“Miracle in Mali” supported by FM radio
31 July 2006 in Programs, Mali by Geekcorps
In “Miracle in Mali,” an article in the Spring 2006 Wilson Quarterly, former U.S. Ambassador to Mali Robert Pringle discusses how “despite persistent poverty and ongoing turmoil in neighboring states, in a single decade Mali has launched one of the most successful democracies in Africa.” The article goes on to talk about how it has done so, covering diverse topics such as the “joking relationships” between descendants of slaves and descendants of slave owners, the Malian “national mythology,” and the multitude of independent newspapers (unfortunately prohibitively expensive for average Malians).
Of most interest to Geekcorps, though, is this paragraph:
It is FM radio, not print, that has truly democratized the media in Mali. One popular program features two elderly men sitting around the Malian equivalent of a cracker barrel, poking fun at the contents of the day’s newspapers, in a manner reminiscent of Finley Peter Dunne’s immortal character Mr. Dooley. Indeed, with some 140 radio stations in Mali, broadcasters have little choice but to rely heavily on the newspapers (and each other) for content. The spread of rural radio got a big boost from a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) program that introduced suitcase-size FM transmitters developed for use in the Canadian north and Alaska. These little stations are a mainstay of decentralized local government. They also can be quite creative. A favorite entertainment is to tap a newly arrived American Peace Corps volunteer to play disc jockey and practice his or her Bambara language skills on the air, a performance that Malian audiences find most entertaining.
Geekcorps Mali’s Community Radio project, funded by USAID Mali’s Communication for Development Special Objective, supported many of these independent radio stations. We’re proud of Geekcorps Mali for helping to contribute to the “Miracle in Mali.”
“Miracle in Mali,” Wilson Quarterly, Spring 2006
Papou Coulibaly is young boutique owner in Ouélessébougou. Previously, Geekcorps partnered with Papou to create a Cybertigi - an Internet access point for the local community via a wireless link to a Community Information & Learning Center (CLIC).