Short-Wave Radio

Communication technology in the Central African Republic is decades behind most of the world. In the capital city of Bangui there are a few opportunities to connect to the outside world through internet cafés and cell phones. With little telephone, no television, no newspaper, and no mail service outside the capital city, the general population receives practically ALL of its information via radio. It is interesting to note that every village has a radio—most have more than one. Radios purchased from countries like Nigeria and Niger are very affordable. They cover FM, shortwave, and mediumwave bands. Prices starting around $6 make this method of communication affordable for a large percentage of the population—everyone listens to the radio!

Until the end of 2005 there was only one government-owned shortwave station and six FM stations run by private organizations. In December 2005 ICDI was granted permission to open the first privately owned shortwave radio station—“Radio ICDI.” (Several shortwave stations outside of the country [BBC, France One, and a few Arabic stations from northern Africa] are also heard satisfactorily by listeners in the CAR.) Radio ICDI is also the first privately owned station transmitting in Sango (the trade language) as well as in French. In the future, ICDI plans to include special programming for some of the people groups in the country who have difficulties understanding both French and Sango.

Early in 2006 ICDI purchased an eight acre portion of land on the plateau above the town of Boali. During that year, two containers were moved to the property, electricity and a road were run to the site, and a fence and a guard house were constructed. In February 2007 a team of HCJB engineers from the HCJB Engineering Center in Elkhart, Indiana made a three-week trip to Boali to install a one kilowatt transmitter, shortwave antenna, transmitter studio, and two satellite antennas: one for accessing the Internet and the other for accessing French program sources via Trans World Radio. Radio ICDI was commissioned and started broadcasting at a dedication ceremony February 22, 2007 and is currently transmitting programs on 6.03 megahertz.

Radio ICDI can be heard by villagers across the country, giving ICDI the perfect means to communicate information on AIDS prevention, orphan care, well repair programs, and many other community development initiatives. Already, Radio ICDI is regarded by many in the country to be “the people's radio station”—the people of the Central African Republic have expressed a real ownership in ICDI and its programs.