SFCG Timor Leste Launches Youth Radio Show

Performing at the radio launch

On January 7^th Search for Common Ground Timor-Leste launched a Youth Radio for Peace Building magazine program called Babadok Rebenta! (“The Drums of Peace”). Nearly 100 people attended the launch, which included introductory remarks from U.S. Ambassador Judith Fergin and Leo Vigildo Hornai, from the National Youth Council. The event was opened by the Minister of Social Solidarity, Domingas Maria Alves, who beat the babadok (drum) to signify the launch.

SFCG Timor-Leste staff with President José Ramos-Horta prior to the radio program's launch.

With support from UNDP, SFCG facilitated a roundtable discussion on the “Role of Youth in the Peace Building Process”, generating valuable exchange between youth representatives from 13 districts, and government officials, including President Ramos-Horta, Minister Alves, the Secretary of State for Security, Francisco Guterres, as well as representatives from the office of the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport. The event drew participation from USAID’s Acting Mission Director, SFCG’s Regional Director, the United Nations, SFCG’s local partners — BELUN and TLMDC, along with community radio managers, and youth leaders from across Timor-Leste.

Babadok Rebenta! is a weekly radio magazine produced “for youth, by youth, and about youth.” The shows are being broadcast every Saturday, from January to June 2011, on Radio Timor-Leste (RTL) and 15 community radio stations nationwide. After every radio magazine show, SFCG-trained youth radio presenters facilitate hour-long talk shows on the themes and issues presented during the pre-produced show. This allows for local, solutions-oriented discussions, in local languages. Our team also worked with Timor Telecom who has graciously provided a free incoming SMS line for the radio program which allows listening to SMS the program and talk shows for free.

SFCG Youth reporters and presenters at the MTV-EXIT concert which followed the joint media training

In advance of the radio production, SFCG’s youth reporters and presenters had been trained in journalism and media. One of their training was a joint media training on human trafficking conducted with MTV-EXIT. Human trafficking was identified as a major issue affecting TL at a SFCG Youth Forum conducted in August 2010. 24 issues were identified and each will be the focus one of the BR! episodes.

President Ramos-Horta has expressed his support of the venture. He met with the SFCG-TL team and one of the youth reporters was able to interview him for a segment to be used on BR!, exploring peace in the country and opportunities for young people to be involved in their country’s development. The president also recorded a promo for the show: “I am Ramos-Horta, President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, for Babadok Rebenta!”

Early responses to the program, screened in focus group discussions have been positive. Listeners say the show is engaging, innovative and provides a forum and format for on-air discussions that they have never heard before.