Two radio stations experiment with a brand new multimedia resource kit

FOTOUNI, Cameroon -- Most economic actors do not always know where to seek necessary information relating to the exercise of their micro-enterprises. Either the sources of information are far away from users, or the users do not receive all the information for which they are in need. Some are even unaware of the information and the legal obligations necessary to the exercise of their income generating activity. This lack of information very much affects women micro-entrepreneurs of the rural and urban areas.

Within the framework of the project “Small business training for women in Cameroon using radio programmes” representatives of PROTEGE QV and two trainers carried out a field trip on the April 30, 2007 to the rural localities of Dschang and Fotouni to hand-over material and equipment to the two radio stations.

A partnership was established between PROTEGE QV and each of the two radio stations and it is within the framework of this partnership that materials and equipment were put to the radios’ disposal.

Mindful of the fact that nearly 70% of households in Cameroon have a radio set, the project that PROTEGE QV carries out under the auspices of the Commonwealth Connects Programme, intends to place information at the disposal of the urban and rural women. Not any kind of information, the type that could help them to improve their incomes generating activities. This is done by reinforcing the capacities of women micro-entrepreneurs in the rural and urban areas, through information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly by means of radio broadcasting programmes.

Multimedia for improving radio shows

The strategy chosen to do just that is to support community radio stations to work out radio shows for this purpose. PROTEGE QV elaborated a tool called the Multimedia Resource Kit (MMRK) to this end. Radio Fotouni and radio Yemba in the Western province of Cameroon tested it.

Apart from drafting programming for radio shows, a seminar workshop was held to identify the needs in information and training of active and future women micro-entrepreneurs.

Outcomes to measure technical capabilities

The transmission, listening, follow-up and evaluation workshop are to come later in the year. This last step is definitely of interest to make sure PROTEGE QV elaborates a final version of the MMRK.

A workshop on the use of the MMRK with the two pilot radio stations is expected at year’s end. This will involve the installation of the MMRK on their respective websites.

At the end of the project the awaited results shall be measured by the increase in the economic productivity of the female micro-enterprises. Also, it goes without saying that the technical capabilities of the pilot radio stations’ staff will have increased. “We sincerely hope that we can excite the passion of these radios to use ICT by downloading programmes from the Multimedia Resource Kit,” said Avis Momeni, PROTEGE QV’s executive director, present in Fotouni.

Photo: Handing over of material to radio Fotouni.
By Avis Momeni (in the middle), executive director of PROTEGE QV.

PROTEGE QV

Author: --- (Avis Momeni for PROTEGE QV)
Contact:
Source: PROTEGE QV
Date: 08/22/2007
Location: FOTOUNI, Cameroon
Category: Building Information Communities