Wishes that Seemed Too Big!
In many villages across the country, around 10–20 families shared a community latrine. Most of the time, it was used by men during the day. Women and girls had to wait until nightfall and head to secluded, tree-covered areas to relieve themselves - often walking far, risking their safety, and enduring fear and discomfort. It wasn’t just about sanitation, it was about dignity!
Then came Meena.
A 9-year-old South-Asian animated girl with big eyes and even bigger dreams, Meena wasn’t just a cartoon. She became a messenger of change, with an episode called “Meena’s Three Wishes.”
When Animation Meets Reality
Meena’s Three Wishes was released as part of a larger effort by UNICEF to educate children (and through them, entire families) on issues like education, health, gender equity, freedom from exploitation and abuse. In this particular episode, Meena is granted three magical wishes and she uses them not for fun or fame, but to bring toilets, clean water, and better hygiene (hand washing) to her community.
Meena was first created in 1990 by UNICEF Bangladesh under the leadership of Neill McKee and Cole P. Dodge, with lavish Norwegian funding and the magic stroke of the maestro animator Ram Mohan of India, Meena came into existence.
It was revolutionary not because the story was complex, but because it was simple and relatable. These were the exact things many of us had silently wished for in real life. Watching Meena ask for a latrine, for safe drinking water, and for proper handwashing was like watching our own needs come alive on screen.
In rural communities where literacy was low and health awareness even lower, Meena wasn’t just a character - she was a teacher. She spoke our language, lived in a village like ours, and had problems just like ours. And suddenly, children started talking about things they never used to mention: washing hands, using latrines, and avoiding open defecation.
A WASH Revolution, Cartoon Style
The impact of Meena’s message spread faster than many development campaigns. Schools began showing the video in classrooms. NGOs used it in hygiene promotion sessions. Government health workers used her stories during courtyard meetings. And children took the messages home, often becoming the first in their families to speak up about WASH.
In a way, Meena succeeded where many top-down approaches struggled. She made WASH human.
And over time, change followed.
Latrine coverage began improving. Open defecation, once a normalized rural practice, started being questioned. People began to realize that sanitation wasn’t just about infrastructure, it was about behavior, education, and awareness. What Meena showed in fiction, communities slowly began to demand in fact.
From Bangladesh to the Region and Beyond
Meena’s story didn’t stop at Bangladesh. Meena’s Three Wishes and other episodes were translated into Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Pashto, and more, reaching millions across South Asia.
What started as a local initiative became a regional model for using culturally rooted storytelling to drive WASH behavior change. And even today, the Meena approach offers a blueprint for countries still struggling with basic sanitation, proving that powerful stories can spark global change.
Beyond the Wishes: Can Media Drive Lasting Change?
Looking back, I often wonder - was Meena just a moment, or was she part of a movement?
Her story teaches us a few important lessons:
- Behaviour changes needs relatable communication. No number of leaflets or posters could match the power of a story that people feel personally connected to.
- Children are powerful change agents. When kids started repeating Meena’s lines at home, they became drivers of conversations that adults often avoided.
- Sanitation is not just technical, it’s cultural. And culturally resonant storytelling is one of the most effective tools we have.
But Meena’s story also reminds us that while media can spark awareness, systemic change needs infrastructure, funding, and long-term commitment. Not every village that watched Meena had the resources to build toilets right away. And even today, there are gaps in WASH equity - especially for women, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities.
Making the Message Matter Today
Thirty years later, Meena still lives on in the hearts of many Bangladeshis. Her messages are still shown in schools, echoed in campaigns, and used in training sessions. And that’s something worth celebrating.
About 97 per cent of urban and 81 per cent of rural children and adolescents in Bangladesh recognise Meena. (Source: Unicef)
The Meena Communication Initiative (MCI) launched by UNICEF in 1998 continues to be a landmark example of how mass media can support the rights and development of children, especially girls.
But we must also ask: what would Meena wish for today?
Would she wish for gender-sensitive toilets in schools? Menstrual hygiene support? Safe water access during climate shocks?
Whatever her new wishes may be, one thing is clear: the role of storytelling in WASH is far from over.
What Can We Learn From Meena?
If a cartoon can change how millions think about toilets and handwashing, what more could we achieve by investing in education that speaks not just to the mind, but to the heart?
Meena’s Three Wishes isn’t just a story - it’s a reminder that real change often starts with imagination, and that something as small as a wish can ripple across generations.
Let’s keep telling stories that matter.
Link to video:
- Bangla (original): https://youtu.be/FtRgP8TYUAU?si=T1TaW0-EYz9P_C_B
- English (translated): https://youtu.be/7Cg9Pbt6fTA?si=gpQryGrQ_9l8Fmx5
