“The plan of establishing a radio station first came about through the instrumentality of the bishop of the diocese, Bishop Anthony Fallah Borwah. He thought it was wise that since he had a limited number of priests, he could evangelize a large number of persons using the media” says Rev. Fr. Tarsiah G. Dedah, director of communications at the Diocese of Gbarnga, in Liberia.
Bringing a Catholic voice around finally came true in 2020, when Radio Paraclete started broadcasting a variety of programs from peace and reconciliation to social justice, entertainment, news, and more. “We use the radio to address issues with diseases. Healthcare workers go to the radio station to teach people about them and tell them which symptoms to be on the lookout for, and when to seek medical attention” says Petronilla J. Mukohi from the Leprosy Treatment Center in the northeastern town of Ganta.
The radio is also a powerful tool for those who are not in constant contact with their loved ones who live in other towns. “Through radio Paraclete, my relatives are aware that I am still alive. Because without hearing my voice they may conclude that something might be wrong. I am very grateful to the radio station, also because they constantly inform us about what is happening in our community”, affirms Lawrence Tokpah, a faithful listener of Radio Paraclete.
In the future, the staff of Radio Paraclete wishes to extend to an even larger area and perhaps cover the entire country, as there are still some communities that cannot listen to the frequency due to the mountainous topography of the diocese. Furthermore, they wish to reinforce the solar-powered energy system that feeds the radio station and improve their social media presence.
Watch the last episode of this Radio Paraclete series below.
Watch episodes one and two, and enjoy the full video below.
Inspiring hope: a SIGNIS project empowering new voices is a campaign sponsored by SIGNIS with support from the Catholic Communication Campaign aims to share stories of hope that inspire and generate social transformation from new communication resources—a journey through Burundi, Liberia, Belize, Mexico, and Tanzania.