By Anne Kanina
An international foundation, Free Play Foundation, has launched a solar powered radio to help women in rural areas keep in touch with news.
Director in the Department of Information Ezekiel Mutua, said the radio would serve people living in areas with no power.
The radio has a detachable solar panel that charges it through sunrays.
It also has a winding lever enabling it to be used when there is no sun.
Kinetic energy is generated to run the radio when one winds the lever.
"Women are the backbone of the economy and the radios will help them listen to news as they move around in their farms and other areas," said Mutua.
Only 21 percent of women have the privilege of listening to radio and still the bulk of them are living in urban centres," said Phoebe Asiyo Chair of Caucus of Women Leadership in Kenya.
Programme Manager for Caucus for Womens Leadership in Kenya Peter Ochola said the radios would be distributed in 10 constituencies, their pilot area before more distribution to other parts of the country.
solar energy
"Women will need to form listening groups of about 25 and they will then be given a radio.
We will change this arrangements according to the demographic figures we collect during the study," said Ocholla.
He challenged other media houses to give more space to local programming dealing with issues affecting the rural folk.
Another initiative—Wamama Radio— will be launched for Maasai women in Narok North once a permit was received from CCK, said Eunice Marimu Caucus district convener.
The foundation partnered with Pastoralist Journalist Association, African Woman Child Features , United Nations Childrens Foundation, Handicap International and the Government.
The project launch follows Safaricom’s initiative which introduced solar charged mobile phones.
