Written by: FEBA South Africa
Article source: JOY! Magazine
FEBA Mozambique has gone beyond the call of duty and empowers widows in Lichinga by teaching them farming skills and employing them to farm on a piece of land gifted to the radio station by the government. This project is growing fast, and harvesting has proven to be fruitful.
An empowering project
Working together with the government, FEBA Mozambique conveys messages to the communities to keep them informed and help them to understand governmental developments better. In this way, a strong relationship was built over time between the station, its listeners, and the government. The outcome of this relationship was that the government has provided a piece of land to them for free so that they can plant vegetables to help feed those in remote villages. The agriculture project has grown from 10 hectares to 15 hectares and 43 women are now working the land.
The women from six listeners clubs have been taught the necessary skills of doing small business that can support their families.
Farming projects are bringing hope
Radio manager Bright Sonjera and his team lead a farming project to empower some of the widows of the men who have died in the continued Jihadist attacks. The station also distributes approximately ten bags of maize to the listener club that cares for the orphans in a refugee camp near Lichinga, whose parents lost their lives during the Jihadist attacks.
Feeding the communities
Bright said that they mainly plant maize and beans because it is the staple food of the nation. The project, which they started with the help of the government, helps feed the communities in remote villages. Most importantly, it provides job opportunities for some of the widows in the area who work on the land.
Agriculture is significant in Mozambique
Mozambique is in the southern part of Africa and about 80% of the workforce works in agriculture. Most of them are smallholders who mainly use traditional techniques. In the Niassa province in northern Mozambique, agricultural productivity is encouraged.
Women play a vital role in society
The “Empower Women Africa” project has enabled women to feed their children and send them to school to get an education they would not be able to have received otherwise. Women are responsible for the provision of food for their families and participate in different stages of processing food. Despite the numerous challenges that they face, which include a lack of proper equipment, fertiliser, and many others, women play a crucial role as farmers in smallholder agricultural production. These roles span the entire value chain and include managing household nutrition and acting as educators.
Protecting the citizens
The FEBA radio stations in Mozambique are not just one-way communication stations. They boast a diversity of programmes and call-in shows that allow the listeners to work with the broadcasters and influence the programming. And there are ever-growing listener clubs that provide crucial information that can help protect the people in the remote villages and educate them.
Effecting real change
FEBA has five radio stations in Mozambique, offering an online youth programme called “My Future,” which focuses on youth development and issues such as drug addiction and teenage pregnancy. FEBA supporters have helped to make this possible. Mozambique now has many listener clubs that play a vital role in keeping remote communities informed and educated.
Bright Sonjera
Radio FOT (Fountain of Truth) in Lichinga-Niassa, Mozambique, is managed by Bright Sonjera. He is the director for six radio stations and 50 satellite centres in Mozambique and is doing a magnificent job. There is no end to this energetic station manager and his contributions to advancing the Kingdom of God.
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If you would like to make a donation towards this life-changing project, please visit our website febaradio.co.za or call 012 335 5708
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Date published: 15/04/2023
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