Nelly Bassily | May 4, 2009
This week marks a special anniversary for Farm Radio International. Our organization (originally called the Developing Countries Farm Radio Network) traces its roots to 1979, when founder George Atkins mailed the first package of radio scripts to broadcasters in Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. Thirty years later, we celebrate long-lasting partnerships with radio organizations across Africa, as well as new partnerships made possible by the connecting power of the internet.
We extend a warm welcome to this week’s newest subscribers: Frederic Takang, from Abakwa Communication in Cameroon; Serge Adams Diakite, from Radio Arc-en-ciel in Côte d’Ivoire; Zara Merali, from the Aga Khan Foundation in Mozambique; and Katongo Kaniampi, from The Organisation for Zambian Youth Entrepreneurs in Zambia.
We would also like to share a 30th anniversary greeting from Modibo Coulibaly, who has worked since 2000 with Farm Radio International in Mali, first as a member of a partner radio station and now as an AFRRI staff member. He tells us, “There is a Malian saying that says: ‘At 30 years of age, if you cannot prove your existence by having your place in the sun and your name remembered forever, your life will have served no purpose.’… Recently, land offered by a local government representative in Fana, Mali, to Farm Radio International was named George Atkins.”
We thank all Farm Radio International partners and Farm Radio Weekly subscribers, old and new, for helping to build a network that supports radio broadcasters and serves farmers. We look forward to working with you for many years to come!
Happy reading!
-The Farm Radio Weekly Team