Naway Saher – Charsadda, Pakistan

In a village near Charsadda, in north west Pakistan, Amplifying Voices Pakistan has trained community volunteers to produce community-centred radio programmes. The programmes tackle issues raised by community members, and encourage everybody to be involved in dialogue. Naway Saher is breaking down barriers between community groups that were traditionally separated by cultural and religious factors. This project, which started in response to floods in 2010, combines on-air and off-air activities to promote health, dialogue and inclusion.

What: Naway Saher, Pashto for ‘New Dawn’ is a Community services group working as CBO for resolving issues and community matters along with having youth mobilizing programme. Naway Saher activities include:

• FM radio programme which is run by community, produced by the community.

• New production team of community volunteers (men and women) trained to produce content for FM radio programmes.

• Youth sport programme started daily in the evening from October 2018.

• Health service clinic for poor patients with free medicine donated by friends, and mobile motorbike service.

• Community health slips with minimum charges for medicine and check up.

• Clean water well for communities

Outcomes: Community members are gathering together to listen to radio

Community members are discussing health hygiene issues they hear on the radio and making changes to practice.

Community members are motivated to be included in creating programming that addresses local issues.

Women and young girls are participating in community health education and in radio production.

Our Role: Facilitation, project design, consultancy, training of community members.