Meet Our 2023 Indigenous Community Media Fund Grant Partners
17 Oktober 2023agnes
Tue, 10/17/2023 – 11:07
Indigenous community media is essential for Indigenous Peoples’ reclamation and resistance movements worldwide. They contribute to securing respect for individual and collective rights, ensuring access to relevant, contextualized information and content in Indigenous languages, created and transmitted according to the interests, needs, and worldviews of the Indigenous communities they represent.
Cultural Survival’s Indigenous Community Media Fund provides funding opportunities, accompaniment, and training to Indigenous community media platforms to carry out their crucial informational, documentary, and cultural work within and outside their communities. Since 2017, the Indigenous Community Media Fund has awarded a total of 298 grants, supporting community media projects in 29 countries across 3 continents, totaling $1,772,361.
In our seventh year of operation, our latest call for proposals received 507 applications from 69 countries worldwide. This year, we diversified the types of media that could apply to our funds, including mural and photography projects.
Thanks to support from the Ford Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, the Waverly Street Foundation, and the Whale Pass Trust, the Indigenous Community Media Fund distributed $420,000 to 60 Indigenous communication projects that will benefit 87 Indigenous Peoples in 20 countries in the Americas, Africa, and Asia, namely in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, the United States of America, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Namibia, Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The 60 funded projects address infrastructure, equipment, capacity strengthening, and content production needs that will contribute to the sustainability of the work and the community communication processes led by these Indigenous media platforms. Eight awarded projects will benefit community media networks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, and Central America.
We are pleased to introduce 42 out of our 60 grant partners funded in 2023 below.
Individual Projects
Colectivo de Pintores Mazatecos, Visual Media, (Mazatec), México
Colectivo de Pintores Mazatecos is a group of artists that works autonomously. Their sole purpose is to uplift Mazatec culture, customs and traditions, thought, and philosophy. Muralism is a form of expression within the reach of the entire community, which can interpret and learn from it. Their grant project aims to project the Mazateca cosmovision in each mural, developing a work where the community participates together with the painters. Workshops and community radio broadcasts about its meaning are also being planned.
Juchari pirericha, juchari kustatiecha, juchari sirankuecha, Visual Media, (P’urhépecha), México
Juchari pirericha, juchari kustatiecha, juchari sirankuecha are a group of pirericha (singers), kstatiecha (musicians), and members of P’urhépecha communities interested in maintaining traditional music and gaining recognition for its creators. Their music and pirekuas are essential tools to identify as P’urhépecha people because through them, they recreate festivities and tell stories about the life of their communities and people in their language. They are concerned about their traditional music no longer being listened to and their language no longer spoken, therefore, their project seeks to ensure that children and young people have an appreciation for their traditional music and the P’urhépecha language through the mural art of youth from the community.
La Radio del nudo mixteco (The mixtec knot radio), Analog Radio, (Mixtecos / Nu cachi), México
Radio del Nudo Mixteco emerged in the Mixteca Nucachi community of Santo Domingo Ixcatlán, Oaxaca, as a response to violent attacks by paramilitary groups that resulted in the murder of three land defenders. In a climate of terror and isolation, the radio was born as a tool to request help and break the paramilitary blockades. Their project, “A respite to the guarantee of the Mixteco Knot, so that there will be no more knots in the throat,” aims to bring more members of the community into the radio’s activities, creating a safe space, especially for women, where structural change in gender relations can be developed.
Radio Chilate , Analog Radio, (Me´phaa, Tu´un Savi, ‘afros’ and mestizos), México
Radio Chilate is a community and multicultural initiative that promotes content and information for peace. It aims to provide useful information for the communities and to be a means of truthful information that broadcasts the voice, traditions, and cultures of Indigenous Peoples from the coastal and mountain areas of Guerrero. Their project aims to raise awareness of environmental pollution; the relationship between domestic, agricultural industry, and community spheres in water management; and women’s multiple roles. They also hope to strengthen the knowledge and skills of radio operators in the maintenance and assembly of radio equipment.
Radio QOM Potae Napocná Navogoh, Analog Radio, (Qom), Argentina
Radio Qom Potae Napocná Navogoh aims to uplift Qom cultural identity and promote interculturality. To this end, priority is given to maintaining the territory and spirituality based on ancestral cosmovisions, strengthening their mother tongue, ancestral medicine, and taking care of natural resources to obtain raw materials for handicrafts. “The territory is our life,” they say. The objective of the project is intercultural strengthening of the radio through activities such as training workshops, radio, and journalistic production practices, dissemination of information about Indigenous legislation, defense of the territory, intercultural health prevention, and literacy projects for young people and adults who have not had access to public education, among others.
Communication Commission of Otomíes en Resistencia y Rebeldía (Otomíes in Resistance and Rebellion), Analog Radio, (Otomí/Ñhönhö), México
The Commission has been created to exercise the right to communication within their community and to raise awareness about their concerns. Areas of focus include language and cultural revitalization, promoting human rights, especially those of women and children. They use various platforms including social media, newspapers, and murals. Their grant project will include a series of training sessions for members of the Commission on the construction and use of a radio booth, the production of content and programs, and the launch of an online radio.
Cabildo Indígena Muisca de Suba – Comunicaciones, Communicators Collective, (Muysca Suba), Colombia
The main objective of the communication team of the Cabildo Indígena Muisca Suba is to create content that promotes community communication in the territory. They use multiple media including audiovisual materials, flyers, and brochures. Their current project is focused on safeguarding the knowledge of the community latent in oral tradition by documenting it through audiovisual formats. These productions will become materials for teaching and cultural strengthening of future generations and safeguarding the community’s memories.
Secretaría de Mujeres Resguardo Mirití Paraná (Women’s Secretariat from the Mirití Paraná Reserve), Indigenous Communicators Collective, (thirteen indigenous groups), Colombia
The Association of Traditional Indigenous Authorities of Mirití Paraná is working to secure the right to life with dignity rooted in relationships with their territories, strengthening self-government, autonomy, self-determination, and decision making. Their project aims to train women leaders of the Asociación de Capitanes Indígenas de Mirití Amazonas (ACIMA)’s women’s secretariat in digital platforms. The women will participate in communication and audiovisual skill building activities. They are working to secure territorial and community unity through this collective service involving other Indigenous territories, and work towards safeguarding their cultures, strengthening security, and disseminating information in the language of each reserve.
Colectivo Lemow, Visual Media, (Maya), Guatemala
Colectivo Lemow is a group created by women who seek to amplify human rights, critical reflection, and gender equality through artistic expression. Through creative and cultural content, they empower, entertain, and create community among underserved audiences in Guatemala and around the world. Their grant project will include creating murals in communities with the engagement of youth. They will address the need for self-representation through art and will encourage the creation and manifestation of ancestral knowledge through art.
Thaitkhier Radio, Online Radio, (Wounaan), Colombia
Members of the Wounaan community are proud of their online radio station, Wounaan Thaitkhier Radio, as a community education project. They are developing training for youth in radio communication to strengthen the Woun Meu language, culture, and the defense of their territory. Their grant project aims to train twelve youth in data and information management, audio editing skills for online radio projects, with the aim to create a content grid and establish the network of young Wounaan communicators in Chocó.
Escuela de Comunicación Indígena de la Macro-Amazonía Ka+ Jana Uai (School of Indigenous Communication of the Macro-Amazon Ka+ Jana Uai), Indigenous Communicators Collective, (90 Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon), Colombia
The School of Indigenous Communication of the Macro-Amazon Ka+ Jana Uai is an open space where children, young people, adults, and Elders interested in communication can participate. Its objective is to operate an appropriate communication platform that responds to the interests and needs of local Indigenous communities. Their project consists of teaching about new technologies through content creation, management, and broadcasting by members of the communities. We seek to strengthen ancestral knowledge in environmental, linguistic, and gender areas while increasing the sense of belonging and addressing the intergenerational gaps resulting from westernization.
Yip Yatel Tseltal Antsetic AC, Indigenous Communicators Collective, (Tseltal), México
Yip Yatel Tseltal Antsetic AC is an Indigenous women’s organization with over 20 years of experience. Their main objectives are to eradicate gender violence, defend women’s rights (specifically freedom of expression), and encourage the development of activities led by women to promote their independence and their participation in family and community life. This project seeks to build skills of Tseltal women communicators in various platforms such as audio, canvas, and posters, in a bilingual manner. They hope to promote human rights of Indigenous girls and women, the protection of natural resources, and strengthen Tseltal cultural heritage.
Asociación de Mujeres Kábata Könana, Colectivo de Comunicadores Indígenas, (Pueblo Cabécar), Costa Rica
The Kábata Könana Women’s Association in Talamanca Cabécar territory was born with the aim of protecting the forest and promoting the empowerment of Indigenous women through cultural revitalization. Their project, “Cuentos de la Luna” (Tales of the Moon), involves creating podcasts that share positive experiences of community development through the implementation of the Cabécar traditional system of planting and forest management. They seek to inspire other families to return to traditional agricultural practices such as using native seeds to produce organic and sustainable food. They promote respect for sacred areas in local ecosystems and promote economic development from an Indigenous perspective through the sale and exchange of traditional foods at cultural fairs.
Radio Comunitaria Puksi ik al ha, Analog Radio, (Maya), México
Radio Puksi ik al ha (Heart of Water), was born in 2020 to raise awareness about environmental issues and for the protection of biodiversity of natural ecosystems of Isla Arena in the face of destructive megaprojects, and to promote Maya culture to younger generations. Their grant project will include upgrading the radio booth and equipment, training staff in the maintenance of the transmission equipment, conduct training in radio post-production and audio editing, and develop a radio series about cooperatives working for the protection of the ecosystems and non-extractive source of income.
Red de Jóvenes Maya Ch’orti’ (Mayan Ch’orti’ Youth Network), Indigenous Communicators Collective, (Mayan Ch’orti’), Guatemala
The Maya Ch’orti’ Youth Network emerged from a selection of ten young people (half women and half men) made by the Maya-Ch’orti’ Councils of Indigenous Authorities. While some young people participate in local governance, many are subject to economic pressures that lead them to risk their lives by migrating North. This project aims to create more communication and understanding between Ch’orti’ youth living in isolated communities in the face of exclusion, discrimination, and attacks from the dominant system in Guatemala and Honduras. Their grant project will include radio workshops, video interviews, and productions for a learning platform and the organization of a binational meeting with Maya Ch’orti’ ancestral authorities.
Centro de Producción y Formación Audiovisual Comunitaria Zimatlán (Zimatlán Centre for Community Audiovisual Production and Training), Community-based Audiovisual Production, (Zapotec), México
The Centre seeks to create a permanent space for participatory dialogue, and exchange of knowledge to build collective memory of their town, to strengthen their identity (Zimatequidad) and culture. Their project, “Portraits of Memory: Reflecting on our roots through time,” seeks to build the first community collection about their culture in audiovisual formats by recording myths, stories, and worldviews that live in the memories of their Elders. They will share their productions with sister communities to generate a sense of belonging in their children.
Floreciendo el Corazón de la Tierra A.C. (Flourishing the Heart of the Earth), Indigenous Communicators Collective, (Maya Zinacantán), Chiapas, México
Floreciendo el Corazón de la Tierra is a non-profit organization created to address inequality, violence, and lack of access to diverse resources in the Altos Tsotsil-Tseltal region of Chiapas. They work with Indigenous women, children, and youth on issues such as the environment, violence prevention, reproductive health, and human rights. Their grant project seeks to raise awareness about the origin and effects of climate change, promoting ecological practices, and adaptation to environmental changes. They will carry out workshops to raise awareness and reflect on possible solutions based on the experiences and worldviews of the participants. They will produce radio programs, three in Tsotsil and three in Tseltal, to be broadcast on local community radio stations.
Radio Guinakirina – MILPAH (Lenca Indigenous Independent Movement from La Paz, Honduras), Radio Online, (Lenca People), Honduras
Lenca Peoples are on the air on Guinakirina Radio, “The voice of the voiceless Lenca,” to educate and inform their community about their interests and objectives, to denounce violence, discrimination, and social exclusion at all territorial levels, and to strengthen their traditions rooted in Lenca cosmovision and in harmony with nature. Their grant project, “Let’s talk about what is ours,” provides information for one hour a day to the Lenca population, composed of more than 3000 people. They address various topics of interest such as agroecological agriculture, environment, historical figures, spirituality, women’s rights, human rights, and their defenders, among many others.
Radio comunitaria “Murciélago” de Zinacantán (Bat Radio from Zinacantán), (Maya Tsotsil), México
Maya Tsotsil community members created this space on the radio to strengthen their culture as the Indigenous Peoples and to amplify their identity, language, music, patron saint festivals, ancestral knowledge, and all the cultural work of their people. Their radio programs are also aimed at younger generations so they can get to know their roots as Indigenous Peoples. Their grant project will focus on motivating youth to become cultural promoters through radio, as well as including the participation of women, children, and people with disabilities.
Yúyuum AC, Indigenous Communicators Collective, (Maya Yucateco), México
Yúyuum AC is a network working in favor of the Maya language. The core of their communication strategy is the construction of a narrative for the future of the Maya language. This narrative is based on the dissemination of self-representations and content to strengthen our language and culture. The ‘U Péekbal Waye‘ project consists of the creation of a podcast of 8 episodes in Maya. This podcast will serve as a tool to spark conversations about their role in building the future of the Mayan Peoples in their communities.
Radio La Voz de las Cascadas Vivas (The Voice of the Living Waterfalls Radio), Analog Radio, (Shuar Arutam), Ecuador
Radio La Voz de las Cascadas Vivas is exercising their collective rights as Peoples to sustain territorial and environmental integrity of the Cordillera del Cóndor, and to protect local natural resources. Their project, “Project School of Radio Frequency and Digital Streaming With Free Software Psha 2023,” seeks to train community journalists to maintain and repair transmitters, as well as to introduce them to streaming tools and open source software. They are also working to establish small workspaces for editing and recording in different corners of their territory to expand the production capacity of radio content.
Sme’K’op– Newsletters, Fanzines and Magazines, (Tseltal), México
Sme’K’op (The Root of the Word) is a bilingual Tseltal-Spanish digital magazine. It brings together material created by speakers of the Tseltal language. Its main objective is to promote the writing of the Bats’il K’op Tseltal language based on the ‘senti-pensar’ (feel-thinking) of some Tseltal communities. To this end, they hold meetings and workshops that bring young people closer to learning editorial design while promoting the decolonisation of the media. With this project, they will publish some issues of the magazine that will include reports, literature, poems, tradition, and stories from Elders. They will also promote the exchange between different Tseltal communities.
Emisora Indígena Nasa Ksxa’w 103.3, Analog Radio, (Nasa), Colombia
Emisora Indígena Nasa Ksxa’w 103.3 is a community radio station managed by the six Nasa Indigenous Traditional Authorities of the municipality of Florida Valle, aimed at disseminating and strengthening the principles and life plans of the Nasa Peoples. Their project consists of at least 18 communities, the implementation of 6 workshops to strengthen radio production, audiovisual, and journalism skills of 10 members of the radio, the production of 6 programs and 6 educational podcasts, and a short film on spiritual practices in the Nasa Yuwe language and Spanish. The created content will be shared through the radio and social media networks. They will also purchase a computer, drone, and a recorder to improve the work of the radio.
Coletivo Ijã Mytyli de Cinema Manoki e Mỹky, Community-based Audiovisual Production, (Manoki y Mỹky), Brazil
The collective brings together young filmmakers from the Manoki and Mỹky Peoples from the state of Mato Grosso. They work to encourage young people to get involved with audiovisual technologies to reinforce ancestral values while documenting Indigenous struggles for rights and territories. As the Manoki language currently has only four remaining speakers, the project aims to contribute to its revitalization and that of cultural practices through an audiovisual production about a traditional ball game of the Mỹky. The project will address the maintenance of the cultural practice of the game among the younger generations, the balance of gender relations, and the reduction of prejudice and discrimination in the municipality of Brasnorte, where the film will be screened.
Sagada Community Media Network Inc., Analog Radio, (Kankanaey), Philippines
104.7 FM Radyo Sagada is the only truly Indigenous community radio station in the Philippines. The radio aims to be a voice for the Sagada and other communities by involving people in the production and dissemination of information, providing a forum for issues and concerns, and promoting critical awareness for meaningful social change. Their grant project aims to train 25 Indigenous people in journalism and radio production skills, and to produce approximately 10 radio information spots and 5 radio programmes. These products will address issues related to agriculture and the environment, topics where Indigenous Knowledge holders have much to share, but are not given the opportunity to do so in conventional education and information systems.
Pgakenyaw Association For Sustainable Development (PASD), Indigenous Communicators Collective, (Karen-Pgakenyaw), Thailand
PASD is an organization established by Pgakenyaw (Karen) leaders, NGOs, and academics to revitalize Traditional Knowledge and livelihoods and mobilize community resources for self-determined development, involving Elders, women and youth. This project is aimed at youth who have returned to their communities after COVID-19, have started to learn about traditional livelihoods, and are interested in promoting them outside their communities. PASD will organize workshops to train youth in various digital communication tools and create a digital space where they can share content such as articles and podcasts on these topics.They will also work on creating a curriculum based on Traditional Knowledge for community schools.
Maasai Cultural Heritage, Communicator’s Collective, (IL-Lakipiak Maasai), Kenya
The Maasai Cultural Heritage (MCH) Foundation undertakes a variety of activities ranging from human rights, civic education, peace building, and livelihood support. Their aim is to strengthen Indigenous cultures and to take advantage of those aspects of modernization that can help their development. “Engeno Le Maa” (Wisdom Of The Maasai) is an audiovisual project that will include photography and filming of the traditional skills and talents of the Maasai people, focusing on “Eskiar,”!which in Maa means ”the beauty of the Maasai.” Eskiar is a way of identifying the different Maa-speaking communities in Kenya in terms of beadwork, body markings, ear piercings and the types of Maasai Shuka they wear.
Kharas Community Radio, Analog Radio, (Nama People), Namibia
Kharas is a community radio station that broadcasts in the three most widely spoken languages in the region, mainly KhoeKhoegowab, Afrikaans, and English. Their programs cover community issues, health, human rights, gender, and youth issues. They see a need to assist out-of-school youth to acquire the necessary skills required in this day and age. With this assistance, many of them will be able to move forward and may even go on to help other young people in need. Their grant project focuses on building capacity in audio-visual, writing, and radio skills for Indigenous women, other marginalized genders, and youth in recording, investigative journalism, emergency reporting, maintenance, repair, and assembly of radio equipment.
Kairan Radio, Analog Radio, (Sherpa, Sunuwar and Tamang), Nepal
Radio Kairan 96.4 Mhz is a community radio, for, by and of the community. Their radio station is small, but it is one of the model radio stations in remote villages in the Himalayan region. They also broadcast online so that those who have migrated to cities or abroad can access programs. They aim to improve access to accurate and appropriate information, education, health and awareness of Indigenous rights for communities in rural villages, and contribute to their sustainable development. Their grant project aims to support the production of programs in Sherpa, Sunuwar, and Tamang languages and to improve the quality of the radio service by updating their radio software and equipment, which has been damaged by lightning on several occasions.
Tulwoob Koony Radio, Analog Radio, (Ogiek Community of Mt.Elgon Forest), Kenya
Tulwoob Koony Radio provides a reliable and necessary source of information, music, and entertainment, while strengthening the civic and cultural life of their community. Their main objective is to promote the conservation of the culture, flora and fauna of the local ecosystem. Grant project activities will include the purchase of radio equipment, training of presenters in radio production, and the production of programmes on issues such as gender-based violence, climate change, and forest conservation policy. The project will lead to the strengthening of Indigenous Knowledge on forest conservation, the promotion of women’s participation in leadership and governance, and the protection of natural resources.
Nkuli Makeli Community Radio, Analog Radio, (Bakola-Bagyelis), Cameroon
Nkuli Makeli, or “The Tam Tam that Carries Our Voices,” is an inclusive community radio station based in southern Cameroon. Its mission is to contribute to the development of local populations, mainly the Indigenous Bagyeli and Bakola, through the promotion of social, traditional, cultural, and artistic values. Their grant project aims to improve Bagyeli and Bakola people’s access to land and natural resources by raising awareness and educating them through radio broadcasting. It will also enhance the target audience’s knowledge and improve the radio station’s technical facilities.
Lemera Community Radio – Vision Of Girl Leaders For Development – VIFILED ASBL, Analog Radio, (Mbuti Fuliru), Democratic Republic of the Congo
VIFILED ASBL is an organization of young Mbuti Fuliru Pygmy leaders. They work for the defense and promotion of the rights of the Mbuti community living in the Bafuliru chiefdom. Their efforts include awareness raising, advocacy, and the broadcast of radio programs on Lemera community radio, which the organization manages. The objective of their project is to strengthen the legal autonomy of the Mbuti of the Lemera group through radio programs, training and human rights education for Mbuti Indigenous leaders, who will become community paralegals and help the Mbuti community to claim their land rights, civic rights, fight against sexual violence and destruction of natural resources, and promote the right to education for Mbuti children.
Sāmoana Media, Multimedia Production Company, (Samoan), Samoa
Recognizing the need for Samoan language resources, especially news and educational content, Sāmoana Media was created as a media platform for the dissemination of cultural content in the Samoan homeland (Sāmoa and American Sāmoa) and in Samoan communities abroad. The Samoan diaspora has meant that a linguistic shift has occurred. Their project seeks to use our online media presence as leverage for providing online Samoan language programming for children and families globally. Their “Fuifui o le Foaga” program specifically targets preschool-aged children (from two to six-years-old) by sharing an online component of their language nest program developed by the Association of Samoan Language Nests.
Fereiti Action Network, Analog Radio, (Rendille Tribe), Kenya
Fereiti Action Network is a youth-led community organization in Laisamis, Kenya. The group aims to empower individuals and promote progressive change in society through information dissemination and income generating activities. Their main concern is to create the best platforms for communication, capacity building and mentorship and to be the voice of the marginalized Rendille Peoples in Kenya. To this end, they are launching the Fereiti FM radio station. Their vision is to establish a radio station whose programs in Rendille and Samburu languages will be heard in their town and county, as well as throughout northern Kenya and other parts of the world via their mobile app, website, and streaming services.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly Inc, Indigenous Communicators Collective, (Tsimshian, Lenape, Cherokee, Oglala, Picunche, Dine, Zapotec, Oneida), United States
Indigenous Peoples Day PHILLY is a non-profit that cultivates an active Native American/Indigenous presence in the city of Philadelphia through cultural, educational, and community-building initiatives. The objective of their multimedia work is to dismantle stereotypes by decolonizing the history of Indigenous Peoples. “Our stories: Did you know? A series of NDN Facts and Stories” is a media justice campaign seeking to challenge the dominant cultural narrative, and rebuild an accurate portrayal of Indigenous Peoples in Lenapehoking (the ancestral territory of the Lenape or Delaware Nation), across Turtle Island and in the Americas. Their objective is to disseminate two quarterly digital newsletters and publish monthly written content on their blog, and forty “Did You Know?” social media posts.
Media Network / Group Projects
Red de Territorios Ancestrales (Ancestral Territories Network), Communicators Network, (Plurinational), Ecuador
The objective of the Ancestral Territories Network is to strengthen the cultural identities of Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador, to facilitate the recognition of diversity as richness, and to contribute to intercultural coexistence. They work to strengthen the identities of the Peoples of the Coast, the Amazon and the Highlands of Ecuador through intercultural dialogue, linguistic revitalisation, and the right to communication with self-representation. Their grant project seeks to generate greater autonomy in the entire communication process for seven television and radio stations. Workshops will be held on the use of technologies that increase the quality of content production, and fifty programs will be produced with a focus on gender, Indigenous Peoples, and the environment.
Red Centroamericana de Radios Comunitarias Indígenas (Centroamerican Network of Indigenous Community Radios), Media-Communicators Network, (Maya, Miskito, Guna, Mopan), Guatemala
The Centroamerican Network of Indigenous Community Radio Network aims to strengthen the identity and defense of the rights of Indigenous Peoples through community radio, from an intercultural and gender perspective. It seeks to share radio experiences, advocacy strategies, and to promote national and international actions that demand legislation and policies from States to democratize communications. Their grant project will help Indigenous radio stations and communicators in the network to create digital content using mobile phones. Spots will also be produced to raise awareness about the 2019 IACHR ruling in favor of Indigenous community radio in Guatemala.
Muk’ul Lum Radio, Indigenous Communicators Collective, (Tseltal), México
The collective of communicators “Muk’ul Lum” was founded in September 2012 in order to revitalize and strengthen the cultural roots of Tzeltal Peoples, as well as to give a voice to both men and women so that they can exercise their free expression. The member community radio stations have a constant need for training in journalism and in the various topics they address, as they are dynamic due to their community character. Their grant project is a training seminar that seeks to improve the quality of the content they produce and broadcast to make it easier to produce and disseminate information, and increase their audience at the local level.
Ch’ieltik Radio and Ideas Información Y Diseños Educativos Para Acciones Saludables A. C. (Ideas Information and Educational Designs for Healthy Actions A.C.), Media-Communicators Network, (Mayan Tseltal and Tsotsil), México
For thirteen years Ch’ieltik has implemented an educational model in Mayan communities in Chiapas with a focus on rights, interculturalism and gender equality. Their model has four lines of action: education, creativity, youth leadership, and local public advocacy. One of their innovative strategies are Maya student-run radio stations. Their grant project will train youth promoters in radio production. The content will focus on human rights, children’s and adolescents’ rights, sexual and reproductive rights, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and communities, while always promoting the nurturing values of Maya cosmovisions and promoting Maya Tseltal and Tsotsil pride.
South Kivu Community Radio and Television Network – “RATECO S-K”, Media-Communicators Network, (Bashi, Balega, Batembo, Babembe, Banyamulenge), Democratic Republic of the Congo
The main objective of the South Kivu Community Radio and Television Network is to create a permanent framework for consultation, solidarity, exchange, advocacy and support for community media in the province of South Kivu. To this end, they train member media on the mechanisms and standards of media operation; they lobby local and national authorities; and they provide community radio stations with modern equipment to produce and broadcast quality news. They will carry out the training of journalists in software, creation of programming grids, production of programs on democracy, purchase of materials for the radios, and organization of programs in synergy between young people and women, as well as content on the 2023 elections in the DRC.