Micheweni Community Radio which appeared top in Tanzania, 2019 for radio quality in a survey conducted by the University of Dar Es Salaam as while it has immensely succeeded in producing favorable radio quality it faces the thorny challenge of financial muscles.
The radio Manager, Ali Masoud said, it is happy that it has been capacity built by an array of organizations mostly The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and managed to establish the station with all the prerequisites including staff and radio administrative knowledge.
He said through the fundraising knowledge which it acquired, it managed to foreground the Micheweni community in all its works, conducted fundraising events and established two ways communication in its programming.
He said Micheweni FM has successfully organized a fundraising event for the station sustainability on August 19, 2020 which was officiated by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Marketing Zanzibar, Ambassador Amina Salim Ali who raised a total of five million shillings for the purchase of solar energy installation at the station.
Also through the strategic plan prepared, the station was able to engage with new stakeholders to work with which include (TAMWA ZNZ), ActionAid, and RTI which have helped to increase radio revenue a great deal to a total of 11 million.
He said the monitoring and evaluation knowledge has empowered the station to timely collect information from its programs and put them in record for sharing, analysis and responding into the issues whether from internally or externally.
He said the station has also strengthened the use of technology by utilizing the social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram which travels beyond the vicinity of Micheweni community.
"In the past, we did not know the importance of using social media but through this program, we have invested more energy in those networks including providing opportunities for our stakeholders to express their views directly through those networks,"said Manager Ali Kombo.
The Manager said that, the only challenge the station faces now is lack of fund to undertake its ambitious plans which entails writing and tracking social economic progress reached by the Micheweni community and the challenges encountered.
Talking to the press, Dr Mzuri Issa who is one of the mentors said Micheweni Community Radio made a big stride to organizational sustainability since the launching and capacity development sessions by UNESCO, early 2019.
She said it has put in place all the necessary structures and systems including policies, strategic plans and periodic plans.
She stated that it has also demonstrated itself as a community radio by making the community at the top of the organizational hierarchy, independent board and involved the community in its broader way including in the preparation of news stories, programs, debates, festivals and fundraising.
Safia Mohammed Mzirai one of the station’s stakeholders said, “now I look that the community radio has changed a lot as we listeners get what we need in time due to the system they have put to involve us in everything they do."
She added that, due to its activeness on addressing their social and economic issues through community participatoion, it has made them feel proud of having the station in their community as it gives what the community needs on time fashion.
The radio Manager, Ali Masoud said, it is happy that it has been capacity built by an array of organizations mostly The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and managed to establish the station with all the prerequisites including staff and radio administrative knowledge.
He said through the fundraising knowledge which it acquired, it managed to foreground the Micheweni community in all its works, conducted fundraising events and established two ways communication in its programming.
He said Micheweni FM has successfully organized a fundraising event for the station sustainability on August 19, 2020 which was officiated by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Marketing Zanzibar, Ambassador Amina Salim Ali who raised a total of five million shillings for the purchase of solar energy installation at the station.
Also through the strategic plan prepared, the station was able to engage with new stakeholders to work with which include (TAMWA ZNZ), ActionAid, and RTI which have helped to increase radio revenue a great deal to a total of 11 million.
He said the monitoring and evaluation knowledge has empowered the station to timely collect information from its programs and put them in record for sharing, analysis and responding into the issues whether from internally or externally.
He said the station has also strengthened the use of technology by utilizing the social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram which travels beyond the vicinity of Micheweni community.
"In the past, we did not know the importance of using social media but through this program, we have invested more energy in those networks including providing opportunities for our stakeholders to express their views directly through those networks,"said Manager Ali Kombo.
The Manager said that, the only challenge the station faces now is lack of fund to undertake its ambitious plans which entails writing and tracking social economic progress reached by the Micheweni community and the challenges encountered.
Talking to the press, Dr Mzuri Issa who is one of the mentors said Micheweni Community Radio made a big stride to organizational sustainability since the launching and capacity development sessions by UNESCO, early 2019.
She said it has put in place all the necessary structures and systems including policies, strategic plans and periodic plans.
She stated that it has also demonstrated itself as a community radio by making the community at the top of the organizational hierarchy, independent board and involved the community in its broader way including in the preparation of news stories, programs, debates, festivals and fundraising.
Safia Mohammed Mzirai one of the station’s stakeholders said, “now I look that the community radio has changed a lot as we listeners get what we need in time due to the system they have put to involve us in everything they do."
She added that, due to its activeness on addressing their social and economic issues through community participatoion, it has made them feel proud of having the station in their community as it gives what the community needs on time fashion.