BBC launches "radio amnesty" for Africa

BBC launches "radio amnesty" for Africa

On 6 July 2005, the BBC launches a radio amnesty in aid of African
nations - fronted by presenter Nick Knowles - in which listeners can
receive discounts on DAB radios. The BBC's digital radio team and BBC
Radio Five Live have teamed up with manufacturers and high street
retailers across the UK to offer listeners a discount of 10% on a new
digital radio, when they trade in their portable FM sets. The old
sets will then be reconditioned and sent to Somalia and south Sudan,
where they will be distributed by the BBC World Service Trust.

The amnesty starts on 6 July and lasts until 26 July, during which
time Five Live will support the project on air and around a thousand
stores up and down the country will take part. Nick Knowles - already
recognised for his work with Comic and Sport Relief - is promoting
the campaign on behalf of the BBC and will be raising the project's
profile.

"A disused radio set, gathering dust in a spare room in Tunbridge
Wells, could end up making a real difference to a family in Somalia,"
says Nick. Every set that is traded in will help the educational
projects the World Service Trust runs in Africa."

Simon Nelson, Controller of BBC Radio & Music Interactive, says:
"We're delighted to be working with retailers, manufacturers and the
World Service Trust on this project. Everyone involved benefits from
this initiative: consumers get a discount, DAB radios sales will
increase, and it all helps to support some of the fantastic work the
World Service Trust is doing in Africa."

Retailers will accept battery-powered FM/AM radios (not hi-fi
separates or mains only sets), which will be reconditioned, fitted
with new batteries and shipped for distribution by the BBC World
Service Trust and its partner, the African Educational Trust (AET).
The trust and the AET will use the radios to further their work on
the Somalia Distance Education for Literacy project - or 'Radio
Teacher' - which offers education to men and women who have grown up
during civil war with no chance of schooling.

There is a shortage of Somali teachers and there are few western
volunteers, so the only choice is to use the mass media. Radio is by
far the most widespread medium in Somalia, with the BBC Somali
Service by far the most popular broadcaster. The project teaches
literacy through discussions of issues like human rights, health and
environmental protection, and has been a great success, with 10,000
people registering for the first teaching cycle. Given the success of
the first phase of literacy training in Somalia, the series is now
being run for a second time, with a further 7,000 students signing up.

The BBC World Service Trust and AET are also planning to replicate
the literacy project for the south Sudanese audience and are also
exploring the possibility of training farmers and teachers using
similar techniques. The more radios made available to audiences in
Somalia and Sudan, the more students will be able to benefit from
these projects.
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