Interactive radio lessons provide much needed continuity in early learning amid the COVID-19

36-year-old Zeytona Dino is an Urban Productive Safety Net Programme (UPSNP) Public Work client with five children (three boys and two girls) ranging in age from two to 15 years of age. All four of her school-aged children are currently back attending school from kindergarten (KG2) to grade 9.

Zeytona and her family are living together with 15 neighbours in a small compound in Arada sub-city, Addis Ababa. Zeytona’s husband is sick, and she has no other means of income other than the support through UPSNP. This support has been important during COVID-19, as food prices have increased.

With schools and Early Childhood Development centres closed during most of 2020, Zeytona has also struggled to provide opportunities for her young children to play, learn and gain self-esteem. 

Zeytona Dina and her family at their home, AZeytona first learned about the scheduled 28 Early Childhood Development radio spots through UPSNP support facilitators and social workers. They visited her compound and explained what the radio spots would cover, and the importance of the radio lessons for families with young children.  They also provided copies of the schedules for local radio stations (Sheger and Fana radio stations) airing the lessons.

Zeytona listened to all the radio spots with her neighbour while having a coffee ceremony. Even non-UPSNP families living in the same compound joined to listen to the radio spots. After listening to the radio spots, Zeytona, her neighbour, and some of the other non-UPSNP families usually discuss the major issues and compare this to the ways they are engaging and caring for their children. 

 “Before I heard these radio programmes, I had never received information on the importance of supporting young children to learn through play for their future development. Of course, we have a good culture of playing with children, storytelling and playing games like hide and seek, but now I understand how playing is important for younger children’s development, and creativity. I wish I was better informed earlier about such childcare issues, so that I could have raised my older children in such a way.”

Zeytona is also taking what she is learning and teaching her neighbours and older children how to care, interact and deal with the younger children. She even bought her children some toys and other affordable materials for them to create and play with. 

Since Zeytona is living in a congested compound with 15 other households, she has also been applying some of the COVID-19 prevention measures outlined in the radio spots, such as regular handwashing and wearing of masks, while continuing to support her children to play together. These practices will be important as COVID-19 is widespread in Addis Ababa.   

Even though Zeytona’s children now have access to education services, she is continuing to practice what she has learned from the radio spots. She reflected that the radio spots have changed her parenting style and attitude towards engaging young children. In particular, she is trying to practice more positive forms of discipline in an environment that can at times be stressful and congested. “Now we are trying to advise and encourage our children and managing any anger we have so we can correct our children in a more positive way,” says Zeytona.

With funding from the Bainum Foundation, UNICEF Ethiopia is implementing a play-based early learning project, with the aim of supporting vulnerable children aged 2 to 5 years, covered by the existing Productive Safety Net Programmes, to gain the foundational skills and knowledge to foster healthy and productive futures. Due to COVID-19, there have been limitations in engaging children and their families through childcare centres or at home, so UNICEF adapted the project to reach vulnerable children and their caregivers through interactive radio lessons covering a variety of important early childhood development messages and practices.