Get Lifesaving Information to Rohingya Refugees

Our team in Cox’s Bazar reached a milestone by airing its 20^th episode of the weekly radio and podcast show, Shantir Lai Kotha Koi (Talking Peace). The program brings together members of the Bangladeshi and Rohingya communities to discuss shared issues. Their 20^th episode focused on food security during monsoons. In addition to airing on local radio, community listening groups are able to gather in the refugee camp to hear it as a downloaded podcast—ensuring that it reaches people who may not have access to the radio or missed its original airing.

New Survey Shows Improved Access to Information

Last October, the Internews team conducted an Information Needs Assessment in Cox’s Bazar that found only 23% of respondents felt they had enough information to make good decisions for themselves and their families. In July, in partnership with Internews and Translators without Borders, BBC Media Action conducted a new survey and found that 84% of respondents now feel they have enough information to make decisions. 75% of respondents also replied that it is easier to access information in the past six months. The full survey results and report from July are linked below.

Flying News Bulletin 2

Flying News bulletins track and dispel rumors in and around Cox’s Bazar. The July issue is available to read online in English, Bangla, and Burmese. Since Rohingya is a mostly oral language, the information is also shared through an audio program called Bala-Bura, which is shared with listening groups in the refugee community. The July issue discussed food safety and rations, human trafficking, and extortion. To read more click on the link below.

Links:

• July 2018 Information Needs Evaluation by BBC Media Action
• Flying News Issue #02

Over the past few months, Internews' work in and around Cox's Bazar with Rohingya refugees has continued to grow and evolve to meet needs on the ground. We've been able to build out three programs to share critical information, address rumors, and diffuse tensions between refugee and host communities.

Flying News: Rumor Tracking Bulletins

The Flying News Rumor Tracking bulletin captures rumors and perceptions of Rohingya Refugees to eliminate information gaps between the humanitatian agencies and refugees. They are published in Banlga and English and you can read the June edition, along with more information about how they are developed, at the link below.

Bala Bura Narrowcast Audio Program

There are now 20 Rohingya Community Correspondents, half of whom are women, working together to produce a localized audio program called Bala Bura, which means, Good-Bad, as in How are things--good or bad? To reach as many people as possible, the team walks around the camp and sets up speakers to play the program in public places. You can read a full article and see photos of the correspondents in action, at the link below. 

Shantir Lai Kotha Koi: Talking Peace

In addition to Bala Bura, another team of 12 correspondents, half Bangladeshi and half Rohingya, are working together to produce a program broadcast on Radio Naf to address critical local issues, rumors, and tensions that affect the host and refugee communities. a full article about the program is below as well. 

None of this would have been possible without the support of GlobalGiving and people like you, who believe in this work. Thank you!

Links:

• Flying News Rumor Tracking Bulletins
• Read More About Bala Bura Audio Program
• Read More About Shantir Lai Kotha Koi