Strategy
In 1998, Rwanda 's Nantional Unity and Reconciliation Committee (NURC) invited two psychologists, renowned genocide scholar and reconciliation specialist Ervin Staub and trauma treatment expert Laurie Pearlman to hold biannual seminars for Rwandan politicians and civil society leaders. These seminars spanned a period of four years and addressed the evolution of violence and a community approach to trauma healing. Staub and Pearlman's approach proved successful in Rwandan healing and reconciliation efforts, but their seminars could only reach a limited number of people. As a result, many Rwandans suggested that their method be shared with the broader population by means of mass communication. This was made possible by Radio Benevolencija's media project in Rwanda , which began in 2003 and aims to promote methods that allow for trauma healing, reconciliation and the prevention of violence among the population at large. The campaign's communication objectives are to raise awareness of the causes of conflicts in order to prevent violence and allow for reconciliation in Rwanda . It provides insight into what can lead up to genocide through two types of communication activities: radio programs and grassroots activities.
The Rwandan part of the Great Lakes Reconciliation Radio project serves as a prototype of Radio Benevolencija's universal working method. This is made possible because of the unique make-up of Rwanda 's population: of the country's eight million people, half are children and close to a million are related to victims of the genocide. People are literally forced to reconcile in order to live together in peace, and reconciliation is really the only way Rwanda can hope to develop a 21 st century economy. Therefore, the country is taking huge steps to achieve reconciliation as quickly as possible - the Gacaca trials are one way to speed the process up. Radio Benevolencija's project is tolerated and even supported by Rwandan authorities, as they see how it can help in the reconciliation effort. The Rwandan prototype applies an adapted education and entertainment strategy based on three main activities:
- Fictional radio broadcasts - a fictional drama series in the local language of Kinyarwanda addressed to the general population.
- Factual radio and/or TV broadcasts - an educational documentary program in Kinyarwanda addressed to the intelligentsia, opinion leaders, and politicians.
- Participatory communication through a grassroots-level network of change agents and/or local organizations.
These activities are interdependent, with the grassroots activities reinforcing the radio program messages, and were selected because they can reach populations with a strong oral culture and little formal education.
Impact evaluation reports carried out by the independent team are published on a yearly basis. After the third such yearly report, the organization will publish its findings in a manual intended to show how this prototype project can be applied elsewhere. The manual will outline details of operation, drawing conclusions on necessary duration and the behavioral change that can be expected.
Country background
The scale, speed and atrocity of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 tore Rwandan society apart. Nowadays, Rwanda is still trying to heal the enormous psychological and social damage caused by the genocide, so it is particularly relevant to any project attempting to counteract incitement to violence through the media.