This initiative has been built on the premise that radio can hold government accountable and give people vital information about disasters, both before and after they happen.

As Radio DJati personnel explain, the December 2004 tsunami took a very heavy toll on local media in Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra island. With external support, DJati was began broadcasting in January 2005, initially with the aim of supporting the tsunami recovery operation. Aid agencies were given a weekly features slot over a 3-month period to profile their work. There are still regular talk shows with guests from relief organisations, government agencies, and affected communities, in which listeners can take part. DJati decided to play a proactive role in helping people prepare better for disasters. In June 2008, it launched a 9-part series of 15-minute feature programmes, being broadcast over the next 6 months, on aid agencies' work to reduce the risk of disasters.

Research is a key strategy DJati uses to help it define its ongoing commitment to Banda Aceh. In collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as HCR, DJati carried out a sample survey (n=984) within 9 sub-districts of Banda Aceh to explore the current levels of knowledge and awareness relating to disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disaster mitigation and preparedness (DMP). Eight focus groups were used to further explore the specific issues faced by vulnerable people, and interviews were conducted with decision-makers representing government agencies involved in various aspects of disaster management. The resulting report was published in May 2008 (click here for an executive summary). It noted that two-thirds of Banda Aceh residents now listen to radio every day and that, whilst authorities now realise the importance of disseminating appropriate information, they recognise they are not currently prepared if a disaster struck again. Forty-one percent of the respondents said that, since the disaster, radio messages have helped them recognise that DMP can save lives; 19% said they had learned, by listening, how they could act to limit the impact of a disaster.

Local participation in the creation of the radio programmes is another core DJati principle. The station plans to train community members to produce their own radio programmes because something from their own culture, their daily life, could perhaps be drawn upon and communicated to help them become better prepared. In addition, the programmes already being produced highlight the ways in which "ordinary people" are getting involved in DRR and DMP.

Risk Management.

According to HCR, a large-scale project is (as of mid-2008) underway in Banda Aceh to assist DJati Radio to develop DMP messages. Participatory communication design techniques will be employed with vulnerable communities, and radio workers will be trained in disaster response procedures and message-design skills. The information will be assessed for relevance to RRRU's in the Philippines, India, and in other contexts under development.