project

Mai Sari Sunakhari

Radio Show

Nepal

Mai Sari Sunakhari ("Orchid, Like Me"), a nationwide radio drama in Nepal, reached millions of listeners to challenge entrenched gender norms. By addressing child marriage, educational inequity, and sexual and reproductive rights, the series helped ensure that girls could grow up as girls—not child brides.

“I’ve come to see how powerful radio can be. Mai Sari Sunakhari and Junimaya Ko Katha are like cornerstones for societal change. In the Far West, where internet is limited, radio is still the most accessible tool– and these programs can truly drive transformation.”

– Male Listener, Dadeldhura

“I haven’t missed a single episode. It’s very real and feels like the people and places in my village.”

– Female Listener, Baitadi

“My neighbor’s sister reminds me of Upasana—she’s faced struggles with her husband and work but stays strong and keeps moving forward. From her story, I’ve learned I can also encourage my own sister to stay focused and resilient.”

– Male Listener, Doti

“I have learned to say no and take a stand against child marriage in any situation.”

– Female Listener

Making A Difference

Nepal has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with Girls Not Brides reporting 40% of Nepali girls being married before they are 18 years old. Acting together, PMC and like-minded partners have been addressing child marriage and related social issues with radio shows in Nepal, moving individuals and whole communities to rewrite these patriarchal and entrenched social norms.

Entertaining a More Equitable World

Rights of Women and Girls

Building global sustainability for today and for tomorrow all begins with the rights of women and girls. The right to choose who and when to marry are building blocks and must-haves for an equitable world.

Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Family Planning and Modern Contraception Gender Equality

Woman laughing with her head tilted back a bit. Over all pure joy.

Woman standing in front of stacks of fabric at her fabric shop

On Air to Deter Child Marriage

Growing up in Bhojpur, 15-year-old Ramila had seen girls as young as ten dropping out of school to be married. She might have become one of them, had it not been for her favorite radio star, Junimava.

PMC produced Mai Sari Sunakhari (“Orchid, Like Me”) in Nepal. This 208-episode radio show aired from April 2016 to April 2018 in Nepali, the official language of Nepal.

PMC partnered with the Antenna Foundation (AFN) to broadcast Mai Sari Sunakhari and another PMC radio show, Hilkor (“Ripples in the Water”), airing in the Maithili language. The Antenna Foundation has established itself as one of Nepal’s premier communication and production houses with a team of 50 professionals and a network that spreads across the most remote corners of Nepal. The broadcast network for Mai Sari Sunakhari and Hilkor included Radio Nepal, Kantipur FM, and 40 stations nationwide through Ujyaalo 90 Network.

In September 2023, PMC-Nepal launched a year-long rebroadcast of Mai Sari Sunakhari across ten districts in the Sudur Paschim and Karnali provinces. Partnering with Story Kitchen, Rato Bangala Foundation and ACORAB on the rebroadcast, each 15-minute episode aired four times per week on ten community radio stations. More than just a replay of past content, the rebroadcast served as the foundation for a vibrant, community-centered engagement model. Through listening clubs, shadow plays, social media, and even clay art, the series sparked renewed dialogue and deeper reflection on critical issues such as child marriage, family planning, and gender equality.