From December 12^th to 15^th Umurage Communication for Development conducted 4 road shows in four districts of Rwanda’s Southern province (Nyanza, Gisagara, Ruhango and kamonyi).  Similar to the previous road shows, they were organized to continue awareness about the Umurage radio drama, further identify listeners’ understanding of the drama and evaluating listener- ship through interactions with the local population.

Recent research indicated that over 2 million Rwandans listen to umurage radio drama. The drama was launched in June 2017 and is aired on 8 local radio stations.  Since June listenership has grown up to 70%.  The drama focuses on child protection, Gender Based Violence (GBV), nutrition, reproductive health and family planning.

 

Dushimimana Emmanuel 45 lives in Kamonyi dis trict , kyenzi sector, kirwa cell, Gitwa village. He is a regular listener of umurage drama who has also encouraged his family to do so. He listens to the drama on radio Rwanda & radio 10 and can’t miss it. He said that avoiding family conflicts, respecting his wife, children’s rights and minding about proper nutrition are among the lessons he has learnt from the drama.

“I used to harass my wife over property sharing under illegal marriage for 15 years, but after listening to the drama, we went through civil marriage, started family planning, joined health insurance and now live happily”, said Dushimimana

In his testimony, Dushimimana further said he was inspired by the message derived  from the relationship between Yabesi and his wife Davia in the drama from where he came to realize that a husband and wife have equal rights to the property they own together.

Dushiminana also explained  how some parents in Kayenzi sector force their children out of school especially girls as the case with Izabayo in the drama, which has led to listeners in his area to re-think and respect rights of a girl child to education. This is in addition to discussions in meetings organized through parents-teachers associations.

“It was just greed that made me deny my wife the right to property, claiming that she didn’t contribute to its making but I later found out this to be a negative way of thinking”, Dushimimana Emmanuel.

He added that some of his friends have changed attitude towards property sharing among spouses due to lessons learnt from the Umurage drama. Dushimimana further encourages other people to listen to the drama especially on issues related to child protection right from the time a mother conceives, the right to property by all spouses and their off springs.

Also a regular listener of umurage drama Umutoni Chance 27, a single mother abandoned by her husband in 2013 believes messages in Umurage drama have transformed her life. She lives in Rwanda’s Southern district of Kamonyi. Her lessons are depicted from one character Yabesi in the drama who is sometimes lured by a friend to cheat on his wife.

“After being abandoned by my husband, some of my friends started advising me to engage in prostitution as a way of getting support, but I have always rejected their advice and worked hard in the upbringing of my child I was abandoned with”. Said Umutoni.

It was through umurage drama that Umutoni Chance kept her stand firm to defend her rights when the man who left and went to live in Kigali city usually came to evict her from the property they used to share.

“Gone is the past, I now  know my rights, every time he tries to throw me out of the property, I take my case to local authorities who have always defended me”, added Umutoni proudly.

She further revealed how neighboring families affected by conflicts leading to divorce also learn many issues from the drama, including the respect for a girl child’s right to education.

“I have learnt to stand firm as a woman who knows her rights through all struggles”- Umutoni Chance added.