- June 8, 2009 - The Honduran radio serial "Agua de Angel" (Angel Water) began broadcasting on Radio Nacional de Honduras (National Radio of Honduras) on Friday, May 22 at 4:00 p.m. The collaborative effort between PCI-Media Impact and The Red de Desarrollo Sostenible Honduras (Sustainable Development Network of Honduras) is the first entertainment education serial drama with an environmental focus to broadcast in Honduras. "¨"¨The show’s entertaining and gripping storyline focuses on environmental conservation, especially issues related to water, affecting Valley of Angels, where the program orientates. At an altitude of 3,000 feet, and with a population of more than a million people, Valley of Angels is home to extensive rain forests, known locally as "cloud forests," where hundreds of spectacular waterfalls pour into raging rivers. Maintaining the pristine environment is a priority to local environmentalists and is critical to the livelihood of local farmers.

After each episode of "Agua de Angel (Angel Water)" airs, entertaining, engaging radio personalities, local experts and audience members deepen the discussion about the educational themes "“ usually environmental and water focused "“ contained in the serial drama as part of the radio magazine "Vamos a la Cuenca (Let’s Go to the River Basin!)." Local participants also plan to complement the broadcasts with local street theater, promotion, listener groups, competitions, and through other vehicles of audience engagement including text and call-in lines.

Community participants call the program "an innovative and community-based project gaining wide attention and enthusiasm from the audience." Don Jose Dolores, a resident of Valle de Angeles, never thought that, at 70 years of age, he would use his voice to give life to a character on a radio show. "I so admire the characters on other radio programs, now my voice is becoming just such a character," he said. "That is hard to believe," he added.

The project coordinators are monitoring the impact of the show on local and national audiences. Before launching the program, the team conducted a baseline survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices of themes addressed in the program, and will continue to measure the program’s impact during and after the broadcasts using the PCI Media Impact methodology for evaluating change in the target audience.

PCI Media Impact partnered with Red de Desarrollo Sostenible Honduras, providing funds and technical assistance. Local broadcasters, staff and community volunteers make the broadcasts possible, inspire the stories, and act in the productions.

Other project partners include: the Programa Focuencas II, which provided funds and scientific knowledge of river basins; The Consejo de Cuencas de Valle de Angeles (Council of River Basis of the Valle de Angeles), which provided funds, local logistical support and the organization’s experience in local water initiatives; La Casa de la Cultura de Valle de Angeles (The Cultural House of the Valle de Angeles), providing logistical support; La Secretaria de Recursos Naturales SERNA (The Secretary of Natural Resources), providing additional financial support; Radio Nacional de Honduras (National Radio of Honduras) and Estereo Ambiente de Danli (Environment Stereo of Danli), which broadcast the radio program.

But, most importantly, please remember to listen to Radio Nacional de Honduras (101.3 FM) every Friday from 4-5 p.m. Broadcasts can also be heard on the organization’s website: http://www.rds-corralavoz.hn.

PCI-Media Impact

PCI-Media Impact

PCI-Media Impact is at the forefront of innovative social change communications programming. Its pioneering approach uses creative media, the power of storytelling and the reach of broadcast media to mobilize individual, community and political action in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, environmental conservation and sustainable development, human rights and democracy.

For over twenty years, its programming has captured people's imagination. Media Impact has trained hundreds of organizations and community leaders in the effective use of media. Working with media professionals, it has completed more than 242 productions, including radio and television serial dramas, comic books, documentaries and public service announcements reaching hundreds of millions of people in 27 countries around the world.

From Mexico to India, Kenya to China, Media Impact has been: "Telling Stories, Saving Lives." For more information, please visit the website at www.mediaimpact.org.

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