Voice of Afghan Youth
TV and radio program developed by Afghan Scout youth
In many communities where PARSA has established Scout troops, other youth programs are either rare or nonexistent – even schools can be few. For this reason the Afghan Scouts are in a unique position to showcase the talent, resourcefulness and intelligence of Afghan youth, give them a meaningful role in community projects and events, and allow their perspective and voice to be heard.
This is why PARSA created the Voice of Afghan Youth. It is a TV and radio project that was developed not FOR the children of Afghanistan, but BY the children of Afghanistan. We profiled Afghan Scout youth and their contribution to their communities, reinforcing positive impact. We showcased what these future leaders do, how they think, and their goals for the future.
Voice of Afghan Youth allowed the Scouts to tell their own stories. They chose stories in their own communities and showed us through their Scout activities what it means to play a positive role in society. They interviewed each other and spoke out on the issues that are important in forming their lives as Afghan youth. The program also involved community leaders, educators, family leaders and parents in the process of creating captivating programming, collaborating with the Afghan Scouting leadership so that the local program was a voice that brought the community together.
Voice of Afghan Youth was broadcast locally in each community and also nationally across Afghanistan both on TV and on radio. The program was a huge success, receiving positive feedback both inside Afghanistan and with the Afghan diaspora in other countries. We have made all TV episodes available online so that the next generation of Afghans can continue to benefit from this incredible project.
Watch a short interview with PARSA’s Executive Director, Marnie Gustavson, on why PARSA created Voice of Afghan Youth:
Watch full episodes of Voice of Afghan Youth, subtitled in English: