Community Radio Harare (CORAH Trust) is a Harare – based civic rights lobby and advocacy organisation that uses community – based and alternative media platforms to promote civic engagement, hold local/national authorities accountable on service delivery, governance and justice issues. The organisation provides the missing communication and physical engagement link between marginalized citizens and policymakers in order to promote interaction, sharing of ideas and genuine engagement. Through the work of community – based citizen journalists and advocacy committees and using a combination of outreach programs such as road shows and community meetings, radio programmes recorded and distributed through flash and compact discs and other alternative media platforms, CORAH promotes exchanging of information thus facilitates civic engagement. CORAH’s vision is to have a community empowered and developed through the provision of a platform to express themselves, hence providing space for dialogue where citizens and policy makers engage in development discourses.
With 30 community – based listener and advocacy groups dotted in high density suburbs of Harare and surrounding farm/rural communities where residents have no other platforms for self – expression and access to vital information, CORAH facilitates citizens’ participation and help lobby local leaders for better service delivery and good governance. Additionally, CORAH has about 25 trained citizen reporters in Harare’s high density residential areas who gather and help disseminate information on certain issues of concern to local citizens. These citizen journalists were trained to use social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and Skype for news gathering and dissemination.
CORAH also does community media advocacy work in these geographical footprints by engaging communities through holding community meetings with citizens and policy makers where social, economic and political issues are discussed. These dialogue platforms would give citizens the opportunity to interface and interact with their local councillors, members of parliament and other stakeholders on service delivery and civic issues. Such discussions are then audio – recorded and distributed via various platforms such as news via mobile phones, WhatsApp groups, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/corahfm/,twitter https://twitter.com/CorahOnline , compact discs, internet/satellite radio www.channelzim.net ,flash disks/memory cards, roadshows and community meetings .
CORAH has memorandum(s) of understanding with Harare City Council, Combined Harare Residence Association, National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe and Greater Harare Association of Commuter Omnibus Operators whilst also working in partnership with other community – based organisations. This networking with other organisations helps CORAH in facilitating a platform where ordinary residents get the opportunity to interact with their leaders and other stakeholders.
Programmes
Online radio
CORAH broadcasts three hours daily via online www.facebook.com/corahfm/ and reaches out to about 1000 listeners daily
Bulk sms
CORAH sends news headlines via its bulk sms platform and reaches 35 000 with each post
Roadcasting/kombicasting
CORAH produces radio programmes that are then played daily in commuter omnibus operating in and around Harare. These programmes reach at least 45 000 people daily
Roadshows
CORAH holds live broadcasts/roadshows in various communities and these are attended by at least 45 000 per each show.