 KIRAN PANDAY |
From the young girl raped by her own father to the 17-year-old boy abandoned by his family after contracting HIV, SSMK pulls no punches in dealing with the difficult issues faced by young Nepalis.
The show, whose name translates to 'Chatting with My Best Friend' was launched in 2001 as part of a campaign by UNICEF to raise awareness of the risks of HIV AIDS among young people. Nearly a decade later, it remains required listening for young people across the country, and six million tune in every week to listen to its unique blend of discussion, music and drama.
"Before SSMK started, there was no tradition of talking about such problems in Nepal," says former presenter Kaustuv Pokhrel, who now works behind the scenes. "The show was designed so it felt like your friend talking to you in a non-judgemental way. The hosts talk about anything under the sun, sexual and reproductive health, career or study concerns, family problems, whatever."
SSMK's format has barely changed over the years: two young presenters, the "best friends" of the show's title, discuss listeners' problems before introducing a short drama in which solutions are found. But the content has evolved to reflect the changing concerns of its listeners.
"After a couple of years we began receiving letters complaining that we were focusing on small issues when the country was in such a bad situation," said Pokhrel. "We had letters from young people who had joined the Maoists and were afraid to leave, and even from girls who had been raped and were too afraid to tell anyone because of the stigma."
At the offices of Equal Access Nepal, the organisation that produces the show, the shelves are packed with letters from troubled youths. All are kept and neatly filed away in folders bearing labels such as "How to propose", "How to deal with rejection", and "How to say no".
But as mobile phone usage has exploded in Nepal, young people are increasingly choosing to communicate by text message.
Until recently, between 1,500 and 2,000 letters would come in every week. But listeners are increasingly favouring the immediacy of SMS messages and emails, as the way in which young people communicate changes.
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"The response was overwhelming," says UNICEF spokeswoman Rupa Joshi. "We expected it to start with a trickle and grow, but from the minute we launched the service the floodgates opened and we realised this had immense potential."
More than 14,000 messages were sent in the first week of the trial program alone, and UNICEF is now looking at how the responses could be used in helping the government formulate policy on young people. SSMK's success has inspired Equal Access to export the idea to other developing countries including Cambodia, Laos, and most recently Yemen.
In Nepal, a new generation of young presenters who themselves listened to SSMK as teenagers have recently taken over on the show.
Having benefited from its advice, they are all too aware of the importance of getting it right.
"I loved listening to SSMK but I never imagined I would one day be presenting it," said host Swarnima Shrestha, 22. "It's hard work, and we're under constant pressure because people take what we say so seriously."
Sabin Singh, 25, began his SSMK career as an actor in the dramas before graduating to hosting. He attributes the show's popularity to its ability to connect with teenagers on their own level.
"The listeners feel that this show is theirs," he says. "It's very much a two-way process. That's why they trust us, in many cases more than their own friends and family."
SSMK is aired on Radio Nepal every Saturday at 3.30pm and on over 30 FM radio stations.
