Vila Pisa Bem: Landmine Love Story

A young women returns home to find her village in the midst of a delicate transformation. Then her young brother's disappearance starts a chain of events that turns her whole world upside down. Step into a world of unseen dangers, feel the pain of passion, and find love in the most unlikely places. This 6-part radio drama aired on 30 radios in Mozambique to raise awareness about the long-term impact of landmines.

As part of the initiative to deal with the continuing landmine problem facing Mozambique, especially for those living in rural areas, the serial radio drama seeks to raise awareness, disseminate information and encourage safe behaviours in landmine contaminated regions. It also aims to increase awareness of the Mine Ban Treaty and Mozambique's deadline to remove all anti-personnel mines by 2014, and encourage people to push government to meet the deadline.

The storyline focuses on a fictional rural village, Vila Pisa Bem (Step Well village) around which a demining operation is in progress. The central characters are a young village woman who has returned from college in the city for school holidays and a young deminer.

Through the situations they face – the search for a missing brother, the antics of well-meaning friends who try, but repeatedly fail, to set them up, a land mine accident, and heavy rain that cuts the village off from the main road to town - the two young people and the community learn about love, dealing with life in a mined community, and the importance of a world without mines.

Considering that radio is still the best way to reach the majority of people in Mozambique, as television or internet penetration is very low outside major cities, the six-episode drama, with each chapter running for 8-10 minutes will be aired in Mozambique on 30 community radio stations in four key languages, in the second half of 2009. With the majority of the population in landmines affected areas speaking Portuguese, Shangaan, Sena and Macua these languages have been selected as relevant languages for the drama.

Whats been Said

Radio Homoine em inhambane
The district of homoine suffered the most with mines because of the war that the country had that lasted for 16 years. And until now there are still zones that have mine and by listening to the drama they will be more aware.

Radio nova na Zambezia
In general the listeners of this station all liked the programme. They said it was very motivating; they mostly use radio because television hasn’t reached there yet. It’s a very nice prevention programme.

Radio Vembe em Gaza
Listeners didn’t only approve of the programme, they also asked for more programmes like this one because they would like more information so that they can also alert and teach more friends and family that are living in other places. This program was so important to the radio that the radio sparked interest in doing something like it.

Radio Watane em Nampula
We had a lot of complaints from our listeners; they said that we shouldn’t only put the programme on air on weekends. They want it every day so that it reaches all the communities. It was also nice to see that they used the local leaders to talk about the programme. The radio should air the programme always because it brought a positive impact.

Radio Catandica em Manica
The programme had incredible impact because the local population was in need of a programme similar to this, because besides being a radio soap opera that is helpful, it also entertains and encourages people in communities here, because you hear more radio than TV. The listeners also said that the programme was good, educational, and useful for the community and that it should continue for much longer.

Radio Cascata em Namaacha
The initiative was very good; the drama was well received and has increased the work of deactivation of explosive devices in the neighborhood on the outskirts of Mandev Namaacha. The local people say that the radio quoted the letter and appreciates the fact that in addition to receiving the spots, they have received three t-shirts that were distributed to support staffs, who were undoubtedly very motivated to work, hence to the coordinator that the message was clear and think that people were touched.

Rádio Cuamba em Niassa
The programme is very good, because it is educational, and knowing that our people depend on agriculture, and are a nomadic people regarding the use and enjoyment of land, because there are more than 2 years in the same farm and this in itself represents a great danger because the farmers are going further and further away each time they change their farm.

Rádio Kussinkga em Inhambane
Radio Kussinkga had a success, winning a lot of audience because in the area there are still many concerns about the [mine] affected areas.The radio found itself inundated by people who wanted to learn more about the mines, the various types of explosive devices, each time the drama was aired, which leads us to a lesson for future programmes - the programme producers are also able to respond properly, since the radio producers, broadcasters also play an important role in the life of those communities, with regard to education., awareness etc.

HEARINGS

OF THE COMMUNITY RADIOS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE DISCLOSURE

OF THE RADIO DRAMA VILA PISA BEM

Fonte: INE