A radio station is coming to Duk Padiet in an effort to support communities to access information through radio. The new radio station will be operated in the community, for the community, about the community and by the community.

“The radio will be a good thing for us and our neighboring communities, we are going to use the radio to promote peace amongst ourselves and neighbors and also use it to embrace our diversity,” said Mrs. Deborah Nyiriak Deng, Deputy Chairperson, Community Management Board.

Her remarks came during the closing session of a ten-day training workshop for four community groups on the relevant knowledge and skills to run and manage the community radio in Duk Padiet. The training was implemented by UNESCO and UNDP with support from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Sweden.

Community groups were engaged according to multiple approaches. First, fifteen youth community volunteers received basic journalism skills training on how to gather, package and produce informative programmes for broadcast, in addition to training on operationalization of the radio station.

Two youth and women listener clubs assembled and trained in skills to spur community participation and mobilization. The clubs will play a crucial role as a network of active radio listeners to not only contribute to the content of the radio programmes, but also take actions as a result of the programmes aired. With youth and women listener clubs providing on-the-ground information and community activations, the population can use radio information to transform aspects of their lives.

Community advocacy forums were held, leading to the formation of a Community Management Board. The selected team members were equipped with the skills and knowledge on management of the community radio, including leadership, financial and communications skills.

Engagement and a capacity building for the community groups in Duk Padiet is aimed at providing concrete ownership and participation by community members.

UNESCO representatives reminded the trainees and management teams to use the radio to promote access to reliable and unbiased information, use the radio to create a platform for discussion and addressing local issues affecting them and also stressed the importance of use local languages during programming and most importantly use the radio to combat hate speech and promote peaceful-coexistence.  

Establishment of the Duk Padiet community radio is part of UNDP and UNESCO’s joint project to promote peace and community cohesion. The project aims to contribute to the reduction and mitigation of community level conflict and insecurity by investing in alternative initiatives that address key drivers of conflict and insecurity.