Pilika Pilika

Pilika Pilika (“busy busy in Ki-Swahili) was launched in 2004 on the strength of the success of its sister programme in Kenya, Tembea na Majira (see below). We have a dedicated team of writers, based in Arusha, Northern Tanzania, who weave issues of relevance to Tanzanian rural audiences into engaging and entertaining storylines.

Programmes are broadcast on Tanzania’s national broadcast, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation and also on a local fm station in the north of the country. Our current audience is around 3 million, we reach more women than men on both stations and the majority of our listeners are the poorer end of the economic spectrum.

As with Tembea na Majira, Pilika Pilika follows the loves and lives of those living in a typical Tanzanian rural village, called Jitazame. Listeners follow the ups and downs, successes and failures of much loved characters, tracing their actions and consequences. The drama is complimented by a radio magazine programme that picks up on issues dramatised in the soap and discussed in more detail. Listeners are also encouraged to SMS the programme producers with comments, ideas, responses to competitions.

This lady has just won a bicycle as a prize to answering a question correctly on Pilika Pilika .

The magazine component of Pilika Pilika Radio programme carried a weekly children’s corner where children are interviewed and express their views on topical issues such as health, family relations and governance.

Here is our producer, Esther, interviewing some children for the kid’s corner in the magazine programme.

Some text messages from listeners:

  1. Anna’s (one of the characters) behaviour of loving men who have money is not good she has to stop it or else she will die of AIDS (Mama Nickson from Moshi tel 0746069594)
  2. My name is Prisco L Maliyatanga from Bumbwi Sudi Zanzibar.I congratulate you for your drama it touches every corner of the life of Tanzania society. Pilikapilika is number one
  3. My name is James Kanuka from Geita. I advise our government to look critically on the issue of environment and livestock and provide grazing land for the pastoralists and not to chase them away – 0744062995
  4. My name is Maria I am at Mkwera Masasi. My advice to Bahati (an HIV positive young character) let Bahati not cry that she is HIV+. She should be diligent to attend clinic and get expert’s services on how to live positive
  5. Congratulation Pilkapilika programme for many things educative and entertaining . It is i Rushima Issa of Mwandinga Kigoma- 0713952837
  6. Pilika Pilika producers. Your programme is very important to us. Keep it up.Gasper from Leguruku tel 07545022425
  7. My name is Amina Ally or mum Daudi of Kware Babati. I congratulate producers of Pilkapilika programme for giving us good lessons. I advise the reading of the letters at the end of the programme to be present.Thank you producer for reading my sms – tel 0746657559)
  8. The community needs to be advised of the importance of kibyu chirizi ( hand washing gadget being promoted by WaterAid for hand washing targeting rural communities who have limited access to water) rural people don’t use it. They say that their latrines are not modern -0713 256 152)
  9. Congratulations for bringing us Pilikapilika programme for it is educating us especially we parents on child upbringing. My name is Saka Masanja Mwanamwenda or dad Mwakalanga of Nyansula Bunda - (0786 993 852
  10. My name is Ibrahim of Boma Tanga congratulation for Pilikapilika programme i am very entertaing with mama water.I have learnt the importance of boiling drinking water (0787 893 101)
  11. I like this programme it is encouraging me very much. I advise Busarato go back to his home. he has to solve his family problems and not to relocate from his house. My name is teacher Grace Arusha (0787 151 312)

As with all other programmes that Mediae produce, Pilika Pilika is supported by quantitative and qualitative audience research; the latter conducted by the Mediae production team in order to fine tune programmes and the former, commissioned to an external research company.

Currently, Pilika Pilika integrates issues relating to water, health and sanitation (WaterAid) into storylines, along with rights and responsibilities at village level (Policy Forum) and issues relating to sexual reproductive health and family relationships such as child parent relationships (Femina Hip).