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.
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Chris Johan Fourie signing the contract, while Jeanette
Fourie and Dr Roelf Petersen look on
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"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.
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Photo of
building of Radio Andrea
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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."
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| 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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