The Drum Beat 73 - Radio Oxy-Jeunes, Senegal

1. This Drum Beat focuses on the social and cultural change communication initiatives of Radio Oxy-Jeunes - freq 103.4 FM - Pikine - Senegal. Many thanks to Diana Senghor and the team at Panos West Africa for introducing us to this initiative.

PIKINE

2. Pikine is a community of 2 million people just outside Dakar, Senegal, West Africa. Developed as a locale for poor people working in low paying jobs in Dakar or without an income generating activity, Pikine has had a very negative image - amongst it's own community and people and communities in nearby Dakar. The main image is one of danger, drugs, violence, and degradation. Basic services, such as sewerage and transport are poor. The majority of the population live in financial poverty. Pikine comprises the full spectrum of cultures in Senegal. 8 languages are spoken. Pikine is divided into a series of quartiers, each of which has an elected Mayor. The majority of the Mayors live outside Pikine in suburban Dakar. It is estimated that there are 1,000 citizens' organisations in Pikine - continuing a long cultural tradition of Senegalese communities organising themselves. However, in Pikine, there has been little communication or collaboration between these local organisations.

BACKGROUND - Radio Oxy-Jeunes

3. The movement for a local community radio station in Pikine began 4 years ago as an outcome from work, involving young people from Pikine, to develop a National Youth Forum. It took two and a half years of argument and negotiation just to obtain a license and be allocated a frequency. Following many unfulfilled promises, community members from Pikine interrupted the (former) President of the Republic of Senegal (Abdou Diouf) as he engaged with the crowd at a public event. Within 3 days the license and frequency were granted. The radio station commenced operation in May 1999. It is managed by a collection of local citizens associations and operated by local people who receive no income for their efforts. Initial support was provided by the Canadian organisation 'Peace and Development'. Further technical support [ie: a new transmitter] has been provided by a number of organisatons including Panos West Africa. All 8 languages are spoken at some stage during a week's broadcast. Each day 1.5 million of the 2 million population of Pikine listen to Radio Oxy-Jeunes.

REACH, PHILOSOPHY, PURPOSE

4. The Philosophy of Radio Oxy-Jeunes includes: "People are the Power of Change" and "Laugh to Educate".

5. There are 4 major purposes that drive the focus and work of Radio Oxy-Jeunes:
 

• a. Support the people of Pikine improving their critical thinking skills and insights related to the political processes that affect their conditions and prospects;
   
• b. Promote traditional African culture across the spectrum of cultures represented in Pikine;
   
• c. Encourage the people of Pikine to understand their rights and to take action to make sure those rights are applied; and,
   
• d. Facilitate and support debate amongst the population of Pikine on the major issues that concern them.
   

PROGRAMMES
Some of the programming initiatives by Radio Oxy-Jeunes that work to the above principles and purpose include:

6. "Blah Blah" - This programme airs every week night. The focus is on evaluating local political life, issues and dynamics. Hosted by 2 local comedians, the show works off the contributions of other local people through phone calls, interviews and written contributions to provide biting satire with serious political points and debate.

7. "The BUS" - As part of the morning show which airs every week day from 9 to 12am, Radio Oxy-Jeunes sends out a bus to 'experience' and debate a prominent local issue. For example, on the morning of 23 Nov. 2000, the focus was on some of the more problematic issues at one of the largest local markets. Every hour for 15 minutes the morning show crosses to live coverage at the bus for debate amongst local, interested people, in this case stall holders, customers, market management, etc. The bus also visits some of the problem areas for on-the-spot reports. Each morning the issue changes (ie: on 24 Nov. 2000 the focus was on the difficulties facing people trying to get to Dakar for work each morning.)

8. Xam sa walla (Know your rights) - focusing on the promotion of socio-economic rights amongst young people is aired once a week. Commences with a short drama on a rights issue relevant to young people. A recent programme, for example, focussed on the issues facing young people trying to get small loans from a Bank for an income generating idea they had developed. The drama attempts to capture the real issues faced by young people. The drama is followed by a live discussion that brings together the main people in the community relevant to the issue - in this case young people who have been refused loans, young people who have obtained loans, bank and assurance company managers, teachers, parents, employers and unemployed young people.

9. Dialog Conseil - Every Sunday night a Mayor is invited to discuss, with a live audience of his/her constituents, issues and problems in their quartier. Each week the focus is on a different quartier and it's Mayor. Prior to the show, Radio Oxy Jeune reporters [who are local people] interview people in the relevant quartier in their homes and on-the-streets. These interviews reveal the major issues that concern the community. The interviews are played, for response by the Mayor, as part of the live broadcast. When, after 3 editions of this programme, the Mayors refused to appear because of the questioning and criticism they faced, the programmes continued in their absence. Now, no Mayor dares to miss being present.

 

FUTURE INDICATORS OF SUCCESS

10. Radio Oxy Jeune has been in operation for 18 months. Some of the indicators that they monitor to assess success include the following (note - there is no formal evaluation in place at present):

 

• a. Pride in Pikine - significant improvements in the pride local people feel in saying that they 'live in Pikine'.
   
• b. Local Representation - new local elected leaders for Pikine continue to live in Pikine.
   
• c. Women engaged - women in the community are engaged in an increased level of leadership roles across the spectrum of development issues.
   
• d. Expanded public debate - across the range of development issues - amongst a more diverse group within the community.
   
• e. Young people advancing the culture - young people are actively engaging in traditional cultural processes and the necessary dynamics to amend that culture.
   
• f. Increased alliances on areas of mutual concern amongst the civil society organizations in Pikine.
   

Radio Oxy Jeune is already observing many of these changes. Changes such as those above will be indicative of long term positive change on the major issues of concern to the people in Pikine.

CONTACTS

11. For further information contact either - Oxy-Jeunes Director: Oumar N'diaye Seck oxyjeunes@telecomplus.sn OR Panos Institute: Johan Deflander radio@panos.sn

 

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This issue written by Warren Feek wfeek@comminit.com

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