A Community Radio Helps Children Secure Health Insurance and Basic Needs

Dodoma FM, a UNESCO supported community radio has managed to touch the lives of children with special needs at Bwigili and Hombolo through airing its jingles with a call for support.

The radio conducted a needs assessment at the two centers where it was established that they were in dire need of food, clothing as well as funds to cater for medications.  Caretakers told the station that whenever children fell sick, they had no option but to send them to their family members most of whom are too poor to cater for anything.

It was then that the station embarked into a campaign to assit where they made a plea via the radio jingles for well-wishers to contribute towards the cause. As a result, 22 children are now sure of medical treatment, as they have been covered with a health insurance while as 60 are sure of their basic needs such as sugar, cooking oil, flour, fruits,  notebooks and soap among others.

Commenting on the support, Hope Delivery Foundation Executive Director Michael Salali termed Dodoma community radio as a very good friend to groups of PWDs. He said the radio jingles aired within two weeks drew well-wishers who were so proactive that they made a handsome contribution in terms of cash and other needs.

“The station has been a catalyst to bring changes and address challenges of PWDs,” says Salali whose organization deals with PWDs.

In Tanzania, UNESCO through funding from the Swiss Development Corporation (SDC) supports 25 community radios and the community media network-TADIO.

The support is meant to ensure that people in Tanzania, especially the poor, women and girls, have the capacity to make informed decisions on issues that affect their daily lives based on access to relevant, culturally appropriate, gender responsive accurate information and knowledge.