Through a generous donation by the Swift Foundation, Cultural Survival had the pleasure of providing equipment to eight Guatemalan community radios in need. On May 3rd and 4th, our entire community radio program team went on a journey to the first four community radios in the south west part of the country to deliver computers and consoles to radios most in need.
Among the radios included in this list were Radio San José and Radio Damasco, two radios that were recently raided by the police, and thus are currently off-the-air. The computers provided to these radios will help them get back on the air, as they are so motivated to do. Roelio from Radio San José shared, “our community wants us back on the air, we are motivated to get back on the air…we greatly appreciate this gift, as it is not only helping us financially but giving us the motivation that we need to move forward.”
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Lionel from Ixiguán Estéreo receiving a new console and microphones for his community radio.
It is never easy for radios to raise money to buy all the equipment needed to run a small community radio. Purchasing equipment takes time, effort and lots of economic support from the community. When a raid occurs, police seize all of the radios equipment. Radio Damasco was first raided in November of 2012. It wasn’t until June of the following year that they were able to raise enough money to buy all the equipment needed to get back on the air. Just a few months later, in November of 2013, they were raided again. “The community really supports us…they bring chickens, rabbits, whatever they have to help…but we just bought new equipment with their support. It will be more difficult this time, because right after getting back on the air, we were raided again”, stated Victor from Radio Damasco.
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Radio volunteers, Dario and Victor Angel from Radio Damasco, receiving a new computer for their community radio.
Thank you to the Swift Foundation for allowing us to purchases much needed equipment for community radios in our network, and for the resulting smiles of the deliveries.
