Station to combine Children in Need and Eid in special week of programming
CHILDREN from various South Asian countries are being given the chance to share their inspirational stories on the BBC Asian Network this week as the station brings together Eid and Children in Need celebrations for a special week of programming.
The ‘Children in Eid’ theme will feature on the stations various programmes this week in the lead up to Muslim Eid celebrations expected to take place at the end of the week.
The week’s long programme will hear from a number of South Asian children whose stories have inspired the world.
Amongst them include the heartbreaking story of young Muslim boy Muzaffar.
The youngster, from Gujarat in India, made international headlines last year when his biological mother attempted to gain custody of the boy she thought was dead following the Gujarat riots of 2002 only to find he had in fact been taken in and raised by a Hindu family.
Other stories which will feature in the special week of programming includes those of Rakibul Islam, who watched her parents drown in a deadly cyclone in Bangladesh, and Pakistani youngster Abbas, who lost both his legs in a bomb blast three years ago while attending a relative’s funeral in Peshawar.
Husain Husaini, Head of Programmes, BBC Asian Network, says: “Eid is one of our big festivals of the year and a special time of year for many of our listeners. As we do with Diwali and Vaisakhi, we make a special effort to feature appropriate and original content on the network suitable for a major event in our calendar.”
For more information on ‘Children in Eid’ log onto www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork