By Mark Richard South, IFRC

Taking their project aim of “amplifying the voices of asylum seekers and refugees” as literally as they could, the Italian Red Cross is doing exactly that with a new web radio show.

Written, presented and produced by Gerald Mballe, an Italian Red Cross cultural mediator who has a refugee background himself, the show collects stories from around the country – sharing the voices of asylum seekers and refugees in Italy, but also the experiences and views of people in the host communities they have arrived in to.

“We want the radio show to be a place where everyone can share their stories and gain practical information and news,” explained Gerald.

Supported by a radio technician with more than 20 years’ experience, Gerald and his team are aiming to have nearly 50 bite-sized episodes available for streaming or download by the time the AVAIL project ends in early 2020, but now they are up and running they aim to continue producing the show beyond the end of AVAIL and into the future.

Hosted on the Italian Red Cross website, the Italian-language shows are available to listeners throughout Italy and around the world, giving a glimpse into the lives of asylum seekers and refugees and the communities where they are living - with a particular focus on Red Cross activities bringing people together by supporting both refugee and host communities.

“The team have been really dedicated to getting the radio show up and running and it’s something we’re all really proud of,” added Monica D’Alò, AVAIL project manager with the Italian Red Cross.

“We’ll be getting stories from people all around the country, including from our staff and volunteers, so this can be a really valuable resource for us as a National Society, not just for AVAIL but into the future as well.”