Cultural Survival Supports Radio Stations Working Together

Cultural Survival’s Community Media Program is pleased to announce five multi-radio grant partners. The purpose of this initiative is to support regional Indigenous community radio stations and Indigenous organizations in strengthening capacities within stations and promote the voices of Indigenous Peoples. The following projects received a total of $72,000. 

Indigenous Community Radio Network, Nepal
Indigenous Community Radio Network is an umbrella organization of 21 community radio stations. The network will conduct trainings for Indigenous journalists on innovative reporting tools, help nine mainstream journalists understand issues affecting Indigenous Peoples, and forge partnership for covering issues affecting Indigenous communities. The grant will also provide a fellowship to trained journalists for radio reports on Indigenous issues.  
 

Indigenous Community Radio Platform, Honduras
The Indigenous Communication for the Rescue of Multiculturalism Project is a multi-radio project that will work with 14 community radios in Honduras to promote Indigenous cosmovision and cultures at local radio stations. The 14 stations are a collective in the Indigenous Platform of Indigenous Community Radios (MIRC-AMCH). The overall goal of the network is to organize as community radios and work towards the democratization of the radio-electric spectrum and the implementation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights in a multicultural and multilingual community.  The project will enhance the technical, political, and operative capacities of the platform through: the consolidation of leadership and decision-making processes of MIRC; training of radio volunteers and; a radio campaign in multiculturalism and Indigenous rights and cultures.   

Boca de Polen Communicators’ Network, Chiapas, México
Boca de Polen Communicators’ Network will implement the Community Certificate Program for Promoters of Communication and Radio Broadcasting Project for 15 Indigenous journalists in southern Mexico to strengthen their technical capacities and build more autonomy within local radio stations. The training will comprise of six modules on community communication, electricity, free broadcasting and electronic broadcasting, internet networks, community cell-phones, legal frameworks, and sustainability.  New graduates will join other cohorts of journalist graduates and form a network of community promoters. 

Radio Ixchel, Sumpango, Guatemala 
This project aims to train members of five Maya Kaqchikel community radio stations in investigative journalism, increase their knowledge about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and create more programming on Indigenous rights and issues that affect each community.  New programming will include research and community interviews with local leadership. This project will also unify the five community radios to collectively evaluate the impact of their programming and create an in-depth investigative radio program at each station.   

Japexunk, Oaxaca, México
Through a training project for 25 Indigenous journalists (12 men and 13 women) from ten community radios, Japexunk will assist in  the creation, management and strengthening of Indigenous community radio stations, especially in Oaxaca to address violations of collective rights in the field of communication and freedom of expression. The trainings will  cover three areas: technical training of Indigenous journalists with no formal communications schooling; explanation of national legislation on telecommunications to defend collective rights to communication;  introduction of new tools in communication, such as free software.  The project aims to strengthen each station’s programming, encourage the proactive use of telecommunication legislation, and secure radio frequencies for stations that do not have them yet.

Top photo courtesy of Radio Ixchel.