Radio-friendly: Refrain of ‘hope’ reverberates through airwaves

Main purpose of the show is to inform people about available training facilities, and to break established stereotypes

PESHAWAR:

FM radio is used mostly as a source of entertainment, but militants in Swat recently used it to spread their ideology. Now, the youth of Khyber Agency are making use of the medium to address the grim situation in the tribal belt.

Asif Mohmand produces a 45-minute Pashto programme titled ‘Da Sokalay Tarron’, which is broadcast by Shalimar radio three times a week.

Mohmand said the main purpose behind the show was to inform the youth about training facilities available to develop skills, to break established stereotypes, and promote self-help so that they may not fall into the hands of militants.

The programme contains two feature reports from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), a discussion on youth affairs with guests, drama skits based on the current situation and a song titled ‘Hope’ prepared specially for the show.

Before initiating the project, the producers conducted a survey and found that for educated youngsters in Fata, joining the levies force was the only available job.

“They go with their documents and stand outside the political agent’s office for jobs. In the last four years, only a few hundred have been employed,” claimed Mohmand.

Assistant producer Attaullah Khan said: “The newspaper reading ratio is about 3-5%, while 15% of youth don’t know how to start any form of work.”

During their research, Khan said they found the radio to be the most feasible medium through which they could communicate and enlighten the people of Fata.

The show’s very first broadcast attracted 68 callers from different areas of the agency, with people discussing their problems and experts giving them advice, maintained Khan. “Our programme aims to show them (the people) the right path and our mission is to reach the maximum number of people.”

He said the project was funded by a media consultant organisation and will continue to be broadcasted as long as the funds are available.

The producers said over 40 skill development centres, established by the Fata Secretariat, impart training in vocational skills along with monthly stipends, but the youth is unaware of them. The radio show will provide information regarding the courses and facilities these institutes offer.

Khyber Agency mostly relies on mining, retail and cross border trade for its economic activities. However, deteriorating law and order in the region is seriously hampering investment in Fata.

The programme’s producers advocate provision of loans on easy conditions to enable the youth to run their own businesses. They said the government should provide entrepreneurship opportunities which will give rise to investment in social enterprises such as small scale clinics, hospitals, schools, etc.

The show will be useful in guiding youth towards employment opportunities, offering career counseling and fostering a self-help attitude.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2013.