Radio Sigida Joli, by Adama Kouyate
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Apr 12, 2010 Posted by Erica TraubaIn Mali, radio is a communication technology to which more than 60% of both rural and urban populations have access (USAID Community Radio survey). Few people in our target audience of Sikoro have access to televisions and newspapers, and radio serves as a primary source of news and politics.
93% of Mali’s urban communities are classified as slums (UN Habitat). As marginalized neighborhoods, slums receive few government services and lack basic health infrastructure. The root cause of this underdevelopment is the deadlock between slum residents and their government. Government refuse to provide services until slum residents pay taxes, and residents refuse to pay taxes until their contribution goes to services. Meanwhile, citizens have little knowledge of their rights or how to exercise them. The radio program Sigida Joli has two audiences: slum residents and the government.
Radio Sigida Joli has already proven critical for addressing relevant community disputes. For example: A few months ago, there was a problem in the community of Nafadji next to Sikoro. The problem was related to public land that both the communities of Sikoro and Nafadji inherited from their elders. They were using it as a farm and were growing vegetables such as aubergines (eggplants), carrots, lettuce and so on. Many of the farmers were living from the benefits they got from selling the goods they grew. But last summer the main mayor and his board decided to sell the land to other people from other neighborhoods who were ready to pay money. Despite the populations’ objection to the idea, the mayor and his board started parceling out the land. At night, the populations of the two areas used to destroy all the construction that the mayor’s office did during the day. Many farmers were arrested and confrontations between the police and the community became frequent.
Luckily, Radio Sigida Joli (Building Communities) is well known for treating this kind of issue. One day, an old woman called during the show to explain the problem since she recognized the work we do.
The team of Radio Sigida Joli did some interviews with some community members well involved in the issue and with some workers at the mayor’s office. Both the two sides were complaining about the other. We decided to convene three people from both sides to discuss face to face. The discussions made it clear that the mayor and his board did not have the right to sell this public land. They could only replace the public land if they wanted to sell it to other people. Thanks to the Radio Sigida Joli, many lives were saved since this kind of community issue always ends in blood.
Recently, we worked a lot on creating more communication between slum communities and their local representatives. For more than two months, we invited a member of the board of the mayor to the radio show each Sunday. The main five adjoints of the Mayor of the Commune I were invited, including those in charge of education, finances, health, land affairs, cleaning up, official papers, and licenses. Each of them spoke about their roles and responsibilities in the mayor's office and their objectives for the year 2010. They also discussed the roles communities should play in the achievement of those objectives.
The show also hosted the National Director from the Ministry of Environment to sensitize the population of Mali about the negative effects that plastic wastes could provoke in the future and to discuss the possible means to avoid the consequences of those plastic wastes.
During the last communal election in early 2009, Radio Sigida Joli recorded a drama of 11 scenes that aim to sensitize the community about the importance of voting for a candidate for what he can bring to the community, and not because of what he gives you as present.
Nowadays, thanks to MHOP’s radio program Sigida Joli, the number of meetings between the community and its local representatives has increased because people can call in and direct questions to their local leaders during the radio shows. It is well-known that the lack of communication is the main root of the lack of confidence between the community and its local representatives. Radio Sigida Joli has focused on this fact by creating more communication between the two parts through radio.
As an employee of the MHOP and the Coordinator of the Radio program, I think that this kind of program is a big part of what the Malian population needs in order to get out of ignorance and create true development in many aspects of life in Mali.
Adama Kouyate
Communications Coordinator and Programs Manager
MHOP
Adama.kouyate@malihealth.org
March 2010