Mexico has been one of the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic: it has one of the highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world.

In May 2020, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Mexico and TfaC began partnership discussions involving the use of TfaC’s Interactive Radio Drama (IRD) approach to support UNICEF’s work supporting children affected by COVID-19 in Mexico.

These conversations developed into a partnership project involving UNICEF, TfaC, the Asociacion Mundial de Radios Comunitarias (AMARC) – a network of community radio stations across Mexico – and La Voladora Radio 97.3 FM, a community radio station in Amecameca, which was chosen to produce and present the programmes on live radio.

In October-November 2020, TfaC trainer Rebecca Bogue, with support from TfaC’s New Partnerships Programme Manager Ryan Borcherding, delivered online training to ten participants who formed the project’s Core Radio Team. The aim of the training was to equip the team with the knowledge, skills and confidence to produce an IRD series that advocated for the health, education and safety needs of children affected by COVID-19 in Mexico.

The result was the production of an original IRD series called Cuando Todo Pase: Voces en la Pandemia, or When Everything Happens: Voices from the Pandemic, which is now being broadcast through AMARC’s network of community radio stations to a national listening audience.

This project is a milestone for TfaC, as it is our first partnership project ever to be delivered entirely online, as well as the first time that IRD has been used in Latin America.

The TfaC-trained IRD team during a live broadcast.

What Listeners are Saying:

“I really like how the programmes are addressing the issues of education and family in times of COVID.” – Vero

“Great programme! It is good to generate the technique of empathy with people. Millions of children in Mexico do not even have the minimum materials required for their education, and now with the pandemic, the situation is even worse.” – Karla

“Greetings. I think [IRD] is an excellent method for understanding many situations that parents are facing during the pandemic.” – Jacobo

“How sad that parents disregard the education of their children and especially their daughters. This story touched many of us. We can change the situation of our sons and daughters and we can help create a better future for them.” – Manualitas

“I am a grandmother and I saw myself reflected in everything they have said [in the drama]. I hope the teachers of my grandchildren were listening.” – Margarita

“I’m listening to the programme and […] I finally understand the importance of us parents in the education of our children.” – Raquel

 

IRD performers interacting with a caller during a live broadcast.

 

Below is an original poster designed by La Voladora Radio advertising the launch of the radio broadcasts.

 

 

← Previous → Next