Development Issues: Youth, HIV/AIDS, Sexual health

Programme Summary

A popular community radio station named Radio Oxyjeune, which broadcasts to a poor suburb of Senegal's capital, Dakar, not only pumps out music and chats to its audience, but takes an active role in its listeners' lives. It broadcasts programmes in both the national and local languages to reach as many people as possible. A staff of 50 people work at the station, only 20 of which have full-time jobs. The name of the station tries to capture some of its mission as it is a conjunction of the French words for "oxygen" and "youth".

Summary of ICT Initiatives

Radio Oxyjeune has phone-in shows that regularly tackle subjects many consider taboo such as HIV/AIDS and women's rights. Anonymous interviews with HIV positive individuals have helped to drive home their message in an environment that still attempts to hide from the epidemic. Organizers believe that the use of personal stories is one of the most effective ways to get the message about AIDS across to the community.

The phone-in feature provides an opportunity for two way communication and information exchange within the community using widely accessible mediums. The organizers have recognised that both old and new technologies have the potential to enable various kinds of social change. The philosophy driving their success is that it is what people do with technology rather than the technology itself that is important feature of social change.

These efforts to educate do not stop with phone-ins on the radio. The station has also started up many community groups that talk to people about HIV/AIDS. During holidays, these groups train people to go out to beaches, football stadiums, nightclubs and other places people gather to spread the word about safe sex. Despite some threats, during recent elections, the station also held meetings to help locals put questions to politicians standing for office. To reach as many people as possible, Radio Oxyjeune programmes are broadcasted in both the national and local languages.

The station is hoping to open up sister stations within the year to further its message and expand its audience.

Source: The BBC website and the Global Knowledge site.

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