Volunteers to document community radio in Zambia

TWO of Kilkee-based Raidió Corca Baiscinn’s volunteer reporters, Brian Doyle and Conan Brophy, travel to Zambia next Wednesday to make a documentary on community radio in the landlocked African country.
Both originally from Dublin, Brian lives in Carrigaholt, while Conan resides in Killimer. They will spend over a week in southern Zambia, returning to West Clare on March 6. They will visit three local community radio stations, Radio Chikuni, Radio Mazabuka and Radio Mkushi, and report on how people in the country engage with community radio and the effect it has on their lives.
One of the projects they are due to examine is what is termed ‘a good governance project’ funded by Irish aid at Radio Mazabuka. This helps to take the radio station into small, isolated, rural villages and asks local people what their concerns are and what help they need from the Government and local politicians, who also attend these meetings.
The meetings are broadcast on community radio and, in this way, people have brought about changes in policy, reversed Government decisions and brought about a realisation that local politicians in Zambia can be questioned on their activities and decision making.
The trip is funded by the Simon Cumbers Media Challenge Fund. Raidió Corca Baiscinn applied for the grant last year and was awarded the funding for the radio documentary late in 2009.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for two of our staff to make an exciting documentary in Zambia, comparing the impact of community radio on people in a remote area of Africa, with the experiences of people in South-West Clare,” Raidió Corca Baiscinn station manager Ciarán Ryan said.
“It was a significant achievement to receive funding from this competitive scheme and we look forward to broadcasting the resulting documentary, to be called The Smoke That Thunders, on Conan and Brian’s return,” he added.