Training on civil society leaders in Bunyakiri, South Kivu (photo by Brett Morton)
SFCG works towards improving information access and dialogue among Congolese citizens, media, civil society and their elected leaders. SFCG DRC aims to:
Raise awareness amongst citizens on principles, practices, and structures of their new democracy, including their rights and responsibilities within it
Foster links between policy makers, civil society and the media on issues of civic participation, public policy, and governance.
We use the following tools to address these objectives:
Radio Programs
Arbre à Palabre This 30-minute weekly roundtable radio program, aired in French, informs and educates the Congolese population on diverse current issues. The show features discussions among government officials, parliamentarians, analysts, and NGO representatives. These roundtable discussions air the studio guests' disparate points of view while encouraging the search for peaceful solutions. Topics featured in L'Arbre à Palabre include the Constitution, the presence of armed groups in DRC, impunity and reconciliation, and elections.
Mopila An educational and entertaining short radio drama revolving around a taxi driver and a lively cast of characters. Each week the subject changes, and aims to clarify rumors around current events. Mopila is produced in five languages: Kikongo, Kiswahili, Tshiluba, Lingala, and French. Mopila also exists as a comic book, helping young readers to understand how democracy functions and their role in supporting it.
Boyoka pe biso ("Listen to us too!") This is a 12 minute vox pop program in Lingala comprised of audio contributions from a network of regional correspondents, that provides opportunities for people to express their opinions on specific current events related to governance and peacebuilding. These short extracts are followed up with an interview with a key resource person who clarifies the issue under the spotlight for that week.
Elongo Tosalel'ango ("Let's make it happen together")
A monthly program co-produced by a national civil society network (Dynamique de la Societe Civile) with 40 partner radio stations in all provinces. The program broadcasts "Town Hall meetings" organized between elected officials and ordinary citizens on issues related to governance and accountability.
Duel des Democrats
A weekly quiz show, recorded in secondary schools, features two teams battling it out to demonstrate their understanding of democracy. This program aims to educate and inform Congolese youth on their government institutions.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila was recently sworn-in for his second term as President. The November elections were the country's second since the end of the civil war and the first to be completely organized by the Congolese themselves. Most Congolese didn't know how the electoral systems works, with rumors and hearsay making it hard to keep the population informed. RFI's Daniel Finnan reports on the role the media played in educating the Congolese electorate.
The program features SFCG's election spots that were broadcast on local radio stations throughout the country, providing information on registering to vote; the importance of getting out to vote; changes in dates/venues, and were a source of reliable and trustworthy information about the elections. The program also pointed out that there is a long way to go towards developing an informed electorate -- both voters and candidates -- where quality and policies matter more than where the candidate comes from and who he/she is aligned with.
Outreach activities in universities
To support DRC's next generation of leaders, SFCG targets 24 universities, through a collaboration with the Great Lakes Inter-university and Youth Forum, in eight major cities around the DRC (Kinshasa, Bukavu, Lubumbashi, Kisangani, Mbuji Mayi, Goma, Matadi, and Gbadolite). SFCG organizes events, including trainings and forums that strengthen participants' non-violent advocacy skills, and fosters interaction with local government leaders. SFCG has collaborated with this network of youth since 2004, enabling them to reinforce their capacities in rumor management, civic education, conflict transformation, facilitation, mediation and planning.
Training of Journalists
SFCG trains journalists in Common Ground approaches to governance programs: These in-house trainings enable journalists to play a constructive role in informing listeners and facilitating dialogue around governance is
