Executive Summary
Since March 2020, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has been implementing awareness building campaign on COVID – 19 by mobilizing the community radios in Bangladesh. Initially, the campaign focused on animating CSOs, Government, health service providers and communities for reinforcing collective action, keeping community people’s daily life normal and livelihood function and mobilize further cooperation among government, CSOs, local market and communities’ response. Later after, BNNRC focused on enhancing the capabilities of affected communities through an equity lens for adapting with the new normal situation, capabilities of broadcasters and stakeholders for building resilience, and accelerating of ICT applications for benefitting community people in all aspects of life, and effective public access to reliable and timely information through ICT and media for countering infodemic and keeping lives & livelihood easy.
Initially, facing an unknown new virus, the Bangladesh government fell in a troublesome situation to control the spreading of pandemic COVID – 19 with limited resources, health service support, and manpower. Government took all precautionary measures to combat it and tried to buy vaccines but due to its huge demand, production and supply of ingredients, didn’t get desired vaccines timely.
COVID – 19 vaccination for citizens 40 years and above were initiated in early 2021. Government invited the citizens for registering them to get vaccines. But the rural communities especially the Dalits, illiterate people, and hard-to-reach communities remained untouched due to lack of ICT literacy and access to online. Besides, some social miscreants were also demotivating the people with rumors, misinformation, mal-information, and disinformation against COVID – 19 vaccine and vaccination. So, a huge number of people didn’t register them.
Addressing the situation, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) initiated a campaign on COVID – 19 vaccination through Community Radios in Bangladesh. First, BNNRC, has been animated the CSOs, social & religious leaders, Government health service providers, public representatives and media activists to connect the Dalits, illiterate people, and hard-to-reach people who doesn’t have digital device and ICT literacy.
Geographic Region
Community Radios broadcast programs from 16 districts, covering 7 divisional geographic regions namely Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Dhaka, Sylhet and Chattogram in Bangladesh. Literacy rates, culture, dialect, ritual norms, profession and fashion of communication of these regions are different but the need is similar and almost same. This project was designed to address the need of all seven regions and its communities to prevent the threat of COVID – 19.
Target beneficiaries’ group (s)
The project aims to make the community people aware and engage them to prevent the contamination of pandemic COVID – 19 collectively for ensuring vaccination especially to the Dalits, marginalized and hard-to-reach communities. 19 community radio stations are reaching approximately 10 million people through this campaign program. The target of the project is the whole community who are eligible for vaccination in the radio broadcast areas.
Partnership
Since 2020, BNNRC has been providing support to the community radios in capacity building of the broadcasters and station management to address the challenge of COVID -19 pandemic. 19 Community Radios has been implementing the project located in 19 different Upazilas in Bangladesh. The details of the stations are-
- Community Radio Padma 99.2FM, Monafer Morh, Rajshahi
Email: radiopadma@gmail.com
- Community Radio Nalta 99.2FM, Kaligonj, Satkhira
Email: info_radionalta@naltahospital.org.bd
- Community Radio Lokobetar 99.2FM, Barguna Sadar, Barguna
Email: lokobetar@gmail.com
- Community Radio Pollikontho 99.2FM, Matarkapon, Moulvibazar
Email: pollikontho@gmail.com
- Community Radio Sagor Giri 99.2FM, Sitakunda, Chattogram
Email: sagorgiri@gmail.com
- Community Radio Mahananda 98.8FM , Belepukur, Chapai Nawabgonj
Email: sm@radiomahananda.fm
- Community Radio Mukti 99.2FM, Maloti Nagar, Bogura
Email: news.rmfm.bd@gmail.com
- Community Radio Chilmari 99.2FM, Chilmari, Kurigram
Email: radiochilmari@gmail.com
- Community Radio Jhenuk 99.2FM, Pabahati, Jhenaidah
Email: radiojhenuk@gmail.com
- Community Radio Krishi 99.8FM, Amtoli, Barguna
Email: krishiradioais@gmail.com
- Community Radio Naf 99.2FM, Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar
Email: radionaf@gmail.com
- Community Radio Borendro 99.2FM, Naogaon Sadar, Naogoan
Email: 99.20fm@gmail.com, info.borendroradio@gmail.com
- Community Radio Bikrampur 99.2FM, Dewbhogh, Munshigonj
Email: radio@ecbangladesh.org
- Community Radio Meghna 99.0FM, Charfashion, Bhola
Email: info@radiomeghna.net
- Community Radio Sagordwip 99.2FM, Hatiya, Noakhali
Email: radioshagordwip@gmail.com
- Community Radio Sarabela 98.8FM, Radhakrishnapur, Gaibandha
Email: radiosarabela@gmail.com
- Community Radio Boral 99.0FM, Bagha, Rajshahi
Email radioboral.program@gmail.com, sm@radioboral.org
- Community Online visual Radio Dwip, Sandwip, Chattogram
Email: radiodwip.ypsa2020@gmail.com
- Community Online visual Radio Voirob, Bagerhat Sadar, Bagerhat.
Email: radiovoirob19@gmail.com
Overview of the program
Combating COVID – 19 pandemic BNNRC has been implementing the project titled “Inclusion of Disadvantage Communities in COVID – 19 Vaccination through Community Radios in Bangladesh”. The project has been implementing through 17 community radios and 2 online visual radios, aims to upgrade the capacities of the radio broadcasters, animate all related stakeholders for collective initiatives, maintain health protocols, ensure vaccination for all especially the Dalits and hard-to-reach people, and make community lives and livelihoods functional. Besides, mobilize further cooperation among government, CSOs, local market and communities’ response for meeting the upcoming challenges and unknown shocks.
Government took all precautionary measures, explored and bought vaccines from the reliable producers but due to its huge demand, limited production and supply of ingredients, didn’t get the expected numbers of vaccines timely. It created a troublesome situation for the government. In early 2021, finally, COVID – 19 vaccination for citizens 40 years and above were initiated in Bangladesh. Government invited the citizens for registering them to get vaccines. But the rural communities especially the Dalits, illiterate people, and hard-to-reach communities remained untouched due to lack of ICT literacy and access to online. Besides, some social miscreants were also demotivating the people with rumors, misinformation, mal-information, and disinformation against COVID – 19 vaccine and vaccination. So, a huge number of people didn’t do registration. Addressing the challenge, BNNRC initiated a campaign on COVID – 19 vaccine through community radios to mobilize the communities by animating CSOs, Government officials, health service providers, community leaders, public representatives and media to take collective efforts to connect the Dalits and hard-to-reach communities. Hence, BNNRC mobilized and oriented the broadcasters on COVID – 19 vaccination campaign, developed program outlines by following the guidelines of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), WHO and CDC.
Radios developed and broadcasted Public Service Announcements (PSA), radio spots, songs, interviews (Local corona committee, health experts, service providers and local administration), radio magazine and live phone-in program. In live phone-in program, a doctor facilitate program where audiences get opportunity to raise issues, queries and questions. Doctor attended the audiences and explained the symptoms, precautionary steps, treatment, available services & supports, and the importance of COVID – 19 vaccine, etc.
BNNRC has been coordinating the program centrally and providing necessary support to broadcasters. A total of 90 trained broadcasters along with 1000 volunteer are now capable and confident enough to develop and broadcast contents on COVID – 19 including vaccination. The program connects approximately 10 million audiences in rural Bangladesh and engage them to prevent COVID -19 pandemic collectively and ensuring vaccination for all covering the Dalits and hard-to-reach communities as well.
Radio programs influence over the community people and makes people conscious to reject misinformation and rumour, and get vaccination. Radios has been highlighted the local problems and challenges too. Thus, community radios become the reliable source of information to the communities. Radios continue broadcasting programs and streams the same on Facebook live.
Project Duration
January 01, 2021, to December 31, 2021
Project Goal:
Building awareness of the rural communities on COVID -19 pandemic and importance of vaccine through Community Radios in Bangladesh
Objectives:
- To foster public debate among CSOs, Government, health service providers and communities for reinforcing collective action
- To mobilize the Dalit and hard to reach peoples for registering and getting vaccine
- To mobilize the communities especially the Dalits and hard to reach people by using radio and social media.
Achievement during the reporting period:
The activities of the project were designed by following the health guidelines of the Ministry of Health, IEDCR, WHO, and CDC, and through the virtual and offline application. It was indeed a new experience for the community radio broadcasters but have overcome the situation confidently and successfully. The project has completed on December 31, 2021.
The project aimed to animate and engage the GoB officials, Health service providers, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), public representatives and community people for combating the pandemic collectively and ensure vaccination especially the Dalits and hard-to-reach communities. The priority of the programs was making people aware on the harmful effects of the pandemic in personal, family and community life and getting vaccination. A total of 10 million audiences have connected through this activity covering the Dalits and hard-to-reach untouched people. The details achievements were described below:
Project Briefing: The project implementation was started with a zoom briefing session for the radio broadcasters. The goal, objectives, activities and strategies of the project were shared in details including the roles and responsibilities of the broadcasters.
Vaccine Registration Center: Community radios mobilized the local government administration and form temporary Vaccine registration centers at the remotest and hard-to-reach areas with the support of local Corona Committee, local government, radio listener clubs, and radio volunteer. The information/message was disseminated through radios and miking arranged by the local mosque and administration. Radio volunteer have also made visit to communities and motivated the local leaders for inspiring the people to visit the vaccine registration centers for enlisted their name. The response was very satisfactory the eligible people came to the registration centers along with their spouse and registered them too.
Hello Doctor (Phone in Program): BNNRC has developed and shared an outline of the live phone-in program “Hello Doctor”. A doctor has facilitated the live phone-in program and explained local COVID -19 situation with possible measures and the importance of COVID vaccination. Focus of the program were getting vaccination and also wearing mash, frequent handwashing and not to pay attention on the misinformation, rumor and fake news. S/he explained the scientific and acceptable explanations and proofs against the fake news, rumors and misinformation on COVID – 19 vaccination. The program streamed live on the Facebook and You tube IDs of the radios. The audiences have had space to raise their queries and questions to the doctor over phone calls, SMS and FB comments and the doctor attended those accordingly. The programs broadcasted fortnightly with repetition on the following day by radios’ own management.
Initially, it was very tough to convince the local doctors to facilitate the live program as they were very busy with their regular duties. With the help of local Corona Control Committee and Civil Surgeon finally the doctors were convinced and participated in the program. The scope to talk with the doctor direct has made the program popular and the program became the most popular one. Some doctors from outside broadcasting areas like- Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi and other divisions have also facilitated the live program virtually. The duration of the program was 45 minutes to 60 minutes. A total of 12,307 listeners have made phone calls and sent 14, 672 SMSs to the facilitators during the live phone-in programs. Besides, 1,37,449 Facebook users have reacted, 5,471 have made comments and 2,197 have shared the program in their Facebook pages. A total of 4,18,273 FB users have viewed the Facebook streaming.
Interview: Broadcasters have captured interviews of local government officials, Corona Prevention Committees, law and enforcement authorities, public representatives, CSOs, health service providers, business communities, journalists, teachers, social and religious leaders, celebrities and Corona victims and broadcasted those accordingly. The focuses of the interview were the importance of COVID – 19 vaccine, registration for vaccination, vaccination points, etc. Interviews were broadcasting by blending in radio magazines and separately.
Radio Magazine: The radios have developed and broadcasted the programs in a mix of narration, Voxpop, songs, radio spots, interviews, PSAs and reactions of communities. Message and rationales for protecting the contamination of COVID – 19, avoiding fake news, rumors and misinformation and importance of vaccination. Programs were on-aired on fortnightly with a repetition. The programs were also streamed live through Facebook and You tube pages of the radio stations.
Jingles and Public Service Announcement (PSA): Radios have developed 300 PSAs and jingles by following the guideline of IEDCR, CDC, UNICEF, WHO and 31 instruction of Prime Minister and broadcasted in the prime air times of the radios. They also broadcasted the PSAs and jingles frequently and it was more than 5 times daily. PSAs were also blended in radio magazines.
Radio Spots: Radios have developed and broadcasted 60 radio spots on vaccination. The radio spots were broadcasted 5-8 times daily. The spots covered the precautionary measures to protect contamination, wearing mask, maintaining social distance, handwash, vaccination and hazards of daily life and livelihoods.
Facebook Live Streaming: Audiences have space to raise queries during “Hello Doctor” live broadcast. Considering the trend of the audiences, the project has given special focus on connecting more audiences and started program broadcast visually through Facebook live streaming simultaneously with regular radio airing. It was observed that the response of audience on face book live streaming was more attractive than the regular radio broadcast. Audiences felt comfort to raise queries and questions on Face book than phone calls and SMSs. The queries and questions raised on Face Book were more specific and save time and make the program available for them.
A total of 1,37,449 Facebook users have reacted on our live streaming, 5,471 have made comments and 2,197 have shared the program in their Facebook pages and 4,18,273 FB users have viewed the Facebook streaming.
Program Coordination Meeting, Monitoring and follow up: A series of Zoom meetings have been organized for the radio Broadcasters, Station Manager and project focal fortnightly. Broadcasters have shared the updates of the program, learning, challenges faced at station level. Program Coordinator also follow up of progress over phone calls and provide necessary Feedback to the radio team and also shared the updates of program implementation with the American Center team periodically.
Replicability
This is absolutely a community based on-demand project with a common issue. The project has been addressing the problem successfully by animating all stakeholders of the society and government officials. So, the project is replicable all over the world and where radio weave, and or Social Media (SM) and community organizations are existing. The project activities can be run by the train-up community broadcasters, volunteer and radio listener club members. Therefore, the radio broadcasters, volunteer and Social Media users need capacity building training to upgrade their skills first so that they can run the program locally without any technical support.
Sustainability
COVID -19 pandemic is a global concern. The project addresses COVID -19 treats especially promoting vaccination program locally and by engaging the community and other stakeholders including government service providers. Most of the people are now using mobile phone sets with options of FM radio and internet. So, applying the same strategy, the project will be replicated and sustained in any part of the world where there is a community and the threat exists.
“Prevention is better than cure” so the community radios can start awareness building campaign in an advance of any kind of threats and disaster situation by their own management. The trained broadcasters are aware enough to contact with the reliable sources of information, related government service points and other private initiators. The radios can also run any on-demand campaign by blending the issues and information with other contents.
WSIS values promotion
Through this intervention, WSIS values in Bangladeshi communities are strongly adhered to and promoted extensively. This is done through increasing community awareness especially for taking appropriate actions and preventive measures to prevent pandemic or any disaster collectively.
WSIS Action Lines
This project addresses the WSIS Action Line C4 – Capacity Building (Capacity building of the radio broadcasters on virtual broadcasting and Community on health protocol) and C7 – ICT Applications: e-health benefits in all aspects of life (Meeting e-Health: promote collaborative efforts of governments, planners, health professionals, and other agencies.)
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
The project directly links with: SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 10 & SDG 17
Contribution to the implementations of WSIS Action Lines and the Sustainable Development Goals
The project directly links with:
SDG – 3: Ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. COVID – 19 pandemic is an unknown disease and a global concern which disrupts the lives and livelihoods. The project successfully building awareness of the community and connected the Dalits and hard-to-reach people to follow health protocols and get vaccine as well.
SDG – 4: Quality Education- Educating the marginalized community and include them in the vaccination program by following the procedure.
SDG – 5: Gender equality – The project successfully connected women of the hardcore communities and ensure vaccination.
SDG – 10: Reduce inequalities in other words- living no one behind. The project has successfully connected the Dalits and hard-to-reach peoples for getting access to COVID – 19 vaccination.
SDG – 17: The project focused to animate all the stakeholders to combat COVID – 19 through initiating collective efforts and partnerships for achieving the goal.
This project addresses the WSIS Action Line
C4 – Capacity Building. Project provided capacity building training to the radio broadcasters on virtual broadcasting by using ICT and Community people on health guidelines and protocol to follow.
C7 – ICT Applications: e-health benefits in all aspects of life (Meeting e-Health: promote collaborative efforts of governments, planners, health professionals and other agencies). Doctors explains COVID – 19 situation, syndrome, preventive measures and available services and supports through radio live phone in program virtually and motivated the communities for getting vaccine by registering them through online.
Impact
- The Dalits, hard-to-reach and digitally illiterate communities can register them for getting vaccination with the help of volunteer, health service providers and neighbours.
- CSOs, Government, health service providers, broadcasters and community people are working jointly to combat COVID – 19 and ensure vaccination.
- Rumour, misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information on COVID vaccination has been minimized by the collective initiatives of Government, CSOs, communities and other stakeholders.
- The number of vaccinations is increasing day by day in the broadcasting areas.
- Radio listeners are sharing queries and Feedback on vaccination by making phone calls and sending SMS during the live broadcasting and share reactions on the Facebook page.
Challenges
- The Dalits and hard-to-reach communities do not have appropriate digital device and don’t know digital illiteracy. So, it was a cumbersome business for registering them for getting vaccine.
- Mobilizing the community to visit the mobile vaccine registration points/centers.
- Poor internet service was a problem to access in the vaccine registration website.
- Doctors were very busy with their routine work and difficult to participate in live phone in program. Sometimes, they couldn’t able to facilitate the live program due to poor internet service too.
Extended description
The activities of the program have animated the whole community, stakeholders and health service providers.
- Community Radios have been broadcasting live phone-in program fortnightly where a doctor explained the importance of vaccine to prevent COVID – 19 contamination and suggested them to do registration for vaccination, visit government health service providers and service delivery points for getting vaccine. 40-50 doctors have been facilitating the live phone-in program to attend the queries related to COVID – 19 pandemic and Vaccination.
- 90 trained up broadcasters are capable enough to develop and broadcast campaign program virtually on COVID -19 vaccination independently.
- 1000 community radio volunteer are ready to help the hardcore people for registering them to get vaccine.
- The project connected 10 million community people and mobilize them for registering their name to get vaccine.
- Community radio broadcasters have been meeting fortnightly virtually to share their experiences and learnings to others for Feedback and suggestion.
- Community radios have been broadcasting local COVID news, Public Service Announcements (PSA), radio spots, interviews of Health experts & service providers, CSOs, public representatives and victims, drama and songs on COVID vaccination program.
- Approximately, 12,000 audiences have made phone calls and 15,529 audiences have sent SMS to the doctor during the live broadcast program to raise COVID related issues and queries to the doctor and s/he addressed them accordingly.
The programs were streamed live on the radio, radio broadcasters and volunteer’s Facebook page where-
- More than 150,000 viewers have reacted on the program
- 6,000+ viewers have expressed their comments on the program and the content.
- 418,273 viewers have viewed the program during the live streaming.
- Doctor addressed the queries of audiences spontaneously and or in the next program.
- More than 2,500 viewers have shared the program on their Facebook page.