I NTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATION NEW PROJECTS APPROVED FOR FINANCING BY 51ST IPDC BUREAU PART I: AFRICA IPDC BUREAU Fifty-first meeting UNESCO HEADQUARTERS, PARIS 27 - 29 MARCH 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS AFRICA REGIONAL PROJECTS 1. PDC/51 RAF/02 ESTABLISHMENT AND NETWORKING OF COMMUNITY 4 MULTIMEDIA CENTRES IN EAST AFRICAN REGION 2. PDC/51 RAF/03 SODEMA PROJECT (Society for the Development of the Media in Africa) 9 3. PDC/51 RAF/04 SUPPORTING THE “WEEKLY TIMES / SOUTHERN NEWS” 13 NATIONAL PROJECTS 4. PDC/51 ANG/01 ANGOLA: TRAINING OF JOURNALISTS 18 5. PDC/51 BEN/02 BENIN: UPGRADING THE CAPACITY 23 OF THE DAILY NEWSPAPER, "LA PYRAMIDE" 6. PDC/51 BKF/01 BURKINA FASO: EQUIPMENT FOR THE AGENCE D’INFORMATION 29 DU BURKINA (AIB, BURKINA INFORMATION AGENCY) 7. PDC/51 BDI/01 BURUNDI: INTERNET AND INTRANET CAPABILITY FOR "LE 33 RENOUVEAU DU BURUNDI" 8. PDC/51 CVI/02 CAPE VERDE: FOGO COMMUNITY MULTIMEDIA CENTRE 38 9. PDC/51 CAF/01 CENTRAL AFRICAN REP. : SETTING UP OF A PILOT COMMUNITY 43 RADIO STATION 10. PDC/51 PRC/01 CONGO (REP. OF): TRAINING OF JOURNALISTS TO IMPROVE 49 UPCOMING ELECTIONS 11. PDC/51 EQG/01 EQUATORIAL GUINEA: STRENGTHENING MEDIA DEVELOPMENT 54 THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING 12. PDC/51 ETH/01 ETHIOPIA: KORE COMMUNITY RADIO 59 13. PDC/51 ETH/02 ETHIOPIA: STRENGTHENING THE EDUCATIONAL CHILDREN’S 65 TELEVISION PROGRAM TSEHAI LOVES LEARNING 14. PDC/51 GAB/01 GABON: RADIO ÉMERGENCE 71 15. PDC/51 GUI/01 GUINEA: "SABARI FM" RADIO STATION 76 16. PDC/51 GBS/01 GUINEA-BISSAU: REVISION OF THE PRESS ACT 81 17. PDC/51 GBS/02 GUINEA-BISSAU: GANDAL COMMUNITY 85 MULTIMEDIA CENTRE 18. PDC/51 KEN/01 KENYA: DEVELOPMENT OF MUGAMBO JWETU COMMUNITY 90 MULTIMEDIA CENTRE 19. PDC/51 LIR/01 LIBERIA: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, PROFESSIONAL 96 DEVELOPMENT AND ACCESS TO TECHNICAL RESOURCES IN LIBERIA 20. PDC/51 MLW/01 MALAWI: ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY RADIO STATION 102 FOR LIKOMA AND CHIZUMULA ISLAND 21. PDC/51 MAL/01 MALI: COMMUNICATION PROGRAMME FOR BEHAVIOUR 107 CHANGE 22. PDC/51 MAL/02 MALI: TECHNICAL UPGRADE FOR URTEL MEMBER RADIOS 112 23. PDC/51 MAR/02 MAURITIUS: UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS: ESTABLISHMENT OF 116 AN AUDIOVISUAL TRAINING CENTRE 24. PDC/51 NER/01 NIGER: CREATION OF COMMUNITY MULTIMEDIA CENTRE BY 121 EXTENDING RADIO FARA’A 25. PDC/51 NIR/01 NIGERIA: THE SMALLHOLDER FARMERS RURAL RADIO 125 26. PDC/51 RWA/01 RWANDA: CAPACITY BUILDING FOR RWANDAN HIGH COUNCIL 130 OF THE PRESS 2 27. PDC/51 SEN/01 SENEGAL: UPGRADE OF RESOURCES AT THE WOMEN'S RADIO 135 STATION, MANOORE FM 28. PDC/51 SOM/01 SOMALIA: STRENGTHENING AND PROMOTING COLLECTIVE 141 DEFENSE FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN SOMALIA 29. PDC/51 TOG/01 TOGO: STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF THE OBSERVATOIRE TOGOLAIS 147 DES MÉDIAS (OTM, TOGOLESE MEDIA OBSERVATORY) 30. PDC/51 UGA/ 01 UGANDA: RADIO NETWORK NEWS AGENCY AND TRAINING 151 PROJECT 31. PDC/51 UGA/ 02 UGANDA: RURAL WOMEN’S VOICES PROJECT – APAC DISTRICT, 157 NORTHERN UGANDA 3 REGIONAL A. PROJECT IDENTIFICATION ESTABLISHMENT AND NETWORKING 1. TITLE OF COMMUNITY MULTIMEDIA CENTRES IN THE EAST AFRICAN REGION 2. NUMBER PDC/51 RAF/02 3. CATEGORY OF MASS MEDIA Radio broadcasting and ICTs 4. IPDC PRIORITY AREA Promotion of community media SCOPE 5. Regional (national, regional, interregional) TYPE OF ASSISTANCE 6. Financial REQUESTED 7. TOTAL COST OF PROJECT US $ 112 200 AMOUNT REQUESTED FROM 8. US $ 93 000 IPDC 9. BENEFICIARY BODY CMC networks in East Africa 10. IMPLEMENTING BODY ECONEWS AFRICA (ENA) 11. PROJECT LOCATION East Africa 12. PROJECT PREPARED BY Econews Africa and UNESCO Nairobi DECISION OF THE BUREAU: APPROVED: US$ 30,000 4 B. PRESENTATION 1. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION The convergence between radio and the Internet is providing new strength to community radio. Not only are community radios being empowered to reach new latitudes, but also Internet users are learning from a participatory experience that is expected to contribute much to social change. In this context, a need for Community Multimedia Centres (CMCs) in rural areas of East Africa has emerged. The establishment of CMCs in such areas envisages a combination of community radio with telecentre facilities, under community ownership. Telecentres provide numerous ICT services, such as access to the Internet, to computers and software capabilities, to electronic commerce applications, and to many other public information services. Community radio is a very effective tool to reach rural communities. The Internet has a better chance to succeed as a tool for development and participation if linked to existing communication or information experiences. In light of the above, this project proposes to combine the establishment of community radios and telecentres to form community multimedia centres (CMCs). Their main aim will be to respond to communication and information needs for the development agenda of the community concerned. This project will allow for appropriation of ICT tools by communities where people absorb, systematise and transform information into new knowledge that can be communicated to others and applied to solve their concrete needs. Support for CMC equipment (both transmission and telecentre), capacity building and training which goes beyond access and basic applications, and addresses personal, institutional and systemic barriers as well as content development, is critical. Bridging the digital divide will be the goal of this project. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE TARGET GROUPS The direct beneficiaries of the project will be community-based groups from areas that have not benefited from national communications structures. Special attention will be paid to the underprivileged, physically challenged, women and the youth. The aim will be to have the CMCs serve as vital platform for debate on development, governance and human rights at the local level, as well as for the preservation and promotion of local culture and indigenous knowledge. 3. IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE To establish 4 community multimedia centres in 4 marginalised communities in East Africa (two in Kenya, one in Uganda and one in Tanzania) and thus empower them by enabling them to benefit from access to information and communication technologies. 5 4. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE To facilitate a forum where local knowledge can be nurtured, and allow communities to engage in their own development. This will enable rural and disadvantaged communities to speak about issues that concern them at the local level, and link them to national agendas. 5. PROJECT INPUTS The project will concern 4 communities (two from Kenya, one from Uganda and one from Tanzania). Equipment for each of the 4 CMCs is divided into two categories: The transmission studio equipment will include a mixing console, two cassette players, two Minidisk players, two CD players, two microphones with stands, two portable Minidisk players/ reporter kits, two headphones, amplifier, speakers and a generator; The telecentre equipment will be composed of two PCs, 4 Internet access/production PCs, a server with storage and backup system, a printer/copier, a scanner, a CD writer, cabling and routing. 6. PROJECT OUTPUTS Each of the 4 communities will be equipped with transmission studio and telecentre equipment; For a start, 12 members (3 each from the four communities) from the community projects will be trained in the running and management of the CMCs. These 12 will serve as a core group for the CMC network in East Africa and will also train others and ensure a multiplier effect where more members will reach these skills; A website linking more than 4 communities for effective experience sharing of content and experiences as well as networking, will be designed; A code of conduct to govern and guide the running of CMCs will be prepared and adopted. 7. ACTIVITIES Identification of equipment suppliers and Internet providers; Purchase and installation of equipment at the CMCs; Equipping of the resource centre; Identification of the core group; Training of the core group in basics of management of CMCs, radio broadcasting programming, basic ICT training, advanced training in research on the Internet and in adapting the contents to radio format; Designing the website; Relevant educational, informational and entertaining radio programmes produced and broadcast on daily basis upon commissioning; Creation of database of CMCs through downloading content on website. 8. WORK PLAN Activity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Preparations Identification of equipment suppliers and Internet providers Purchase of equipment Installation and testing of equipment Identification of core group 6 Training of core group Designing of the website Creation of data base 9. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK EcoNews Africa (ENA), in collaboration with the three community radio stations under the East Africa Community Media Project will implement this project. Other collaborators will include One World and AMARC (World Association of Community Broadcasters). 10. SUSTAINABILITY For all activities regarding equipment, designing of the website and training, funding will be generated through fund-raising activities. ENA will consider several options for raising revenue to cover running costs. Most of the CMC operational expenses will come from individuals, institutions and organisations within the community. Private individuals will be motivated to contribute. Various fund-raising schemes – raffle draws, benefit dance, selling of FM receiver sets – will be held. Institutional advertisements and outright donations will be encouraged. NGOs and Development Agencies will be targeted to consistently use the CMCs for their information services. They will be encouraged to pay a minimal fee for educational and information programmes to be produced and disseminated through these CMCs. 11 FRAMEWORK OF BENEFICIARY AGENCY’S REPORTING ENA will undertake to report to UNESCO on project progress on a four-month basis and will monitor closely to ensure optimum benefits. C. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Preparatory activities completed prior to submission of the project to IPDC ENA has gathered adequate information as regards this field, and has documented it in a book that is to be printed.