When COVID-19 struck Zambia in March, vital health information was being shared in English — but not in the more than 70 other languages people in the country speak. This Catholic nun is changing that with a radio talk show — and a sense of humor.
Much of the vital health information surrounding the disease was being shared English, says Banda, who lives in the capital city of Lusaka.
So Banda hatched a plan. She'd host a live radio show to share information about the novel coronavirus in local languages. For example: If one panelist presented a fact in Ila, the next would translate the key point to their language — perhaps, Bemba. Banda says because the panelists can understand each other, leapfrogging from language to language in this manner wasn't difficult. As for audience members, she says people simply followed along with the languages they understood.
Listeners shared stories of the best practices implemented in their communities and summarized the main points made by the panelists – joking and riffing with the hosts along the way. Asked if she was ever nervous or stumped by a question, Banda says,"not really." "It's a terrific approach," he says of Banda's initiative."She's trying to provide information about not just what they need to know but also what they want to know. She's able to tailor the issues she's talking about to their issues and needs – and that makes people want to take the advice"
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