Community radio station Voice, Somalia

Project name: Community radio station Voice for Somali Youth

Project location: Mogadishu, Somalia

Website: http://sydf.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SomaliYouthDevelopmentFoundatio/?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/somaliyouth123

Project description:

Problem Statement: Due to the prevalence of severe poverty and lack of employment opportunities, many young men who represent urban drop-outs, orphans and those migrated from countryside and/or nomadic areas fell in the hands of warring parties for small handouts provided by warring parties to reinforce their force against the other. As such, if real security, stability, and a modicum of law and order are to be restored to South-central Somalia- whose economy has been almost totally destroyed, severe unemployment situation which now prevails in the regions which has the most adverse impacts on youth has to be tackled.
As a result of Somalia’s over two decades year old conflict, and since the country has not yet witnessed any meaningful political stability or economic development, the unemployment, youth political participation situations in Somalia is heart-wrenching. The lack of viable education and employment opportunities has created a high level of frustration and discontentment among young people. The unemployment rate for youth aged 14 to 29 is 67%- one of the highest rates in the world; young women losing out more with unemployment rates at 74% compared to men at 61% .
The deplorable unemployment situation is also believed to have been contributing, immensely, to the equally bad situation of the civil strife with the existence of thousands of illiterate young men and women who have no any marketable skill, whatsoever, and who will resort to evil acts as the only means of livelihood.
Somalia, a country with a population approximately 21 million people and out of that 3 million live in Banadir region (according to local estimates), has more than 15 radio stations by which only one state owned radio stations has intermittent coverage in Banadir, The town and neighboring villages do not receive newspapers daily either. Somali Youth is therefore isolated from international, national as well as regional affairs and lacks a community platform to discuss development and social issues in a pluralistic, accessible and democratic way.

Banadir has been under developed and the region poses myriad challenges to Somali youth, woman and linguistic minorities (Mai and Maha tiri community Youth speaking). Banadir alone is surrounded by more than 50 villages and although an estimated 98% of the population have access to radio, the 15-25 age groups in the region are registering higher illiteracy rates compared to other youths in the country. Lack of access to free and independent information severely limits their chances to counter these challenges and successfully develop pluralism in the region.

Therefore the purpose of the project is to establish and operationalize a sustainable community and youth managed radio serving the Somali community, thereby increasing access to information that is diverse, educational and developmental oriented and meets social needs. The premises of Banadir region needs Voice for Somali Youth , a youth Community Radio will be the first available and granted for use by the community.

The proposed youth managed radio will give the community a platform to analyze its needs in detail, identify the causes of its problems and marginalization and seek home grown solutions in debates and advocacy through the radio. The radio will be dealing with local issues in the local languages, relevant to local problems and concerns.
An initial information and advocacy meetings for the community has already been organized to galvanize community participation, volunteers ship and ownership. To ensure full and positive running of the radio station a three day hands on training in this new community radio station for staff and volunteers (5 men and 5 women) on management of community radio, information gathering and production skills will be organized. A launch, packaging and broadcasting of relevant programmes in local languages will commence as soon as the equipment are purchased and installed.

PROJECT OUTPUTS:

• A youth-managed community radio station equipped with transmission and production facilities.

• Ten trained women and men capable of producing high-quality programmes on South Central Somalia notably Banadir issues of local concern and of managing the community radio station in a sustainable way.

ACTIVITIES:

Sourcing of equipment quotation from at least three potential credible suppliers;

• Purchasing, delivery and installation of transmission, studio and production equipment.

• Three-day, hands-on training in basic management, information gathering and production skills for ten people (5 women and 5 men) at a community radio station in Somalia.
• Two-day technical, capacity building on handling, managing and utilizing the radio equipment for the staff and volunteers (5 men and 5 women).

• Purchase of a locally fabricated mast.

• Official launch of the radio station.

Goal and purpose of the project:

Increased pluralism and diversity of information and enhanced community capacities using media as a platform for democratic discourse with a special focus on youth, women and especially Somali Youth minority.
IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE:
Establish a self-sustained, youth-managed community radio station Voice for Somali Youth capable of engaging community members in educational, development and social issues affecting their daily lives and providing a platform to seek homegrown solutions at youth level

Motivation of the applicant / applicant team:

This proposal “the community radio for Voice for Somali Youth Fm is of a special relevance to my professional goals and career objectives, and therefore I would high appreciate to be given an opportunity regarding “The proposed youth managed radio will give the community a platform to analyze its needs in detail, identify the causes of its problems and marginalization and seek home grown solutions in debates and advocacy through the radio. The radio will be dealing with local issues in the local languages, relevant to local problems and concerns.

An initial information and advocacy meetings for the community has already been organized to galvanize community participation, volunteer’s ship and ownership. To ensure full and positive running of the radio station a three day hands on training in this new community radio station for staff and volunteers (5 men and 5 women) on management of community radio, information gathering and production skills will be organized. A launch, packaging and broadcasting of relevant programmes in local languages will commence as soon as the equipment are purchased and installed.
I already have some knowledge on the main theme of the training as I am the chair person of Somali youth Development Foundation (SYDF) NGO based in Somalia and Kenya where I had a course/training/experience in «Culture and globalization», «Global economy», «Knowledge economy», «Public institutions’ development», «Politics and international security» environment, the climate, and society.
I am an especially interested in the #youforG20 – Project for an Interconnected World through this project will unite more than 2,000,000 young leaders from more than 18 regions across Somalia. I find a very motivational, and inspiring to me and to represent Somalia.
As a special added value of this event I find the opportunity to network with other students and professional from the World, which is an exceptional opportunity for horizontal exchange of experience. I perceive this also as an occasion to familiarize with good practices as a channel for my personal development.
As requested in Call for Application I am forwarding you all the cost related to this project as well as this training seminar through the radio staff needs. Furthermore I am using this opportunity to express my willingness to come on the board and to participate in the study tour and how we work and help to those in need through in «Culture and globalization», «Global economy», «Knowledge economy», «Public institutions’ development», «Politics and international security» environment, the climate, and society. .
I am confident you will find my application as a worthwhile investment. My attendance at this project since Somalia youth lacks behind their rights for the last 26 years and no youth radio at all in Somalia is a wise investment and I would highly appreciate selecting our projects.
Sincerely,
Abdullahi Abdi Mohamed
Chair Person of Somali Youth Development Foundation (SYDF)

Use of prize money

BREAKDOWN OF IPDC CONTRIBUTION
(in US dollars)
I. THREE-DAY, HANDS-ON TRAINING AT NEW COMMUNITY RADIO STATION VOICE FOR SOMALI YOUTH ON COMMUNITY RADIO MANAGEMENT, PRODUCTION SKILLS AND INFORMATION GATHERING
Participants’ accommodation and all meals ($ 60 per day x 10 participants and trainer x 3 days) 1,610
One facilitator (3 days training at a rate of $150 per day) 403
Training material 716
Local travel ($30 x 10 participants and trainer) 295
Sub-Total: Training costs in EURO 3,024
II. TWO DAY TECHNICAL CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
Participants’ accommodation and all meals ($ 60 per day x 10 participants and trainer x 2 days 1074
One facilitator (3 days training at a rate of $160 per day) 268
Training material 179
Local travel ($30 x 10 participants and trainer) 160
Sub-Total: Training costs in SYDF will cover EURO 1,681
III. BROADCASTING UNIT
Broadcasting unit comprising of:
Behringer Q X1204US 8B channel audio mixer, Numark 103USB MP3/CD player, M-
AudioAV30 powered monitor speaker( pair), Nanopatch monitor switch, SennheiseHr
D203 headphones( pair), RVRT EX300/S3 00WFM stereo transmitter and 50m coaxial cable, Potar114FM dipote antenna, 2x Behringer XM8500 dynamic microphones, 1 x table mike stand, 1 x Rode PSA1 Microphone arm and cables, A tesis 3632 compressor/limiter,1 x Triltium Telephone hybrid and associated tetephone, Dell lnspiron 15.6in laptop with Windows 7 operating system and preinstalled software. 7755
Sub-Total: Broadcasting Unit in EUR 7,755
IV. BROADCASTING UNIT
Behringe Qr X1204US 8B channel audio mixer, Numark 103USB MP3/CD player, M –Audio AV30 powered monitor speaker ( pair), Nanopatch monitors with SennheiseHrD203 headphone(pair), 2 x BehringeXr M850 microphones 2x BehringeBr -1 condense microphones, 4 x Table mike stands and cables 1 x ZoomH l portable digital audio recorder with accessory kits, Dell lnspiron 15.6 in laptop with Windows 7 operating system and preinstalted software.
4,187
Sub-Total: Broadcasting Unit in EUR
4,187
SYDF Contribution: EUR
1,681
TOTAL EUR project needed EUR 16,647