In a powerful project aimed at bridging information gaps and tackle pressing social issues, the Zambia Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (ZAGO) continued to successfully host radio program series under the AmplifyChange-funded Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Youth Project. This quarter, the broadcasting directly into the homes and communities of Chingola, Mufulira, and Sinda districts, the series created a safe, accessible platform for honest dialogue on topics often shrouded in silence and stigma.

Zambia faces significant SRHR challenges among its youth. High rates of teenage pregnancy, persistent HIV transmission, high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, rising mental health challenges, gender-based violence, alcohol and substance abuse, unsafe abortion etc, – create intersecting barriers to adolescent health. Traditional communication channels often fail to engage young people effectively, leaving information gaps that potentially have lifelong consequences.

The radio program series was designed to meet both old and young people in their home setting – tuning into their favourite stations, using accessible technology, and creating content that speaks directly to their realities. The program was designed to move people beyond clinic walls and into community airwaves, as a means of democratising access to critical health knowledge.

Running over several weeks, the interactive radio programs engaged youth, parents, community leaders, and health experts in candid conversations. Each episode was meticulously designed to educate, empower, and dismantle myths surrounding adolescent health, and access to SRH services. Key topics included:

• Teenage Pregnancy: Addressing root causes, prevention, and the critical importance of keeping girls in school.
• Mental Health: Destigmatizing mental health challenges among youth and highlighting available services and support systems.
• Alcohol and Substance Abuse: Exploring the direct link between substance abuse, risky behaviours, and negative SRHR outcomes.
• HIV & STIs: Promoting accurate knowledge on sexually transmitted infections, prevention, testing, and treatment in an age-appropriate manner.
• SRHR & Gender-Based Violence (GBV): Educating listeners on the right to bodily autonomy, recognizing different forms of GBV, and outlining pathways to seek help and justice.
• Menstrual Hygiene & Menstrual Poverty: Tackling the economic and social barriers to menstrual health, promoting dignity, and challenging taboos.
• Family Planning & Contraceptives: Providing clear, medically accurate information on the full range of contraceptive options to enable informed choice and life planning.

In the bustling mining district of Chingola, the radio program series tackled the unique pressures facing young people in an industrial environment. Segments addressed mental health problem, economic drivers of risky sexual behaviour such as teenage pregnancy, and how to access SRH services including contraceptives. Both old and young people called in with questions, comments, and positive contributions about the show – a symbol of trust and confidence in the program.

With its mix of urban and peri-urban communities, Mufulira’s radio program focused on mental health, SRHR/GBV, STIs/HIV, and teenage pregnancy – given its densely populated areas and significant prevalence of negative peer pressure. Therefore, combating misinformation circulating through social media became a necessity. Use of the local language (Bemba) helped the flow of the conversations and shaped the understanding on the importance to prioritise healthy relationships, and service-seeking behaviour.

In Sinda district, a rural district, radio program series proved particularly vital were access to vital information and transportation barriers limit access to health facilities. These barriers such as myths – lead to high cases of teenage pregnancies among adolescents and young people.

The radio programs addressed topics such as teenage pregnancy and early marriage dynamics, family planning, traditional beliefs about SRHR, mental health and HIV and STIs. Panellists or discussants called on parents and guardians to prioritise open conversations on SRHR issues with their children. Community leaders and health workers were also advised to dialogue directly with young people in order to bridge generational understanding. Healthcare providers answered all questions including anonymous ones, demystifying clinical services. The discussions also confronted common misconceptions with medically accurate information. Some answers on mental health addressed causes such as stress, depression, and coping mechanisms, linking emotional wellbeing to SRHR outcomes.

Despite the differences in frequency in the three districts (Chingola, Mufulira, and Sinda), the message unified – informed, and empowered not only adolescents and young people but all generations.

“Radio allows us to meet young people where they are – in their home settings, with their friends, and in their communities,” explained a ZAGO project Manager, Mr Benedictus Mangala. “It creates a confidential space where they can listen, learn, and even call in with questions anonymously. For many, this was the first time they heard these issues discussed so openly by healthcare providers and and young people.”

The series featured a dynamic mix of formats, including healthcare providers (Facility Adolescent Health Focal Point Persons) and Peer Educators discussing real-life issues, and lively question and answer (Q&A) interviews with listeners calling in via dedicated studio lines.

Instant feedback through direct phone calls by listeners marked improvement in their understanding of SRHR topics, moving away from harmful myths. The program around menstrual health and mental health, in particular, began to shift, with more community members acknowledging these as vital health issues, not sources of shame.

Peer Educators who featured on the panels felt empowered as agents of change within their own peer groups. The radio series is one of the core components of ZAGO’s wider AmplifyChange project, which aims to build advocacy ecosystem for youth SRHR in the country. Through leveraging the airwaves, ZAGO is not only disseminating life-saving information but has also fostering a sense of community solidarity in addressing many challenges facing adolescents and young people in the country.

“The success of this series proves that when we amplify youth-friendly health information through accessible channels, we can ignite positive change,” said Dr. Samson Chisele, ZAGO President. “We are grateful to AmplifyChange for their support and to the communities of Chingola, Mufulira, and Sinda for their enthusiastic engagement. This is not the end of the conversation; it is a powerful beginning.”

ZAGO shall continue to conduct radio programs as they have proved time and again as an essential channel to reach out to a critical mass beyond geographical boundaries.