13 Aug 2014 Communication as a Tool against Poverty and Marginalization

Communication and Poverty

Haiti

Created in 1996, Radio Vwa Kodi Mizo (VKM) is very much the result of a community initiative in the small Haitian town of Cayes. VKM promotes communication rights and its vision is to convey and amplify the voices of marginalised sectors by using radio as a vehicle to fight against all forms of marginalisation. The project provided training for 10 radio presenters and journalists (5 female and 5 male) on human rights and poverty, the rights of children and the women’s rights and the feminisation of poverty. The 100,000 local people who listen to the radio benefitted from 55 programmes presented by the trainees addressing rights and poverty issues, economic solidarity in the community, and violence against women and girls. About 20 women’s organisations were directly involved in the radio programme production. The radio station animators who were trained are now more directly involved in the campaign for justice for people living in poverty. Local community organisations in the city and countryside are applying some of the knowledge shared in the radio programmes to develop alternative economic activities allowing them to improve living conditions.

Final Report