Warungu; survivor Bernard Mulwa; Faith Mugambi, who was working in the Nakumatt Supermarket when the gunmen burst in.

Jackie Christie is Senior Production Manager for BBC Media Action.

BBC Media Action’s work in Kenya is funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development.
Watch Sema Kenya’s episode on the Westgate attack on the BBC Swahili website.
Find out more about BBC Media Action’s work in Kenya.
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BBC Media Action in Afghanistan: New Home, New Life & meeting President Karzai

2013-06-12T07:33:05+00:00

Craig Robinson leads the Afghanistan research team based in Kabul and London for BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity which uses media to improve health and help people understand their rights in developing countries.

For the past 19 years a radio soap opera has been quietly changing people’s lives in Afghanistan. Called New Home, New Life, it provides not only entertaining drama to the 4.5 million listeners who tune in each week but also the vital information that people need to improve their own lives.

So as well as your usual storylines of love and family conflict, the soap’s three episodes a week tackle subjects like mine awareness, conflict resolution and health issues, including taboo topics such as how HIV is transmitted and can be prevented.

A recording of New Home, New Life

The result is hugely popular; the show remains a household name and because of its realistic and relevant storylines is remembered as one of the few things Afghans looked forward to in the Taliban period. Initially set up by BBC Media Action, the programme is now made by an independent Afghan production company.

Last year we conducted research in six provinces in Afghanistan and learned first-hand the impact of the programme on people’s lives.

A man in the eastern province of Nangarhar, on the mountainous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, told us, “I was not interested in going to school, but one day I was listening to New Home, New Life and in a scene, a letter had come to the village. No one could read the letter and the man was walking around to find someone. It really gave me the idea to go to school. So the next day I went and registered.”

Even more inspiringly, a number of women we interviewed credited their own education to New Home, New Life. A woman from Nangarhar told us, “The programme helped our father understand girls’ education and he allowed his daughters to go to school.”

Some of the cast & crew of New Home, New Life

New Home, New Life isn’t the only programme that BBC Media Action is supporting in Afghanistan. In December last year, politicians and other leading figures were brought face to face for the first time with people from across the country in a series of debates broadcast on TV and radio through the state broadcaster RTA and the BBC World Service.

The show is called Open Jirga – a jirga is a traditional decision-making assembly – and has provided a place for Afghans to question their leaders on issues that have ranged from security after the withdrawal of ISAF military troops in 2014 to facilities in Afghanistan’s hospitals.

One particularly memorable episode saw the studio audience faced with a surprise guest: Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Because of security concerns, his identity was only revealed just before the show started to the 70 men and women who had travelled to Kabul from all corners of the country.

President Karzai

And they took full advantage of the opportunity, questioning the president on corruption, his government’s record over the past decade and peace with the Taliban. The results of just this one show have been hugely encouraging.

Open Jirga with President Karzai

One person in the studio audience that night was 32-year-old Asadullah, who, during Afghanistan’s long-running conflict, lost both his legs when he was 12 and has struggled to find work to support his wife and two children. So eloquent and passionate was he in articulating the concerns of his community and the disabled in Afghanistan, that the president has made him his advisor on disability issues. Karzai also told Asadullah that he would employ a person with a disability in each government ministry to work as advisors. And when Asadullah returned home to Nangarhar, elders in his district approached him to say they would support him if he stood as a member of parliament in future elections.

Such inspiring stories are the reason why I – and my Afghan colleagues in Kabul – do what we do. We strive to listen to the voices of Afghanistan so we can not only evaluate the impact of our work but make programmes about the issues that matter most to Afghans themselves. And maybe, just maybe, we can help to make things a little better in a country that has suffered so greatly in the last 30 years.

Craig Robinson is BBC Media Action’s Research Manager for Afghanistan.

Find out more about BBC Media Action’s work in Afghanistan and the Afghanistan research team’s latest findings

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Delivering debates in Zambia with BBC Media Action

2013-05-15T12:48:23+00:00

Clemency Fraser is production trainer for BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity, and her work has taken her from Afghanistan to Zambia, with a few more in between. She helps produce a series of TV debates that help people in the developing world hold those in authority to account.

The programmes that I work on are part of wider efforts at BBC Media Action to help communities raise issues of local concern that are overlooked in the media, or give a voice to those who are often left out of local and national decision-making.

For many of our audiences, it’s their first ever encounter with people in authority, including politicians. And producing the debates is never without challenges.

This year, I trained and worked with ZNBC, the state broadcaster of Zambia, on a two-part debate series called The Forum, linked to the UN Day of Social Justice and International Women’s Day.

For the first programme, there was a buzz of activity with a fair share of disasters right up to the last minute, like the set arriving at the eleventh hour with the backdrop printed horizontally instead of vertically! But the show went on and was worth every minute of worry when we saw the debate between the audience and the panel.

One of the biggest issues for Zambians today is unemployment, and the audience really challenged the Minister for Agriculture – who until recently had been the Minister for Commerce – about what the government was doing to create jobs. A pre-recorded video segment from the town of Kabwe featured residents speaking about their difficulties in finding work and providing for their families, with one man asking, “Where are the jobs? We are still starving.” A member of the opposition United Party for National Development, Dr Choolwe Beyani, demanded of the minister that government plans, “should be made available to the citizens so that they understand what government is talking about. Because right now, it’s like hot air.” This was greeted by pretty enthusiastic applause in the studio!

However, it wasn’t over. International Women’s Day was just around the corner and this time there was even more pressure. As everyone had seen the success of this new format, expectations for the second episode soared and ZNBC senior management told the production team they “cannot fail”. We flew into action, deciding topics and the panel, where our audience was going to come from and what stories were to be told in our video segments.

But it was not long before the bad luck bug hit. The ZNBC producer secured a great panellist who then pulled out, she secured a perfect replacement and another panellist dropped out and so it continued. The tireless producer gritted her teeth and chased every contact until finally, less than 24 hours before show time, her panel was confirmed.

Then we learned that the main panellist, a government representative, had just been spotted boarding a flight to Germany. This was a potential show stopper; without a member of the ruling party, we didn’t have an editorially balanced panel and the programme couldn’t go ahead.

Our ever resilient producer called the Director General of ZNBC and put out an SOS. At 10pm the DG confirmed that we had a top government representative appearing on our programme. We were saved! So episode two went ahead; but what did viewers take from it?

Some of the audience feedback shines a light on why it mattered. One man told us, “I was very impressed to see the ruling party and the opposition on the same table [debating]. I have not seen this in Zambia in a long time.” Another welcomed: “direct confrontation between the people affected by an issue and those with the responsibility of providing services”.

So the shows are not just about getting the set right, the segments recorded and episodes out the door on time. All these parts – and the unavoidable near misses and bitten nails – come together to create something much more valuable. Quite simply, it’s what Joseph Warungu, presenter of our Kenyan debate show, calls “proximity between people and power”.

Clemency Fraser is Production trainer, BBC Media Action .

The Forum was made with funding from the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
Find out more about BBC Media Action in Zambia and Zambia’s media environment.
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BBC Media Action saving lives in India - one call at a time

2013-04-03T09:28:18+00:00

Priyanka Dutt is a project director for BBC Media Action, the BBC’s international development charity which uses media to improve health and help people understand their rights in developing countries.

Audiences are at the heart of everything the BBC does. And it’s no different for the BBC’s international development charity BBC Media Action.

I’m currently managing a project which is tackling the dreadfully high maternal and infant mortality rates in Bihar in northern India. But in a state of 104 million people, many of whom don’t have constant access to electricity, how do you reach as many people as possible in the most cost-effective way?

The answer is to go back to our audiences in the region: find out how they live, how they think and what kind of media they consume. Only 18% of women in Bihar watch TV and 11% listen to radio, for example. But over 80% have access to a basic mobile phone. And our research shows that all community health workers who visit women in their homes either own, or have access to, a mobile phone.

Due to the relatively low literacy rates in Bihar, our research also found out that people were often not able to send or open text messages or locate their contacts on their phones. So we created a simple, audio service designed for health workers to use during their visits to families.

Called Mobile Kunji (‘key’ in Hindi), it has two components. The first is a deck of 40 cards made of the same plastic as credit cards - and therefore monsoon proof! On the front of each card is a picture and a health lesson about, for example, the importance of vaccinations, breastfeeding or birth preparation. And on the back of the card – the side the health worker sees – key learning points to be shared with the mother - and the most powerful figure in a family in Bihar, the mother-in-law.

Mobile Kunji in action

But what’s unique about the project is the second component: at the bottom of each card is a seven-digit number, a mobile short code. When the community health worker dials the number, she hears a matching audio message which she can play to the family she’s visiting.

Kunji cards and phone

Punctuated with music and easy-to-remember rhymes, the messages are voiced by an empathetic, reassuring character called Dr Anita who, in the course of the health workers’ visits, will be there to provide guidance and advice through a woman’s pregnancy and after the birth.

Because BBC Media Action negotiated some of the lowest call charges in the world with all six of the major mobile network operators in Bihar, all health workers can access the services via the same short codes, whatever handset they use or network they’re on.

We are currently on course to train 200,000 community health workers and in our first seven months, 75,000 users have called the service to listen to more than 1.4 million minutes of Dr Anita’s advice.

In addition to Mobile Kunji, we are also offering training to health workers through their mobile phones and will soon be launching a service for audio messages sent directly to families’ mobiles at relevant intervals throughout a woman’s pregnancy and after birth. What’s more, TV and billboard adverts, 10,000 street theatre performances, 6,000 women’s listener clubs and a radio drama – featuring Dr Anita herself – also reinforce the advice given by the health worker.

I’ve visited villages and heard first-hand the stories of women in Bihar whose lives have been changed by the information provided by Mobile Kunji. Women like 19-year-old Rinku Devi, who lives in a small thatched hut and sees her husband only once a year when he returns from his job in the Middle East.

She told me the many things she learned over months of conversations with her health worker, visits which saw her successfully registering for government health services like vaccinations and preparing fully for her baby’s birth. She even showed me a small cloth bag she had prepared, with a new blade, thread, soap and a clean, soft cloth needed for a safe delivery in case she had to give birth at home.

I’m happy to say that a month later Rinku safely delivered her baby, a little boy, in a Bihar hospital. And with BBC Media Action’s help, he will grow up with Dr Anita at his side.

BBC Media Action’s work in Bihar is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of a programme that aims to reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and reduce infectious diseases in the state.

Watch Priyanka Dutt talk about why she works for BBC Media Action and find out more about BBC Media Action’s work in India.