I met Kadi Souley Bonkano in Niger’s capital city Niamey first time in 2007, when she was a broadcaster in the local community radio, Radio Anfani and again in 2013 in the office of APAC, Association des professionnelles africaines de la communication, the Media Women’s Association there, where I was preparing a new project for the Danish Embassy, including women and media issues. Kadi was preparing a Women’s Community Radio station back then, and we stayed in touch.

Kadi all along worked to develop the women’s radio based in a local women’s association she had founded, called FAHAM. Faham is a word borrowed from Arabic which means understanding. And Kadi wants to ensure education and ‘understanding’ – also of women’s perspectives, experiences, dreams and lives through FAHAM. Faham was created in 2005 as an apolitical, non-denominational and non-profit national association, focusing on ways to ensure equity and greater inclusion of the voices of women living in semi-urban and rural areas. The association soon realised that to achieve their goals, community radio, which Kadi had experience with from earlier, would be not only a good way, it became a priority, and FAHAM got a broadcast license for the radio in 2010.

FAHAM had the support of a former MP, who secured free offices in the suburbs of Niamey, and from Kadi’s sister, the station got a computer, a printer and a photocopier which both was used for training and functioned as a small telecentre, allowing the volunteers to have an income while waiting for the installation of the equipment.

FAHAM therefore started training women leaders in the community to become community broadcasters, and identified an acute need for a community school, which the association started. It is for children 3-5 years old and financed by the parents, who pay 15 euros per year. With the school in place, it was easier for the community radio volunteers to spend time at the station.

Whereas the school is still in place, the station closed down after heavy rains flooded the association's office and they had to realise that the location of the offices could not guarantee the stability and safety of the radio that they needed. The broadcasters continued producing programmes which were broadcast on other existing stations. Activities were suspended in 2019 when COVID 19 arrived.

Last year, in 2022, FAHAM started a reorganization of the association and the radio-focus. FAHAM intends to be the 1st web radio in Niger by women and for women, ensuring dialogue for women to share and act together, breaking down constraints on women’s access to media and public spaces. The station is intended to contribute to strengthening the image of rural women and it intends to reach and impact on 25,000 to 30,000 households. Again, FAHAM trains women leaders – the future broadcasters – and together they have worked to identify women's information needs in the community.

But all this Kadi should tell herself – Being francophone we much appreciate her going out of her way to talk with us in English – the language of this podcast series. – so, over to Kadi, Come join us!!!