Real lives in 'The Magic Journey’
By Galina Solodunova, Communication Officer, UNICEF Kyrgyz Republic “This is Muktar speaking. Can I talk to Aktan or Akylay?” asked a small boy ringing the children’s studio of the Kyrgyz National Broadcasting Company. Lira Aitembetova, one of the studio’s producers who answered the telephone call, offered her help as both Aktan and Akylay, the main characters in the daily “Keremet Koch” animation programme, “were out travelling in one of the magic countries”. Every day, Lira and her staff try to answer dozens of calls from young viewers who need help with tasks given by Aktan and Akylay. ‘Keremet Koch – The Magic Journey’ is an animation programme for young children in Kyrgyzstan. Every day children and their parents live out the adventures of the main characters and learn new skills such as preparing for school, coping with life’s difficulties and protecting themselves from global scourges like HIV/AIDS and avian flu. At the end of each episode the young people listen attentively to the task being set, which the next day they will be busy with.
Young children from remote areas of Kyrgyzstan, along with their parents and elder siblings regularly send in their stories, wishes and questions to the programme and attach pictures and articles made of coloured paper and other materials depicting what they have learned from the cartoons. Here are some examples from their correspondence: “Yesterday it snowed heavily. I don’t know how to go outside and go to school,” complained Aigerim from the Chon Alay region at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters. Elza from Issykkul region was sick with influenza and sought advice in her letter with a small drawing. Kalmurza from the same region requested school books on mathematics and the Kyrgyz language. Abdimalik from another part of the republic – Osh region - wondered: “Aktan and Akylay, how old are you? I want to make friends with you. Do you have a family? We are five.” Nurbek, an 11-year-old boy, wrote a request from his younger sister: “Would you please show us how to make a doll?” The project is supported by UNICEF in partnership with national and international organizations. “It is an open window to share information on key family practices on health, nutrition and child development as well as helping children to become better prepared for entering school” - Timothy Schaffter, UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan “We plan to develop the concept further in 2007. As puppets, the main characters from the cartoons will start visiting kindergartens and early childhood development centres to establish new creative opportunities for children, “ said Timothy Schaffter, UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan. “Every child who sent a letter will get a reply. It is an open window to share information on key family practices on health, nutrition and child development as well as helping children to become better prepared for entering school” Schaffter continued. During the three months that the programme has been on air, the animation project “Keremet Koch” has won the love of all of Kyrgyzstan, leaving nobody untouched. It is one of the most popular programmes on national television. Parents are happy to see their children imitating the good practices found in the programmes and some adults even learn new things for themselves. Older children offer their help by developing scenarios. Aisha Aitikeeva, a 13- year-old schoolgirl from Bishkek, composed a fairytale about how ‘Vitamin Khan’ fought his neighbouring country ‘Microbe’ and saved the peoples of both countries. The programme’s popularity has even led to some people recording the cartoons from television and trying to illegally sell pirate copies. ‘Keremet Koch’ is part of UNICEF’s Behaviour Change Communication Programme that aims to help parents from remote and poor areas with no kindergarten facilities to stimulate the learning and development of their pre-school children.
|
