Voices Add Up!: Community Radio Campaign: 25 Nov – 10 Dec

04 December 2011

“Peace starts from within ourselves so that we can make peace with others and the community at large,” said Rusila Saubeleti

They have come this weekend from Tumaivia women’s group in Nakelo, Nakorobaba in Nausori, the Association of Anglican Women in Labasa, Vunimoli Arya Mahila Mandal, Vunicuicui Multiracial group. They bring their perspectives as young women from the Lami Parish of the Catholic Church.

They have come from their stalls in Labasa market. They have come from their homes and community clubs to talk about infrastructure problems including poor drainage and sanitation, limited access to clean water, bad roads and poor transportation and long distance to access health services. Community issues include the high number of school drop outs and youth unemployment, often linked to the inability of families to meet education expenses including tertiary education.

In Labasa and Nausori, where rural broadcasts are based, the issues are the same, and the solutions are within the women, they just often don’t get a chance to be part of the solutions, especially when it comes to violence:

“Normally we have taboos so we cut off our girls and boys on what they need to know. I think it’s about time we get together with our children and we share what they are supposed to know,” said Bulu Ratu referring to the cultural and social barriers, “We have come across sexual violence and that’s what we normally treat as taboos (but) we have to open our doors, our hearts to them and tell them what it is, what they are not suppose to do and what they are suppose to do. We as women should get together and close the doors to what our tradition use to be and come forward to help our children know what they are supposed to know. Their lives now days are different to what it used to be. We can hold hands together, as mothers, grandmothers and maramas to help our growing children and youth group on what they are ignorant off.”

The women have found the community radio station an important tool as it is accessible, educative and an easy way to pass information as they share ideas about improvements to nursing stations, their concerns about breast cancer and sexual reproductive health services.

Participants in Labasa called for more information through the media to empower women as well as address violence and provide information about women’s rights, rather than focusing on movie news and information:

“Women should all raise their voices and it will be heard. Peace means harmony at home, in the community, at a work place and a country free from violence and discrimination of races, gender and individual differences,” added Lorine Shayam.

Despite the challenges with weather and a transmitter problems in Nausori, the women continue to come together to share their stories and raise their voices. The young women continue to discover their potential as producers and broadcasters.

Meanwhile listeners to the community radio broadcasts (and to our podcasts) can find out about the House of Sarah. A project of the Association of Anglican Women is has been developed in response to issues raised over the years for an AAW office and counselling support to women and their families.

According to a project advisor Taomi Tapu-Qiliho: “The House of Sarah is a special ministry of care and support for women and children through counselling. It’s the physical manifestation of our faith in action through providing a listening ear, a warm heart and a welcoming hand,” she said highlighting it is one way to put faith and ministry into practice: “…to stand alongside those in need of our care, love, compassion. It’s our commitment to those who come seeking hope and wholeness. The main target group is members of the AAW and their families - and also outreach to anyone who comes through the doors of the House of Sarah.”

The House of Sarah also empowers others in the diocese to receive training on counselling and peacebuilding and the development of the project has been with assistance of workshops and training conducted by the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and the Pacific Theological College.

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Sharon Bhagwan Rolls
Executive Director
femLINKPACIFIC
www.femlinkpacific.org.fj

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