The Inside Scoop
Monday, 30 June 2014 08:43
The Story of Nardos Mamo - Betengna’s Welcomed Guest
Written by Meklit G.Michael
....Continued She was now helping her mother financially. Her life had changed. Although she hadn't stopped going to school, she was missing classes and her grades were going down. One day, out of the blue, he asked her to buy a dress fit for a great occasion and invite her closest friends to the city hall. The reason, he said, he was going to be featured in a theatre act at the city hall. Nardos and her friends were excited. They went to Mercato to buy dresses when she saw pictures of her boyfriend on posters all over music shops. Why was he famous? She didn't understand. What was his job? She didn't know. She didn't care much. At the city hall, he was wearing a suit and waiting for them with some of his friends. He told her right then and there that he wanted to tie the knot…
Published in The Inside Scoop
Friday, 27 June 2014 12:49
The Story of Nardos Mamo - Betengna’s Welcomed Guest
Written by Meklit G.Michael
Nardos, one of Betengna's diarists, was one of twelve children for her mother. She grew up in much poverty. Her mother, grandmother, two of her older brothers, Nardos and two of her younger siblings lived in their one-room home. Betenga radio diaries is an exceptional radio program in that true life stories of peope living with HIV are told by the diarists themselves, in their own voice, expressing their emotions. Nardos' mom, who was the bread winner, made her living by making enjera and cooking for other people. The family barely had anything to eat. They often times skipped meals because there was nothing to eat. One day, a neighbor, who had observed the dire situation at Nardos' house, informs the family of an opportunity to give some of the children to the government to be raised in an institution and go to school. It was after much reluctance that the…
Published in The Inside Scoop
Thursday, 28 November 2013 08:01
Betengna Celebrates 7th Year Anniversary
Written by Meklit G.Michael
Betengna Radio Diaries, the first radio diaries program in Ethiopia, celebrated its 7th year anniversary on September 30th, 2013 in the presence of its past diarists, members of the audience, radio station representatives and partner organizations. The program is implemented by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (JHU∙CCP) Ethiopia's EXCELERATE project with support from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). "Betengna", which refers to a welcomed guest who often visits one's home, takes real life stories of people living with HIV into the homes of listeners and provides a unique insight into what it really means to be HIV positive in Ethiopia. The anniversary, which was commemorated to honor the diarists, opened with a welcoming speech by Betengna's first two diarists. The diarists, Hiwot and Sirak, talked about the challenges they faced as the first ones to…
Published in The Inside Scoop
One Saturday morning, as Betengna radio diaries program was being aired on Debub radio, I was busy receiving listeners’ comments over the phone One caller had a very unusual tone. “Who is this” he asked. I told him that it was the program producer speaking. Immediately he demanded to talk to me in person. I was puzzled by the odd request. He said ‘please meet me and talk to me’. A bit apprehensive, I asked why he wanted to see me and where he lived. He lived in Hawassa and said he had something important to talk about. I was relived. If he were in Hawassa, I thought it would give me more time to think and get prepared to meet him. So, I told him that since I was in Addis and would see him once I got to Hawassa. After some hesitation, he started to tell me why…
Published in The Inside Scoop
Thursday, 16 May 2013 07:48
JHU.CCP Ethiopia Hosts Graduate Practicum Program
Written by Meklit G.Michael
“I’ve learned that developing [health communication materials] is not a haphazard process [but something] that needs time, care, critical thinking and creativity” Kenzudin Assefa, practicum participant. Kenzudin is one of eleven Health Education & Behavioral Science graduate students from Jimma University who came to the JHU.CCP Ethiopia field office for a two-week practicum on strategic health communication materials’ development. The practicum is part of a long-term capacity building arrangement with Jimma University’s Department of Health Education & Behavioral Science designed to supplement the theoretical studies of graduating students with hands-on practical experience developing print and radio materials. As part of the practicum the graduating students, were linked with various units at CCP to design, produce and pre-test radio and print materials to be used by the programs. Students were first given short presentations about CCP’s program areas and refresher trainings on the P-process, developing creative briefs, script writing for print…
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