Aamra Korbo Joy - South Asia

Broadcast at 6:25 PM every Friday on ATN Bangla, Aamra Korbo Joy is created and produced entirely by a group of 16 adolescents. These youth participate in all stages of the process, from conceptualisation to scripting, production, and filming.

Using the format of information, education, and entertainment (IEC), the programme is divided into 2 parts. In the first part, child-related news are covered. In the second part, field reporting is offered on topical issues, past heritage, inspirational role models, and child rights issues. Replies to audience queries are also presented. Here is a sampling of issues highlighted in past episodes:

• Series report on adolescents in Geneva Refugee Camp
• Series report on using children as beggars
• Schooling of prostitutes' children
• Education and other problems experienced by children of the scheduled caste
• Early marriage and its effects
• Problems girls face while travelling by public transport
• Sports
• Risky child labour in glass factories, gold smith cane workshops, biscuit factories, and bus operations
• Biography of a child transport worker
• Domestic child labour

In addition, in 2003 this group of adolescents produced a 30-minute special programme - "Amrao Pari" (We Can Be) - as part of the 2003 International Children's Day of Broadcasting (ICDB). The documentary was produced to depict the 2003 ICDB theme "We can be the Heroes". This broadcast focussed on 9-year-old Abul Khair, who spotted a fault in a train line and used a red cloth he tied to a stick in order to warn the train's conductor. The film was produced almost entirely by the Aamra Korbo Joy youth team, who traveled to Chandpur to find the boy. "After a prolonged search when we got Khair, we found him working with a welding machine which is a very risky job for any children", said the film's (adult) writer/director. During the course of this boy's filmed interview, it became clear that he stopped studying due to lack of money. In response, a local NGO began sponsoring his educational expenses.

Children, Youth.

This is an independent programme and not funded by UNICEF. However, producers have sought UNICEF support; as of this writing, a framework of cooperation is being formulated. Many of the adolescents participating worked previously with Mukta Khabor, a UNICEF-supported programme, broadcast by the now-defunct Ekushey Television. (It was in this way that they acquired their media skills). Furthermore, UNICEF Bangladesh sponsored the 2003 programme in honour of the ICDB.

"Amrao Pari" was one of four films nominated for the 32nd International Emmy Awards (in the children and young people category) to be held in New York in November 2004.