Transforming stigma
CEO of Amplifying Voices Pakistan, Hazeen Latif, and I were talking recently about the feedback he hears from the Roshan Ghar project. He told me about *Nasrin’s journey from stigma to becoming a resilient ambassador of wellbeing for others. Hazeen can take the story from here …
(*Nasrin’s name has been changed in respect of her privacy)
Most of the feedback we receive from listeners through partner radio stations and on our own WhatsApp number is general appreciation — short messages like “good programme” or “thumbs up.” To understand our deeper impact, we began forming listener groups within the community. These groups provide honest reflections on how the radio programmes have influenced people’s lives.
One such story is that of *Nasrin, a resident of a village near Sargodha in Punjab.
*Nasrin’s story
Three years ago, *Nasrin joined our sewing center classes. She and her sister were among the most active and talented students. Whenever there was a community event, they volunteered enthusiastically. *Nasrin came from a conservative Muslim family. She shared recently that, before joining us, she had never interacted closely with Christians due to long-standing misconceptions she heard grew up.
Thalassemia
After her marriage, *Nasrin settled in the village with her husband, a scrap collector. Their eldest son, suffers from Thalassemia, a blood disorder that can lead to anemia. He required blood transfusions two to three times in a month. When her daughter, also began showing symptoms of anemia at 2 years old, *Nasrin was deeply worried and faced criticism from relatives who blamed her for the children’s health issues.
Our Roshan Ghar health worker, Rimshah, examined the girl and began treatment. We conducted a seminar on child anemia and stunted growth, explaining causes and prevention in simple language. Within weeks, the improvement in *Nasrin’s daughter amazed everyone — her recovery strengthened *Nasrin’s trust in our team and deepened her bond with us. She now regularly consults our health team before seeking other advice.
An ambassador for health
*Nasrin became a regular listener and promoter of our radio programmes, encouraging other families and relatives in nearby villages to listen as well.
In November last year, she gave birth to another baby boy, who was underweight and fragile. Doctors warned her of possible complications, which caused her great anxiety. But, thanks to the knowledge she had gained from our radio programmes and health seminars, *Nasrin applied better hygiene and nutrition practices for her children. She often told our team, “I heard on the radio about how to take care of young children and prevent blood deficiency.”
Today, *Nasrin happily reports that she has completely changed her way of living.
Resilient
“Before, we lived unaware that this disorder could be managed well,” she said. “We didn’t know much about hygiene or proper food. Now, I’ve adopted what I learned from your seminars, visits, and especially the radio programmes in Punjabi. I clean regularly, feed my children fruits, and focus on nutritious foods for blood health. Look — my daughter and newborn are healthy and safe from Thalassemia. Even my elder son, who needed transfusions two to three month, now only needs it once. We rarely fall sick, and when we do, we recover faster. Thank you, Rimshah.”
*Nasrin’s story reflects how community radio combined with local outreach can provide relevant, actionable advice that transforms not just individual lives but entire families — bringing lasting change through knowledge, trust, and empathy.