Radijojo

Caroline:

Radijojo is a Berlin-based organisation that works across the globe in over 100 countries. They work mainly through partnership and using a range of social media platforms.

They categorise their content on their website by topic and geography. The themes are decided on by young people and people can send podcasts, recordings on mobiles etc. It can all be achieved with low-tech options, as they work in many developing countries who don't have access to high-tech equipment.


Radijojo doesn't have its own frequency but either airs work on the web or uses its network of Community radios across the world to broadcast the young people's contributions. These partnerships work well, as the community radios are happy to have the content that Radijojo provides. Their partnerships work on a social franchising model - in a not-for-profit context.

Radijojo has a set of formulas, standards and values that they ask others to sign up to and this could be anything from a school to a larger community organisation. They are exploring broadcasting straight to mobile phones to give them another outlet, but the technology isn't quite there yet.


They carry out workshops and projects in German schools and community settings. Often, they link up with other countries and exchange stories about their lives. The interaction with this personal content is key.


A separate project called "One Laptop One Child" delivered by an NGO aims to provide children in developing countries access to technology that can be made suitable for their needs e.g. dust proof laptops and solar charging. These kinds of projects are helping the kinds of link up programmes that Radijojo initiate.


The conversations between the young people in different countries can also lead to more direct action. Young people often suggest ideas for ways in which they can make each other's communities better. For example, a boy on a school council in Berlin, suggested that if the children that they were communicating with in Nigeria had access to a camera and a cutting tool that this would help them advocate for change in their communities. This was the beginning of something larger.


Young people send in reports about all kinds of issues, from a girl in Australia reporting about the bush fires to children in Gambia sharing the plight of farmers through desertification.

Another important aspect about Radijojo is the way they run their organisation. They train unemployed migrants and young people in Berlin who help them to do their work. In exchange, they give them references, relevant skills and confidence.

Some really great ideas here for personal exchanges, powerful story telling leading to action and innovative partnership work.

More later...