Radio Maendeleo (partner NiZA)
Radio Maendeleo, www.radiomaendeleo.org is the first community radio station in the city of Bukavu, in South Kivu province in the east Congo. It was founded in 1993 by several local non-profit organisations, and by now, is the most listened radio in the region. It broadcasts in all local languages, and French and Swahili. Right from the start, the radio station has often been targeted by RCD-Goma, the Congolese rebel movement. It has been closed down several times and some of the staff were arrested for shorter and longer periods. These incidents only fuelled the radio’s devotion to live up to its mission.
The mission of Radio Maendeleo is to inform and educate local people, both in rural and urban areas, on political, socio-economic issues inside and outside the country. Its primary objectives of Radio Maendoleo are:- to inform and educate the general public in political, economical and social issues as well as on development activities by non-governmental and community-based organisations
- to promote interaction between civil society organizations and society at large
- to provide information and education in civil rights
- to promote democratic values on a local level.
On a daily basis Radio Maendeleo works with 60-70 radio clubs, located in the surroundings of Bukavu to produce and broadcast news, documentaries, educational programmes and infotainment in French, Swahili and other local languages. The radio clubs are the participatory basis of the station. The radio clubs receive training from Radio Maendeleo in communication, presentation and production of programmes to be able to discus news from communities they operate in and report on it making a complete news item for the radio. Also, listener clubs exist to discuss and debate on various topics. Through this work the radio has build a track record of supplying information for the population in the eastern provinces and its feedback mechanisms (radio clubs) guarantee the active participation of the population.
Radio Maendeleo assists other radios with preparational work to apply for a broadcast license, because there are large number of community radios, which operate without licence in east DRC.
Apart from its own radio station, Radio Maendeleo has also set up and co-ordinates a network of community radio stations in eastern DRC, called RATECO (Réseau des Radios et Télévision Communautaires de l'Est de la RD Congo). This network, established in 2003, is a network of 30-35 stations in the eastern DRC. RATECO helps to strengthen the communication in the region through collaboration in the exchange of programmes, upgrading of equipment and stimulating a flow of information.
In 2005, NiZA supports technical training to enable Radio Maendeleo to service members of RATECO and elections training for RATECO members. NiZA also provides support for the development of a multi-year strategic plan for Radio Maendeleo.
Partner profile of Radio Maendeleo on niza.nl
www.radiomaendeleo.org
Report by RATECO and Cendep/Kivu on their activities in North and South Kivu, 21-30 March 2006: Rapp_RATECO_Sud_et_Nord_Kivu1_20060331.pdf (44 Kb) in French.