“Edutainment Changes Lives”
1.UMURAGE URUKWIYE
The journey starts with Umurage Urukwiye which means “Rwanda’s Brighter Future” PMC/UmC produced a 312-episode radio show aired April 16, 2007 through July 2009 in Kinyarwanda, Umurage Urukwiye was rebroadcast from October 2012 through October 2014.
Umurage Urukwiye aired three times per week on two radio stations: Contact FM and Radio Salus, the National University of Rwanda’s radio station. Due to the popularity and the continued importance of its messages, Umurage Urukwiye was rebroadcast from October 2012 – October 2014 on Radio Rwanda, which broadcasts throughout the entire country.
This Radio showed had main addressed issues such as; Adolescent Reproductive Health, Family Planning, Farming Practices, Financial Literacy and Independence, Gender Equality, HIV/AIDS, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition, Protection of Species, Reforestation and Reproductive Health.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
A nationwide survey conducted just after the original broadcast of Umurage Urukwiye showed;
Family Planning
- The likelihood of respondents saying they “currently use something to delay or avoid pregnancy was 1.6 times greater at end line compared to baseline
- The listeners were 1.6 times more likely than nonlisteners to say they talked in their spouse or partner “once or twice” or “more often” about family planning in the last three months
- Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than nonlisteners to want three or fewer children
- Listeners were 2.9 times more likely than nonlisteners to say “yes” when asked if they could obtain a condom themselves and wouldn’t need to rely on someone else.
- Listeners were 2.1 times more likely than nonlisteners to know of a place to get a female condom.
HIV/AIDS
- Listeners were 2 times more likely than nonlisteners to have heard about medication mothers can take to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS to a baby
- Listeners were 2.2 times more like than nonlisteners to say “yes” when asked, “apart from AIDS have you heard of sexually transmitted infections?”
- Listeners were 2.7 times more likely than nonlisteners to want to know their HIV status by getting a blood test
Preservation of Mountain Gorillas and Natural Resources
Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than nonlisteners to cite population growth as the primary cause of environmental degradation and loss of gorilla habitat
Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than nonlisteners to have talked with their spouse or partner in the past three months about the connection between family planning and conservation of natural resources.
Listeners were 3.4 times more likely than nonlisteners to know that the protection of gorillas and their habitat can reduce poverty and bring tourists
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2. IMPANO N’IMPAMBA
PMC/UmC produced Impano n’Impamba (“A Gift For Today That Will Last a Long Time”) in Rwanda. This 104-episode radio show aired from October 2014 through November 2015.Impano
PMC worked with its local team of administrators, writers, and producers to create a Rwandan NGO, Umurage Communication for Development, to oversee the production and broadcast of the radio show in Rwanda. Impano n’Impamba was broadcast on Radio Rwanda and on Radio Salus.
As with all PMC radio shows, Impano n’Impamba was created using PMC’s radio show methodology. (Link)
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Impano n’Impamba was broadcast on Radio Rwanda and Radio Salus. It is estimated that more than half a million Rwandans were loyal listeners of Impano n’Impamba. It cost $1.80 US to reach each loyal listener.
Family Planning
• Listeners were 4.1 times more likely than non-listeners to say they had heard of any methods of family planning.
• Listeners were 2.1 times more likely than non-listeners to know of a place where they could obtain family planning
• Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than non-listeners to say that their ideal family size was between zero and three children as opposed to four children or more
• Listeners were 4.2 times more likely than non-listeners to report discussing family planning with their spouse/partner three or more times in the past three months
• Listeners were 1.6 times more likely than non-listeners to report discussing family planning with their family, friends, and/or neighbors in the past three months
• Listeners were 1.4 times more likely than non-listeners to believe that people important to them seek information and advice about how to plan or prevent a pregnancy
• Listeners were 1.4 times more likely than non-listeners to say that they felt comfortable talking about menstruation
Gender Equity
• Listeners were 3.2 times more likely than non-listeners to disagree with the statement that “it is a waste of time and money to have girls study to a high level”
• Listeners were 1.7 times more likely than non-listeners to think that a woman has the right to refuse sex to her spouse/partner
• Listeners were 1.6 times more likely than non-listeners to disagree with the statement that “a woman must ask permission from her husband before leaving the house”
• Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than non-listeners to disagree with the statement that “a man is worth more than a woman”
Maternal and Child Health
• Listeners were 1.6 times more likely than non-listeners to know that the correct age to introduce curdled milk/yogurt, or cheese into an infant’s diet is six months
• Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than non-listeners to know the correct age to introduce fruit into an infant’s diet is six months
Sexual and Reproductive Health
• Listeners were 2.4 times more likely than non-listeners to reply that a person can contract AIDS by having unprotected sex with a person who has HIV/AIDS
• Listeners were 1.9 times more likely than non-listeners to know that consistently using a condom can prevent contracting HIV
• Listeners were 2.1 times more likely than non-listeners to know that using herbs from a traditional healer cannot reduce the risk of contracting HIV
• Listeners were 2 times more likely than non-listeners to say that a teacher living with HIV/AIDS should be allowed to teach
• Listeners were 1.8 times more likely than non-listeners to say that they would be willing to buy vegetables from a person living with HIV/AIDS
• Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than non-listeners to say they talk to their family, friends, and/or neighbors about HIV/AIDS
3. UMURAGE
PMC/UmC produced Umurage (“Inheritance for a Better Future”) in Rwanda. This 156-episode radio show aired from June 2017 through June 2018 in Kinyarwanda, one of Rwanda’s official languages.
Umurage aired three times a week on eight different radio stations in Rwanda as well as episodes uploaded to a Youtube channel. PMC worked with a team of local administrators to create a Rwandan NGO, Umurage Communication for Development (UmC), to oversee production and development of this show.
We are pleased to share the analyzed findings on Umurage drama below to understand how this entertaining show has impacted Rwandans in regards to child protection, family planning, reproductive health, nutrition, and gender-based violence.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Theme: Child Protection
- Listeners were 1.6 times more likely than non-listeners to report knowledge of at least one sign of sexual abuse of children.
- Listeners were 2.5 times more likely than non-listeners to state that a parent is not justified in hitting his/her children for any one of four reasons stated below.*
- *Reasons: 1) If they perform badly in school because of doing household chores, 2) If they disobey their parents, 3) If they are impolite to their parents, or 4) If they embarrassed the family.
- Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than non-listeners to state that people in their community report incidents of child labor to officials.
- Listeners were 1.6 times more likely than non-listeners to state that people in their community report incidents of rape and other sexual advances to officials.
- Listeners were 1.2 times more likely than non-listeners to say that they are very confident they can get child protection and other social services if they needed them.
- Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than non-listeners to say that they discuss child protection and other social welfare programs with their spouse/partner.
Theme: Youth Reproductive Health
- Listeners were 1.7 times more likely than non-listeners to say they have discussed risky behaviors related to early pregnancy in the last six months with their peers.
- Listeners were 3.9 times more likely than non-listeners to say they have discussed unsafe sex with their peers in the last 6 months.
- Listeners were 2.0 times more likely than non-listeners to say they have discussed dropping out of school due to pregnancy with their peers in the last 6 months.
- Listeners were 2.5 times more likely than non-listeners to say they have discussed having sex with older men/women with their peers in the last 6 months.
- Respondents who are parents of teenagers were asked whether they had discussed risky behaviors with their teenage children in the last six months, those who said “Yes” were asked, “How often?”: Listeners were 2.2 times more likely than non-listeners to say “Frequently.”
- Listeners were 1.3 times more likely than non-listeners to say they and their partner are currently doing something or using any method to delay or avoid pregnancy.
Theme: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)
- Listeners were 1.7 times more likely than non-listeners to say the “right to live free from violence” was a right of women and girls in Rwanda.
- Listeners were 1.2 times more likely than non-listeners to say the “right to own property” was a right of women and girls in Rwanda.
- Listeners were 1.9 times more likely than non-listeners to say they would “report the matter to village leader” if they witnessed a man beating his wife.
Question: “In your opinion, is a husband justified in hitting or beating his wife under any of the following circumstances?”:
- “If she neglects the children”
- Listeners were 2.4 times more likely than non-listeners to say “No” to the above response.
- “If she argues with him?”
- Listeners were 2 times more likely than non-listeners to say “No” to the above response.
- “If she refuses to have sex with him?”
- Listeners were 1.9 times more likely than non-listeners to say “No” to the above response.
- “If she burns the food?”
- Listeners were 1.9 times more likely than non-listeners to say “No” to the above response.
Theme: Nutrition
- Listeners were 1.7 times more likely than non-listeners to say providing foods from different food groups/sources to children aged 6-23 months “prevent malnutrition.”
- Listeners were 1.8 times more likely than non-listeners to say providing foods from different food groups/sources to children aged 6-23 months “prevents stunted growth.”
- Listeners were 2.1 times more likely than non-listeners to say monitoring growth at growth monitoring stations will help “children will grow up healthy.”
- Listeners were 1.7 times more likely than non-listeners to say monitoring growth at growth monitoring stations will “prevent malnutrition.”
- Listeners were 1.3 times more likely than non-listeners to say monitoring growth at growth monitoring stations will “prevent Kwashiorkor” (edematous malnutrition).
- Listeners were 1.3 times more likely than non-listeners to say “Yes” that children 6-23 months old should be fed a balanced diet to prevent malnutrition and kwashiorkor.
4.UMURAGE 2
PMC produced Umurage 2 (“Inheritance for a Better Future”) in Rwanda. This 54-episode radio show aired from November 2018 through May 2019 and is currently rebroadcasting in Kinyarwanda, one of Rwanda’s official languages.
Umurage 2 built and expanded on PMC’s popular Umurage that aired in June 2017-June 2018. Umurage 2 aired two times a week, with an additional rebroadcast of the same episodes on the same week, on five different radio stations in Rwanda. It is also accessible through Youtube, Facebook, and WhatsApp. PMC worked with a team of local administrators to create a Rwandan NGO, Umurage Communication for Development (UmC), to oversee the production and development of this radio show.
Umurage aired three times a week on eight different radio stations in Rwanda as well as episodes uploaded to the different social media platforms
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Umurage 2 had a rate of over 71% listenership on different radio stations, with approximately 3.5 million loyal listeners.
THIS PROJECT FUNDED BY