Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– For the first time ever, popular cartoon characters Meena, Mithu and Raju have gone live on radio as presenters interacting live with other children.
This initiative, the first of its kind, led by UNICEF Bangladesh in partnership with ABC Radio FM 89.2, has been taken to provide a platform for children, especially vulnerable and marginalized children to air their views and concerns on a national platform through a live children’s show for two hours every weekend with Meena, Mithu and Raju as radio presenters.
“Meena is an iconic cartoon character who was born in Bangladesh in 1991 after years of research. She is now a daughter not only of Bangladesh but the whole of South Asia. She talks about issues affecting girl children in particular, such as education, early marriage, and unequal distribution of household chores,” said Pascal Villeneuve, UNICEF Bangladesh Representative.
He hoped that with Meena going live on radio, she will be able to provide positive and instant solutions to problems faced by the child audience and participants and be able to add more value to her already-iconic brand image by providing fun and entertainment.
The live radio show with Meena, Mithu and Raju will be broadcast by ABC Radio FM 89.2 for two hours every weekend (Friday) for the next six months which is designed and conducted by children.
It is expected that through this live radio program children will be able to express their opinions and problems through phone calls and at the same time they will be encouraged to send SMS using mobile phones during the weekdays, from which selected text messages will be addressed during the immediate next show.
Sanaullah Lablu, Chief Operating Officer of ABC Radio said, “We are really proud to be a part of this unique initiative to let children talk to Meena, Mithu and Raju live and we hope that this will become a national platform for children to express themselves”.
Meena is a nine-year-old animated character who speaks about important social issues in a way that children can relate to and who is equally capable of speaking to adults. As a result, Meena has become a symbol for girl and children’s rights in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, among others.
BBN/SSR/AD-27July12-3:55 pm (BST)
