The United Nations Development program – UNDP in partnership with the Radio Miraya, a UN radio in South Sudan,  have launched a new phase of interactive drama series, as part of the greater efforts designed to rally local communities for peace.

According to UNDP, the latest phase of Kuburi Bridge, has been inspired by the desire to involve community members to share first-hand experiences of community issues, and discuss how to solve these issues in a peaceful manner.

“We believe that by dramatizing some of these issues, and having people laugh and listen in, we shall begin to have an appreciation of the challenges we have in society,” said Mr. Sammy Odolot, UNDP’s Community Security and Arms Control Project officer.” 

The Kuburi Bridge radio drama series features a vibrant cast of young South Sudanese actors and struggling with the common issues and challenges faced in their communities.

Odolot told Miraya Breakfast show, that the issues highlighted in the drama re-echo the everyday challenges common to people across South Sudan. Some of the issues he said, include; co-existence, domestic violence, tribalism, early marriages and transition from emergencies.

“We now have a Kuburi bridge, that is looking at how we can harness the potential of all South Sudanese towards peace,” said Mr. Odolot, adding that the drama series is using education and entertainment to capture real issues that communities in South Sudan are grappling with.

Odolot explained that as the characters in the drama encounter these challenges, they realize that they can actually draw experiences and overcome these situations by understanding their differences and acting on issues that unite them for peace.

 “We are trying to appeal to those small issues and segments of communities to try and say that enough is enough, it is time for us South Sudanese we started being honest about our own individual contributions towards peace.”

Mr. Odolot said combining drama with listener interactivity, provides one of the most powerful platforms to depict realities on the ground, engage listeners to share experiences, with an aim to respect diversity of opinion and promote peace.

Sammy Odolot acknowledges that; “communities have been for instance traumatized,” adding that UNDP has “a dramatized episode, which depict the situation on the ground and we shall have expert panelists coming in to talk about that topic and in addition to a discussion.”

“It is an opportunity for the people to engage, share experiences,  but more importantly try to rally their voices for a common good, so the significance of Kuburi Bridge is to try and change the mindset, said Odolot

Not only does Radio Drama tap into the listeners’ emotions, but the combination of drama and humor, has been seen to significantly enhance engagement, turning the listener into a participant.

“We laugh in Kuburi Bridge, but after laughing, we reflect. As people laugh, as people enjoy the drama, there are lessons picked, that could potentially help this country to shape a peaceful narrative.”

Odolot remains optimistic that Kuburi Bridge Drama series will enable the communities to use their experiences to transform from a violent narrative, to a narrative that speaks to peace and forgiveness.

The interactive episode blending a 5-minute broadcast quality drama, with expert discussion and listener interaction, will air in Arabic on Tuesdays 2pm – 3pm and English episodes air on Thursdays 10 – 11am.