CARE Partner in Climate Change Education

Ada (GAR), March 14, GNA - CARE International, a non- governmental organisation, has organised a programme on Climate Change for traditional rulers, local government authorities and affected coastal villages at Ada in the Dangbe East District. The programme was organised in partnership with KASA and Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN)on the theme: "Communities and their Community Radio: Facing Climate Change together."

The event sought to make the role of community radio important in the eyes of the rural folk in addressing climate change. The programme was facilitated by a 25- member delegation from ONE International, a US-based NGO advocacy organisation aimed at supporting and fighting poverty and disease.

Since its inception in 1999, GCRN has consistently championed and advocated the right of marginalised communities through community radio. Azizanya, Totope and Pediatorkope are fishing communities in the district where the sea has massively destroyed as a result of climate change. The affected communities complained about the rural-urban migration of their able body youth due to the sea erosion and appealed to the government and other corporate institutions to come to their aid by constructing a sea defence wall for them.

Mrs. Helene Gayle, President of CARE who is also a council member for ONE international, said the organisation had extended its support to GCRN in community participation in addressing climate change through broadcast in four local languages on three GCRN-member stations. She said CARE also supported GCRN in broadcasting in five languages on member stations to propagate Community participation in Natural Resource and Environment Governance. "Community radio should be used to redress issues confronting the community," she said.

Mr. Anthony Kiokpa, Presiding Member for Dangbe East, said plans were afoot to address sea erosion along the major coastal areas. He said government had earmarked the Azizanyi-Totope stretch of the sea defence project to commence in June this year. Mr. Alex Kwame, Founder of Ada Radio said operating a community radio was a sacrificial work.