Grant Amount: US$ 26,562

Keywords: INTERNET, CAPACITY BUILDING, RADIO, GOVERNANCE, REPUBLIC OF NAURU

Geographic coverage: Republic of Nauru

Objective

The objective of this project is to adapt existing traditional digital and satellite radio communication resources to serve the education and development needs of the students and people of the Republic of Nauru.

Research context

The Republic of Nauru suffers severely from environmental degradation due to now exhausted phosphate mining activities. Poor fiscal management has led to massive unemployment, unreliable energy and environmental infrastructure, lack of food and water, low life expectancy, declining education rates, reliance on foreign aid subsidizes and political instability. This project aims to combine existing satellite-communication networks at the University of the South Pacific, a regional leader in distance education, with proven radio technology, so students and the general public can receive educational materials and community development information. The radio project can serve as a model for similar initiatives in other countries.

Target beneficiaries

• Students of the University of the South Pacific based in Nauru; 
• The general public residing in Nauru, including primary and secondary school students and teachers; and
• Regional non-governmental organizations benefit from a new communications outlet for dissemination of information on community development, health, youth and micro-enterprise.

Outputs

• Creation of a broadcast vehicle to deliver academic programmes from the University of the South Pacific to students in Nauru (secondary and tertiary levels) and their teachers (for in-service training); 
• Creation of a community radio station for Nauru; 
• Training of community residents to oversee operation and management of the radio station; and 
• Dissemination of community-developed information on business, health and environmental issues.

Project Duration

Start Date: March 2006
End Date: February 2008
Total Duration: 23 Months

Contact information

Ms Linda Austin, Media Resource Coordinator
Media Centre, The University of the South Pacific
PO Box 1168, Suva, Fiji
Telephone: +679 323 2129
Fax: +679 323 2038
Email: Austin_l@usp.ac.fj

Website: http://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=media_centre