Zachilengedwe Tsogolo Lathu ("Our Environment, Our Future") Radio Project

According to DRP, the Zachilengedwe Tsogolo Lathu ('Our Environment, Our Future' in local language) radio programme was initiated to provide information to people experiencing climate change who do not know the causes or how to do anything about it. While people affected by climate change need the information the most, they often have the least information as they live in remote rural areas in Africa.

The project’s key activities included the following:

• Two workshops to build environmental reporters skills – both their generic reporting skills and their understanding of how to identify and approach environmental topics. The workshops were facilitated by DRP’s environmental journalist, Dale Willman, and permaculture specialist from Malawi, Mugove Nyika.
• Sending weekly topical bulletins on local environmental issues to be used as a basis for programming. For example, bulletins could be on the impact of deforestation on local agriculture or sustainable farming methods.
• Community activities such as tree planting and building more efficeint stoves were organised by each station.
• Local forums organised by stations to develop greater awareness and participation in natural resources public policy issues.
• Day-to-day guidance, moral, and logistical support of the main partner station (Breeze FM).

The programme also encouraged innovative use of cell phones to expand the stations' interaction with listeners, using the text messaging software FrontlineSMS. FrontlineSMS' interactive functions combine with the radio stations' wide reach to facilitate an ongoing dialogue between stations and their community around natural resource issues, guidance for reporters, and the latest solutions.

According to DRP, in spite of a number of challenges, the stations embraced the project and the opportunities that the environmental information and FrontlineSMS presented. Audiences also embraced the programming and seized the opportunities to interact, ask questions, and make suggestions.

Environment, Climate Change

DRP was created to help broadcasters build healthy stations that strengthen communities. The organisation works with local radio stations around the globe that have independent voices and explicit development objectives. DRP provides complete radio consulting services, with a focus on programme excellence that seeks to lead to more vibrant and participatory communities.

According DRP, the project has received positive impact from partners. Independent Zambian evaluator, Juliana Chileshe, wrote, “The Ideas Network involving six community radio stations will sustain and scale up the activities initiated in the pilot stage. What will by and large sustain the project is the enthusiasm and passion for environment created by the project.”
Accordign to participating station manager Pilirani Chimutu, “The partnership we have with DRP has helped a lot in increasing listenership, especially with the use of FrontlineSMS. The community event also contributed to the success and we are receiving many requests from communities to teach them how they can make ceramic wood saving stoves."