Community Radio Pag La Yiri: An Old Dream Coming True

Pag La Yiri, which means ‘the woman is the foundation of the home’ in the local language Mooré, is located in Zabré, in a rural area close to the Ghanean border. Radio Pag La Yiri is the first community radio in the region and transmitted on 94.3 FM. IICD is supporting this women’s organisation with trainings in how to use the computer and multimedia equipment.

Chef de programme Jean-Pierre Boussim was approached by the women of Pag La Yiri to manage the radio, as they do not have any radio experience yet. Boussim starts up the radio and trains the women in order to transfer his knowledge and skills. Boussim worked at CEMECA in Dedougou before, where community radio is integrated with internet.

Boussim is full of energy and ideas.

“From the beginning we decided to broadcast the whole day, from 6.30 till 10 pm, and during weekends till midnight. News is broadcast three times a day. We have a reach of about 80 km and we make programmes in French, Bissa, Koussaré, Mooré and Fulfuldé. Last week people called us to ask if we can also broadcast in Peulh.”

The radio has a radius of about 80 km, reaching about 1,500,000 people. The radio has several programmes on cultural and social issues. A member of the royal family came to explain where the name ‘Zabré’ comes from. Also child vaccination schedules are announced. Some of the programmes target women especially.

“We interview role models like female leading entrepreneurs, to encourage other women. We also do awareness raising about family issues, like in the programme ‘La vie au Foyer’, in which we invite counsellors to talk about difficulties in the relation between women and men. Listeners can call the radio to ask questions or share their experience.”

Sometimes it is difficult to meet everyone’s expectations of the radio. Boussim explained:

“Yesterday, a man came to greet a local chief on the radio. Within a short period after broadcasting, two other men came to the radio office to express their anger; they said that this is also their radio and they did not agree with what the man had said. Apparently there was some kind of quarrel going on. Community radio can build, but it can also destroy.”

Pag La Yiri is developing income generating activities to make the radio financially sustainable. They edit and broadcast commercials; editing costs 5000 franc FCFA (approximately 7,50 euro), each broadcast 1500 (2,30 euro). Family announcements like funerals and marriages cost 1000 franc FCFA (1,50 euro).

The next dream

Pag La Yiri already opened a telecentre next to the radio station last year. The only problem remains obtaining a well functioning internet connection. Having internet access could also greatly help the radio, as it would make it possible to retrieve information on the Net and even download or exchange audio. Aicha Cissé, the project coordinator of Pag La Yiri, opts for a VSAT (satellite) connection which should band out the former dial-in problems.

“It is costly but it can be shared with several organisations in the region that have already approached us, like the catholic school and Western Union.”

The money transfer service wants to open a branch in Zabré, because the region has a huge Diaspora in Italy that wants to send money home. Therefore it would need a stable internet connection. Internet is still a dream in Zabré; the next dream the women of Pag La Yiri want to fulfil.