Young Timorese take to the airwaves
Title -- 4323 EAST TIMOR: Young Timorese take to the airwaves
Date -- 28 February 2004
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- Community Empowerment Project, via media@web.net 17/2/2004
Copyright -- CEP
Status -- Unabridged
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EAST TIMORESE YOUTH MAKE A SUCCESS OF RADIO
http://southasia.oneworld.net/link/gotoarticle/addhit/80245/1893/1396
Young people have made a success of community radio stations in the tiny country where all infrastructure - schools, clinics and houses - was destroyed during the fight for independence.
DILI (Community Empowerment project (World Bank)/Pacific Media Watch): In Timor-Leste, the voice of independence, news and future is broadcast by a handful of young people, who run community radio stations.
After the country's infrastructure--including schools, clinics and houses--was destroyed in 1999 by the violence related to the vote for independence from Indonesia, most Timorese became refugees overnight.
The international community poured in to help the country economically,socially and politically.
A high illiteracy rate exacerbated two challenges facing what would become one of the newest and poorest countries in Asia:
* Getting the economy back on track and
* Maintaining the sense of community solidarity
With radio being the primary source for news and entertainment for the
region, part of the Community Empowerment and Local Governance Project
by the World Bank-administered Trust Fund for Timor-Leste focused on
establishing community radio stations. For many remote communities,
these eight new stations are their only way to engage in their new
democracy and connect with the outside world.
Community Connectors
'Community radios can empower poor people by fostering participation
and giving them access to information and a channel for their
aspirations,' explains Loty Salazar, Information Officer with the
Bank's East Asia and Pacific region, who led the Bank's efforts to
establish the radio stations.
These grassroots radio stations were envisioned as independent entities
that would be owned by local communities and run by trained volunteers.
The start-up funding has furnished the stations with broadcasting
equipment, tape recorders and motorcycles. They continue to provide
training for more than 100 volunteer reporters, managers and
technicians.
Community Builders
Though faced with the usual challenges of sustainability and uncertain
media regulations, the community radio stations continue to flourish
especially among young people, who have since become skilled
broadcasters.
"When the project called for volunteers, we didn't expect the stations
would primarily attract young people," says Salazar. Most volunteers
are in their late teens or early twenties.
"They are very dedicated and take their jobs seriously. 'With continued
encouragement and support from their communities, they may soon be
broadcasting a much wider range of programs, including dramas and
development documentaries,' Salazar adds.
Apart from learning broadcasting skills, the stations have encouraged
young people to become active in their communities. As volunteers seek
out, research and report on events and topics, they get in contact with
local officials and community leaders. They also can help promote
transparency and local governance.
For example, in one village, when the treasurer of the development
committee received money from a development fund, he kept it for
himself. The village council invited him and a reporter to a meeting,
and, in front of everybody, asked the treasurer to account for the
money. The treasurer promised to return the funds and apologized to his
community. The meeting was later broadcast on the radio.
Community Leaders
The stations have also become fun places for young people to hang out,
especially for young women, who are ready to take up the challenge of
becoming capable technicians, broadcasters, interviewers and reporters.
Timor-Leste is a very traditional society. Girls lead sheltered and
protected lives, and are rarely allowed to be outside the house. But
working on the radio has given them an opportunity to prove themselves,
build their skills and increase their confidence. It is also a place
and a type of work that their families approve of, says Salazar.
Moving Forward
Plans are underway to expand radio programming to engage youth in
discussion about local interest, as well as educational and health
programs. In addition, a new program 'Leadership Capacity Building for
Economic Development (LED)' is leveraging the success of the radios to
engage youth groups and youth-at-risk in policy dialogues with their
community leaders and government.
We can only hope that the Timorese society, including the government,
is prepared to allow the youth become an engine of growth and social
innovation, concludes Salazar.
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