Save the Children is excited to announce the debut of Oky Toky, a new weekly radio program aimed at empowering teenage females, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Oky Toky, which is aimed towards females between the ages of 10 and 19, will cover important topics such adolescent health, puberty, child marriage, mental health, personal safety, and referral routes.
The show strives to establish a secure platform for girls to learn, share stories, and access important information through interactive segments, interviews, and lively debates.
Elke Puritau, Pacific Regional Operations Director for Save the Children, explained the importance and effectiveness of radio in communicating such crucial information.
“Radio is a powerful tool for reaching communities across Papua New Guinea, especially in remote areas and Oky Toky will leverage this platform to provide vital information and support to adolescent girls, helping them to reach their full potential in life.”
Dr. Edward Waramin, Manager for Population and Family Health Services at NDoH Oky Toky is a crucial step towards addressing the unique health challenges faced by
adolescent girls in PNG .
“By providing a space for open conversation and essential health information, Oky Toky will empower our young women to take control of their lives.”
“We believe that investing in the health and wellbeing of our young people is an investment in the future of our nation.”
As a component of the larger Oky PNG project, which is supported by the Australian Government, Oky Toky aims to dispel the stigma associated with menstruation and address the dearth of correct information regarding puberty, menstruation, and other health-related topics.
The Oky PNG Period-Tracking Mobile Application for teenage females with smartphones and Android phones, as well as the Oky Toky Hotline Interactive Voice Response service, are also part of the project, in addition to the radio show.
Congratulating the producers on their new radio show, UNICEF Country Representative Angela Kearney said that
Oky Toky promised to be a very effective way to reach young people in PNG.
“This is a fantastic initiative that will surely help adolescent girls get the information they need to make informed decisions about their own lives,
and ultimately their own futures.”
The program will air every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. on Tribe FM, the National Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC) youth radio network, with weekend replays scheduled
for all 22 provincial NBC radio stations.