WHEN COMMUNITY AND RADIO WORK TOGETHER

The role of community radio in reaching out to remote audiences cannot be underestimated, even in today’s digital technological world. In a county like Isiolo, thousands still depend on local radio for news dissemination and other discussions.

However, the need to produce community-centred content on radio on a day-to-day basis has been a thing to be desired, and this is where the Kenya Community Media Network (KCOMNET) intervention has come into play.

Before KCOMNET engaged two community radio players in Isiolo, it was unheard of for members of the community to take part in the production of content that they desired to have on the airwaves.

On the other hand, radio players were always convinced that they were doing their best for their faithful listenership. Bringing the two together in a discussion, however, brought to light that a lot was to be desired.

One year down the line, however, a partnership with two community radios—Radio Angaf and Radio Shahidi—has changed the views of many. KCOMNET has been able to help create partnerships between the public and community radios, where the community proposes the type of content and participates in the development of programmes, with great success.

In the first phase of the project, the programme was able to narrow down to a few areas of interest, such as peace and security, conflict over grazing and water resources, and land issues, which were the main suggested areas that community members wanted programmes to be centred around.

According to Juma Jirma, the manager at Radio Angaf, some of the activities proposed in the first phase of the project managed to bring about the desired outcome. The production of community-centred radio programmes was able to bring about many changes.

Juma explains that when the live radio recording was being conducted, community members were able to participate directly in the radio programme, which also brought together experts and office bearers.

The audience had the privilege of asking questions directly to the office bearers, a thing which could not be easily achieved if they were tuning in to the show on the radio.

Juma explains that some of the issues that were resolved included the lack of compensation for some farmers who complained that they had not been compensated after their crops were destroyed by wildlife. This was during the human and wildlife session, where community members interacted directly with officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Another issue that was easily resolved was the sharing of resources between residents living along the Isiolo River. The involvement of the Water Resource Users Association was vital in helping address existing grievances between farmers living upstream and those downstream water users.

These community radios, however, do face challenges that create a gap between public expectations and needs and what is broadcast. Sometimes, a lack of proper funding and skills among employees can also contribute to poor production.

During this year’s programme, KCOMNET therefore introduced training centred on how to empower these institutions by helping them tap into funding opportunities and different marketing strategies. Radio staff from the media houses were taken through the need to identify potential partners and come up with ideas that can bring income to the institutions.

Skills such as proposal writing were part of the training imparted to radio crews, all aimed at helping them tap into available funding opportunities to enable the community radios to sustain some of the ongoing programmes.

Focus was also directed towards peace messaging and programmes targeting the youth in Isiolo County to challenge them to overcome political intolerance that has been rampant, especially in Isiolo. This was seen during the recent failed impeachment of Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo, during which many youths were reported to have been injured, while others lost their lives, properties were destroyed, and public institutions vandalised.

Radio Shahidi and Radio Angaf then hosted several youth leaders in radio talk shows aimed at urging the youth to shun political intolerance and abandon the culture of goonism, where politicians have been observed to manipulate and use the youth to propagate violence against those perceived as their political competitors.

Madina Hassan Golo, a youth and gender activist who was hosted at Radio Angaf to speak on political intolerance, lauded the work that has been achieved by the local radios in passing peace messages.

Madina commended the radio messaging, especially the one involving the dramatization of the messages, explaining that the community was receiving these peace messages very well and that they would play a huge role, especially before, during, and after the forthcoming elections.

Boniface Mwangi, a youth leader, said that he was thankful for the success he witnessed himself, especially when some community members were able to receive compensation from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) after the human-wildlife conflict segment brought together both the complainants and the duty bearers.

Wanjiru Mburu, a youth leader, explained that many members of the community do not know their rights or where to get help whenever they are in need of government services—a gap which she said has successfully been addressed through such programmes.