Radio Ndeke Luka - Central African Republic - Fondation Hirondelle - Media for Peace and Human Dignity

Radio Ndeke Luka is the most popular and listened-to medium in the Central African Republic. Launched in 2000 by Fondation Hirondelle to take over from Radio Minurca, the United Nations radio station in CAR, now Guira FM, it broadcasts live 24/7 in French and Sango throughout the country with 13 FM transmitters, coverage by 20 partner community radio stations, and broadcast on the Canal+ Afrique bouquet. The radio station's programmes can also be accessed via streaming on its website and social networks.

Radio Ndeke Luka broadcast its first programme on 27 March 2000. For more than 20 years, Radio Ndeke Luka has been a true public service institution. It helps to solve everyday problems, some of which are vital to the population, in a country faced with recurring crises and endemic governance problems.

Radio Ndeke Luka produces and broadcasts 13 daily news programmes, debates, entertainment programmes, music and magazines. This content is produced by around a hundred Central African men and women working in Bangui and the provinces.

Objectives

Contribute to dialogue between Central Africans by producing and broadcasting independent, factual, impartial and professional news and programmes in French and Sango
Enable every listener to understand the issues involved in rebuilding the country by supporting the democratic process and the end of the crisis through programmes on the operation of the renewed democratic institutions and the role of the political players
Help build the capacity of Central African citizens to produce a critical analysis of the information they receive, thereby helping to combat misinformation
Foster the professionalisation at Radio Ndeke Luka and the Central African media sector by improving the know-how of RNL's teams, developing the Ndeke Luka Foundation and its control room, and the technical and editorial development of Central African community radio stations.

Results

8760 hours of radio programs per year
More than 3,000 articles published online annually
70 people trained per year (journalists, presenters, technicians, trainees, local correspondents)
20 community radio stations supported as part of a partnership with the Central African Community Media Network (RMCC)
In a survey, 84% of respondents said they had complete confidence in the information provided by Radio Ndeke Luka. This is four times higher than for the other main radio stations available locally.

Resources

Team: 1 Fondation Hirondelle representative, 1 support services coordinator, 1 project manager, 70 journalists, technicians, managers, drivers, caretakers and administrative staff, a network of 30 correspondents.

Annual budget: CHF 2,526,053

Financial ressources:

European Union (Fonds Bêkou and IcSP)
Switzerland (SDC Contribution Programme and SDC Project Contribution)
UNICEF
Fondation Nicolas Puech
Diverse income from advertising

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.hirondelle.org/en/radiondekeluka-central-african-republic#sigProIdb1ec19ace3

Testimonies:

Radio Ndeke Luka and the population : "The content of Radio Ndeke Luka's programmes reflects our daily lives. I like this radio station for its professionalism and, what's more, it's very close to us, the listeners. For example, we're currently following the inter-Central African republican dialogue talks live from Bangui". This is a testimonial collected from Pauline, a listener, during an assignment in Béloko, in the west of the CAR, on the border with Cameroon (April 2022).
Radio Ndeke Luka and disinformation: "We really like Radio Ndeke Luka because it changes the way we see things, it opens our eyes to disinformation and the way we have to check information before taking action. Awareness-raising must continue". Testimonial gathered during a focus group organised in the village of Voudambala, near the town of Mbaiki (June 2022).