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Assistance to Community Radios

Year when project approved: 
2010
Approved budget: 
US$55 000.00

The main problems confronting Haitian community media are a lack of equipment; high cost of internet access in Haiti; the poverty of the communities; insufficient problem of electricity supply, especially in remote areas; training of young coordinators; and the lack of legislation on community media. The development and strengthening of a network of community radios in remote regions of the country would contribute to the creation of a pluralist society and to fostering equal access to information. Such a network would therefore constitute an essential and effective strategy for achieving this goal. Strengthening a network of community radios in Haiti would contribute to stabilising the country by strengthening bonds within the community and involving youth in various community-radio and multimediacentre activities. Improving access to information in these communities, and giving individuals an opportunity to exercise their right to freedom of expression by means of a community radio, will contribute to restoring a calm and neighbourly climate in a country that is emerging from a crisis. To strengthen the process of developing a network of community radios, this project will upgrade the community multimedia centres (CMCs) at three community radios; organize training sessions for young people at the community radio stations and CMC; strengthen bonds within the community through the training of young CMC coordinators; and conduct a range of promotional and awareness-raising activities on the draft bill currently being examined in Parliament.

Documents
Project details
IPDC Bureau meeting nº: 
54

Implementation status :

Project evaluated:

Project scope:

Budget
Budget code: 
354HAI5091

Source of funds:

Beneficiary
Beneficiary name: 
Youth in the Provinces

Beneficiary type:

Location and contacts
UNESCO
Responsible UNESCO Regional advisers: 

Isabel Viera Bermúdez, i.viera@unesco.org;

UNESCO Field Office:

Project place: 
34, rue Dalencourt, Port-au-Prince
Follow-up and achievments
Summary of the project implementation: 

The project's aim was to increase the communication and information capacities of marginalized or disasterstricken communities by reinforcing CMCs and establishing radios in isolated regions or those most affected by the earthquake. It addresses a very strong demand on behalf of the youth in these communities to master modern communication methods and participate in information processes in the community. Component 1 of the project was successfully completed despite a delay of several-months due to political unrest, cyclone Thomas and the cholera epidemic. The mid-term report submitted to the UNESCO Haiti Bureau has been approved. The final report is to be provided in March. Component 2 of the project has not yet been launched because of the slow pace of the procedures with the Haitian authorities to deliver broadcasting frequencies for two mobile radios.

Achieved outputs: 
Purchase and installation of equipment for the new SAKS office in Port-au-Prince. The acoustic studio is once again functional and allows the production of reports and programmes for the partner radios of the network. ? Seven community radios have received a PC computer, six batteries and an Internet subscription for six months to allow their CMC to function. Three training sessions on the use of ICTs were organized for 35 radio presenters (June and July 2010 at Port-au-Prince). ? A community radio was established in December 2010 and started operating in January 2011. Two training sessions on communication, journalism programming and management were organized for 26 youths (including 7 women) in January and February 2011. See report on the UNESCO website: a community radio at Cap Rouge Since July 2010, SAKS has initiated with CONATEL (body regulating telecommunications in Haiti) and the Ministry of Interior the necessary procedures for obtaining two radio frequencies to be able to broadcast in Léogane and Petit Goave. To this day, these efforts have been fruitless due to administrative hurdles. SAKS hopes to obtain a positive answer from the Ministry in the coming weeks. However, contacts with the displaced populations in Léogane and Petit Goave have made it possible to identify associations of displaced youth that will operate the stations.