This is the first truly community radio station in Uganda based in Kagadi Town Council of Kagadi district mid-western Uganda. KKCR is a product of the partnership between the communities in Greater Kibaale and URDT, an indigenous nongovernmental organization.

KKCR is part of East African Community Media Programme (EACMP) initiated in 1992 after the RIO World Earth Summit in De-Janeiro Brazil. It has a strong orientation to Environmental Management and people participation in decision making about the action points of agenda 21.

This community radio accommodated by URDT facilitates sustainable rural development through the open door policy and acts as a platform to community members and development partners to share sustainable development thoughts on decision making, accountability, good governance, environment, human rights, health and nutrition, agriculture and service delivery.  

The community radio provides a voice to the voiceless and a platform for information sharing and dialogue amongst all development actors.

KKCR broadcasts 18 hours per day in 7 local languages and English.

It covers effectively 10 districts and has an estimated audience of 1 million listeners.

Aim: To enhance peace, unity, solidarity, and collaboration through information sharing and dialogue amongst all development actors.

Uniqueness

  • The radio has primarily a developmental function. The radio dedicates 90% of its airtime to educational programmes.
  • It offers a forum to government officials, local leaders, women, youth, politicians, NGOs, and other stakeholders to share their knowledge and skills to improve the quality of life of the rural poor.
  • The radio gives voice to the marginalized people to share their experiences and opinions.
  • The radio is run by a team of professionals and over 100 volunteers, including the URDT students.

Activities

  • Broadcasts policy debates, accountability platforms, 2- generation leadership dialogues and youth platforms.
  • Broadcasts interactive educational programmes such as prosperity creation, health, human rights, land rights, agro-business management; savings and credit; good governance; peace management; preventive health care, HIV/AIDS; people’s history, culture, and indigenous knowledge.
  • Offer modular training targeting semi-literate listeners.
  • Dialogues between leaders and the rural communities are organized to engage in discourses about sustainable development and to demand transparency, accountability and peaceful coexistence of multiple tribes and religious groups.
  • Record and broadcast local music and legends
  • Trains rural information secretaries and media students.

Results

  • Listener surveys show that KKCR contributes significantly to changes in people’s mindset and knowledge on many subjects. For example, listeners widened their knowledge on history, culture, politics, economics and how to sustain caring domestic relationships. They got a wider range of livelihood options and started economic ventures. Farmers benefited from daily access to market information provided by KKCR;
  • The radio also contributes to democratic by discussing human rights, resource distribution and exposing blatant corruption and abuse of office. As a result, transparency and accountability improved and crime reduced;
  • There is more recognition of people’s rights and people’s voice at decision-making levels;
  • Over 100 youth improved their thinking and communication skills through volunteering as co-presenters or act as information secretaries or local resource managers;
  • URDT shared its experiences at the University in Sweden (2007) and successfully lobbied for legislation and recognition of community media in the law;
  • In 2005/7/8 KKCR received rewards from UNICEF for its participatory programming and child-oriented programs.

Management
The radio has a local management committee to ensure ownership at the community level.
A Station Manager is in charge of the day to day management, supported by a programmer, information officer, documentalist, resident technician, URDT students and volunteer community members such as information secretaries and presenters.
Partners
The radio has good working relationships with Action Aid, African Farm Radio Research Initiative (AFRRI), BBC World Service Trust, East African Media houses, EcoNews Africa, KSCON. PANOS, Uganda Radio Network, local authorities, and other development agents.
Many highly placed persons, including His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the President of Uganda, have used the radio and acknowledged its purpose and successes.

Kiiza Nobert