New BBC Somali radio series addresses drought

A unique new series, Ogaal, that will help Somalis cope during the current drought, begins on Tuesday 3 October on BBC Somali.

Ogaal will air three times a week, at 5.40pm EAT on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and each show will be 15 mins long. All of the programmes will also be available online at bbc.com/somali

Listeners will hear stories from all parts of the country about the impact of the drought and reports of how humanitarian bodies, the authorities and the affected communities themselves are responding.

The series is a collaboration from BBC Somali , Radio Ergo, and BBC Media Action and will contain a dedicated segment in each edition that will provide lifeline information. This will include advice on what plans people can put in place to deal with the drought and potential lack of food - and provide examples from what is working elsewhere in the country.

Abdullahi Abdi, BBC Somali Editor said: “BBC Somali’s ongoing commitment to telling the stories of its audience as well as bringing them impartial, accurate reporting is furthered by this great collaboration. This programme will enable us to show theway to survival to the most vulnerable people at this difficult time of drought.”

Angela Muriithi, Country Director Somalia for BBC Media Action, said: “Information is a vital form of humanitarian aid. In light of this, BBC Media Action’s collaboration with BBC Somali Service and Radio Ergo to produce Ogaal is a crucial step in helping the 6.2 million Somalis affected by the on-going drought to get answers to basic questions they have on how to survive and cope with the crisis. Questions like how do I find food? How do I know my child is malnourished and needs medical attention? What can I do with the types of food that I do have? How do I prioritise use of the little water I have? As well as broader questions about the humanitarian situation in general and what the government and the international community is doing about it. The programme will also allow the real voices of people who are affected by the crisis and how they are coping to be heard – providing a sense of psychosocial support to many affected listeners.”

Radio Ergo is run by the NGO, International Media Support (IMS). Louise Tunbridge, IMS Programme Manager, said: “We are delighted to launch this collaboration in the interests of Somali audiences, who need all the information they can get to help them through these extremely tough times of drought and related hardships. The Ogaal programme brings together our respective strengths and allows the voices and information gathered by Radio Ergo reporters from all over Somalia to be shared among as wide an audience as possible.”