Heard on 104.1 FM, most of the R.I.U programs are broadcast to a very limited number of local communities by local people – By Diane Uwimana
Françoise Rumundike, the Ruhanza entity’s Officer with Goreth Hakizimana, the Facilitator, in the R.I.U Studio ©Iwacu
At the top of Ruhanza hill, Giheta zone in Giheta commune at Gitega province, there is a Community Radio which broadcasts its programs in the area. Located near Ruhanza market, the gate of the radio building is always open to everyone. “It is a radio for the community”, points out Berchmans Hakizimana, the R.I.U technician.
Programs related to the community development especially to agriculture, livestock, hygienic and sanitary issues, health, VIH/AIDS, environment, girls’ education, men and women’s rights, development and gender, democracy and good governance, strengthening and consolidating peace and conflict resolutions, etc are some of the main themes focused during the R.I.U broadcasting. “Themes are chosen by the local community members referring to their daily activities”, mentions Jean Mitterrand Ndayegamiye, the Program Manager and R.I.U Director.
During the week, the R.I.U broadcasts from 3 pm to 9pm and at the weekend it works from 7am to 9pm. “Some people from this area come here for radio programs and others volunteer to facilitate debates between the radio hosts and audience”, notes Ndayegamiye.
The R.I.U employs 9 volunteers among them 5 women and 4men. “But there is a team of 20 people who have been trained on how to collect and produce radio programs,” clarifies Ndayegamiye.
“A radio that has a big audience”
Arriving at the editing and broadcasting rooms, one is impressed by different posters announcing and denouncing appropriate and wrong things to do and avoid respectively. The so-called posters are related to human rights and other updated topics which are now in vogue on the world’s agenda.
According to the Program Manager, the R.I.U tries to look for programs that are related to women as it is dedicated to them.
Goreth Hakizimana, the R.I.U facilitator and primary teacher, mentions that the radio has changed the community behaviour. “The radio has initiated a project for fighting against violence due to gender –biased issues. Here, we have a center for preventing and fighting against violence, we receive more than 30 cases of violence. The radio has become a good opportunity to advise and plead for mistreated women. The radio participants are often victims of violence and mistreatment helping others to change their attitude and mentality”, thanks Hakizimana.
Françoise Rumundike, the Ruhanza entity’s Officer, indicates that the radio has contributed in reducing local conflicts, promoting youth education and strengthening civil values.
Ndayegamiye shares the same ideas with Rumundike. “The objective of the radio is to promote and sustain the rural community’s development”, points out Ndayegamiye.
He also indicates that the area has been chosen among other communes because it is located in the middle of the Country and has endured many problems stemming from civil wars. And “the demographic pressure comes to worsen the situation”, concludes Ndayegamiye.
Initiated by Dushirehamwe Association, the latter has the project to put in place other community’s radios in the country.
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