Rope Guna Fal: Informative and enjoyable
In western Nepal, an avid listener of a radio show on parenting education developed with UNICEF support reflects on why he has been a loyal follower of the series and the character for all these years
Banke, Nepal: Deepak Regmi has been listening into the radio drama Rope Guna Fal since it first came out in November of 2019. The retired government employee from Nepalgunj in Banke District in western Nepal has followed the characters of Jagat and Lalita closely for all these years, and vividly recalls different milestones in their journey – whether it be Lalita’s pregnancy, family feuds or parenting concerns to do with Lajju.
During the course of his work life, Deepak had the opportunity to travel all across Nepal. Having visited many different places and interacted with diverse communities, he says the characters and topics in the radio drama feel ‘handpicked’ and authentic to the Nepali social context.
“The issues are so pertinent,” he says. “The story in the drama feels like it could be happening in my own neighbourhood.”
Rope Guna Fal is a radio drama series designed by UNICEF in partnership with Antenna Foundation Nepal (AFN) to reach listeners like Deepak across Nepal with content primarily focused on parenting education. The series entered its second season in September 2021, this time with two additional partners onboard in the form of the Population Media Center and Viamo.
While season one had been developed with a view to equip parents and caregivers with skills and knowledge related to positive parenting as well as breaking gender stereotypes and norms, the second season has further introduced the issues of child marriage and sexual and reproductive health.
For Deepak, the show’s overall focus on parenting education has been one of its key strengths, especially how it encourages fathers to take a more active role in childcare and development. His own children are already grown, living in the capital Kathmandu, and have become parents themselves. So as a grandfather, he feels it is his responsibility to share with them the insights he gains from the show related to bringing up children, and often tells them about his impressions of particular episodes. Deepak has also encouraged several of his neighbours to tune into the show, guiding them to the different platforms where it can be heard.
Deepak is also appreciative of the dialogues on sexual and reproductive health among young people that the new season of Rope Guna Fal incorporates, as an effective way of educating young listeners on these important issues. He says he is hooked to the show more than ever now.
Each episode closes with a quiz for audiences, with prizes available to those who get the answers right. Regmi was already an avid listener, but says he feels a lot more “involved” since having won one of the prizes during a quiz. This spurred him to not just participate in more quizzes but also provide the Rope Guna Fal team more feedback.
“The drama is both enjoyable and informative,” he says. “That’s why it works.”
Rope Guna Fal is aired every Monday and Thursday through Radio Nepal and over 100 local radio stations. Besides radio, the show can also be heard on the Hamro Patro mobile app, Facebook, YouTube, and the website of the Antenna Foundation Nepal. Additionally, mobile subscribers of Nepal Telecom can access the offline listening platform "Suchana ko Sansaar" at any time by dialing the toll-free number 32100.
