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UCB MAKES PROGRESS IN SOLIDIFYING A RADIO PRESENCE IN AFRICA

By Michael Ireland


Wednesday, November 9, 2005

MADAGASCAR (ANS) -- It is now five years since the inception of the idea to establish a radio station called Radio Andrea Madagascar in Antsohihy, Madagascar.

Chris Johan Fourie signing the contract, while Jeanette Fourie and Dr Roelf Petersen look on

"Antsohihy is a major town in the North West of the island. The area has a history of neglect by previous governments due to tribal differences and the Sakalava and Tsemehity peoples living in the North are backward and disadvantaged in many respects," says Dr Roelf Petersen, CEO of UCB Africa, in a report obtained by ANS.

Petersen says Christianity is a minority faith in the area, with animism and Islam dominating.

"The poor infrastructure, terrible roads and difficult terrain make it even more difficult to reach the peoples with the Gospel message, therefore Christian radio is a very real solution as instrument of spreading the Good News," he says.

Photo of building of Radio Andrea


The Fouries, Chris and Jeanette, who run the station on the island of Madagascar off the east coast of Africa, planned to build a theological center in Antsohihy, which could be used to provide theological training and education to the local population.

During a visit to the Fouries in 2000 by Dr Roelf Petersen of Radio Pulpit, the vision of also including a Christian radio station as part of the project was formed.

"Political unrest and Muslim resistance were obstacles to the idea for a number of years, until 2004, when a Christian became the new president of Madagascar," Petersen said.

"This opened the door and the Fouries were then contracted by Radio Pulpit/UCB Africa in August of that year as the radio project team and they relocated to Antsohihy in December 2004 for the purpose of starting up the project."

Station manager Mary Moshoeshoe with Roelf Petersen

Petersen says that despite many difficulties and problems they are persevering and the project is slowly but surely progressing. The going-on -air date is estimated to be June 2006.

Meanwhile, Harvest FM, the only Christian radio station in Maseru, capital of Lesotho, is surviving despite the poor state of the economy of Lesotho, Petersen said.

UCB Africa was asked for help by the station manager Mary Moshoeshoe early in 2004 and a covenant agreement was signed between Harvest FM and UCB Africa, he said.

"This included the provision of financial, technical and training assistance to help the station grow to self sufficient within twelve months. Since that date the station has recovered satisfactorily and is now providing 75 percent of its financial needs. The training and mentoring role of UCB Africa is continuing."


** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.


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