PROGATI Lessons Learned: Project on Strengthening Community Radio Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication

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Project Duration

: Strengthening Community Radio : August 01, 2010 to June 30, 2011

Promoting Governance, Accountability, Transparency, and Integrity (PROGATI) believes that Community Radio is an effective tool for making the community aware about transparency and corruption issues and engaging them to address those issues by their own. This is considered as the guiding principle for the entire assignment ranging from target trainee and trainer selection to module development and training conduction. Since causes, consequences and perception constantly change; there is a great need to continue supporting research and analysis of emerging trends, phenomena and acts of corruption through investigative journalism and research. To achieve the goal of the project, first, we tried to develop the skills of the Community Radio initiators, staff and volunteers who are the main actor of the journey. We develop 4 training modules on technical skills development and module on governance and corruption issues, and facilitated training accordingly. We developed and produced 10 part community radio dramas on corruption issues as the model content for them so that they could be able to develop and produce radio dramas on the same following the process by their own. The 10 part radio dramas are ready for broadcasting. The respective radio station could reproduce the same following their local language, culture and ritual norms in the future. We organized and facilitated 4 divisional level dialogues on community radio with the government officials, civil society organizations, NGOs working on right, information and communication, local government representatives, public representatives, academia, journalists, cultural activists and Cr station staff. The roles and responsibilities of the participants were explained now they can ensure their support to the community radio for producing programs effectively. During the implementation of the project activities we learnt a lot. The following reflections are some learning of the project. 1. What do you see as the greatest success of the PROGATI project? It is a different type of project among all other project supported by USAID PROGATI. Community Radio is a new concept and initiative in Bangladesh approved by the government. This is a very challenging job but completed its implementation successfully. As a result, now all 14 licensed Community Radio stations are equipped with a group of trained staff, volunteers and well-wishers for broadcasting. The successes of the PROGATI project are:

- Integrating the concepts and principals of governance and corruption issues within the community radio framework. - Trained staff and volunteers (on Station Management Skills, Content Development Skills, Production Skills, Basic Journalism Skills and Governance and Corruption Issues) are developing radio programs related to governance and corruption issues by their own. - Trained volunteers are start collecting information for developing Radio programs on corruption issues. - All 4 divisional government officials as well as covering district and upazilla level officials are aware about Community Radio and its activities. - All 14 Community Radio initiators are involved in organizing motivational campaign on good governance, transparency and accountability at the grass root level by their own. - Good working relationship is built within in the policy makers, Civil Society Organizations, Community Radios. - Develop working relationship with organizations concern for governance, accountability and transparency issues, and on community radio. 2. What has been the greatest accomplishment of your organization in working to reduce corruption in Bangladesh? Training modules on Governance and Corruption issues and associate materials developed for community radio staff and volunteers. One training course on Governance and Corruption issues conducted for the community radio staff and volunteers. A total of 83 Trained Community Radio personnel are technically skill for developing radio programs on corruption issues in all 14 Community Radio stations. 10 part Community Radio drama series on Governance and Corruption issues developed as model contents for the community Radio stations. 4 divisional level dialogues on Community radio facilitated in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Chittagong and Barisal facilitated with the government officials, civil society organizations, NGOs, journalists, academia, local government officials, public representatives and initiators. Gathered experienced on working for governance and anti corruption movement. A good working relation developed with the leading organizations those who are working for anticorruption movement.

3. What has been the impact on your organization in working with the PGOGATI project? BNNRC has reviewed organizational Human Resource policy, Financial guideline and developed a gender policy. BNNRC Board of Trustee met quarterly to monitor the progress of the implementation of project activities in line with approved budget. Considered corruption issues as priority for development work. Realize that corruption should be reduced by ensuring Right To Information (RTI) of the community. CR professionals are taking lead in fighting against corruption.

4. What has been the greatest challenge to your organization of working on corruption issues? Work on this issue corruption is always challenging. BNNRC is not work on this issue directly but giving technical support to the organization involved directly. However the greatest challenges of BNNRC of working on corruption issues are: - To keep strengthen the movement of anticorruption through electronic media in future days. - To increase the engagement of the organizations and groups working on corruption issues through electronic media. - To keep continue technical support to the existing and newly initiated community radio station so that they could be able to produce radio programs on corruption issues. - To ensure organizing basic and refresher training courses for community radio staff and volunteers. - To ensure organizing government orientation on community radio in the rest division and districts 5. What approaches or techniques that your organization used were the most successful to achieving the objectives of your work? - Efficient staff members TEAM (on communication and training) recruited for implementing the planned activities. - Good working relation with National Institute of Mass Communication (NIMC), Transparency International of Bangladesh (TIB), Manuser Jonno, experienced media and media personnel for organizing technical and non-technical training courses for Community Radio staff. Individual and informal contact at senior level govt. officials helped us to organize planned activities. To engaged the related community radio experts in our activity. Cross sectoral formal communication approach.

6. What approaches or techniques that your organization used were the least successful to achieving the objectives of your work? Not applicable 7. Any further thoughts you might like to share. Community is one the most popular available friendly media for the marginalized poor rural people. They can effort this cheaper and manageable media easily. On the other hand, this is the only media where campaign against corruption shall be continued with low cost covering most of the rural community people who are voiceless. CR can play a vital role for engaging the community people to take activities for reducing corruption. For promoting Governance, accountability, Transparency and Integrity Community Radio can address the need of the voiceless grass root people effectively. In future the PROGATI could consider the following activities for effective campaign against corruption through Community Radio. The activities are: Inter ministerial level meeting. Development partners meeting. District level dialogue on CR issues with govt. officials, CSOs, media personnel, academia, communities. Upzilla level dialogue on CR issues (in the concern CR stations areas) Refreshers training course for 14 CR stations on 5 training courses. Training for new CR stations staff and volunteers.

Advance training course on Editing, Recording and Broadcasting. Orientation course for CR volunteers Advance training or orientation for project staff (home and abroad). More support needed for strengthening and promoting Community Radio activities in Bangladesh. Idea Sharing workshop should be organized both at national and regional level Bringing policy makers closure through Community Radio Should need strengthening CR sector for a longer period. USAID could consider CR movement as a high priority for strengthening Governance and Corruption issues at the grass root level.

AHM. Bazlur Rahman-S21BR Chief Executive Officer Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) [NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council] & Head, Community Radio Academy House: 13/1, Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207 Bangladesh Phone: +88-02-9130750, +88-02-9138501, Cell: +88 01711881647 Fax: 88-02-9138501-105, E-mail: ceo@bnnrc.net, bnnrcbd@gmail.com www.bnnrc.net