THE EBOLA CRISIS: Using Bluetooth To Reach
Sierra Leone's Rural Women and Girls With News and Information
MMW connects women and girls with information that enables them to access and fully enjoy their rights
Ebola 2014 - 2015
West AfricaDeaths 9,400
People infected 23,300
World Health Organization, February 2015
Communication in a crisis
MMW began building our first
innovative communication
networks in 2013, a year
before the Ebola crisis began
Providing the right information,
at the right time, through the right channels
can save families, livelihoods and lives
Some MMW program content
• Ebola• Teen-age pregnancy• Child marriage laws• Birth control• Fistula• Birth registration
Listen to us! 120 original programs on SoundCloud
SoundCloud.com/mediamattersforwomen
Our professional freelance journalists report weekly on women’s issues
We envision
…a communication network where listeners share information, learn from each other, entertain each other, hear crucial messages,
and give feedback
Who we are
• MMW is a registered NGO in the U.S.
• MMW-Sierra Leone is a new local NGO created in 2013
Our MMW-Sierra Leone team
Victoria Nicol, Project Coordinator
Alinah Kallon, Senior Journalist
Ndeamoh Mansaray, Senior Journalist
Victoria Bernard, Journalist
Mariama Khai-Fornah, Journalist
Bintu Conteh, Journalist
Our international volunteers
Our international donors
MMW addresses
three major problems
1. Women face stubbornly high rates of:
• Maternal mortality• Under-five deaths• Illiteracy• Female Genital Mutilation• Gender-based Violence
2. Media is expensive to build and run
3. Media’s relevance to women is low• Women’s issues not covered• Female journalists are underemployed• Women don’t own radio sets
Our solution: Leap-frog the high costs of radio
• Production: Solar-powered Mobile Production Units (MPU)
• Distribution: Bluetooth on cell phones to reach the “last mile”
We harness the potential of Bluetooth
• Easily share audio files for free• Connect journalists
with rural women and girls
.
Local female journalists
• Resources
• Support
• Equipment
• Opportunities
We organize our listeners to extend our broadcast reach
We listen to our listeners
MMW = relevant news and information
Concept demonstration
Distribution – the exchange of Bluetooth audio files via cell phone
Production – the creation of an original radio-styled program on a Mobile Production Unit (MPU)
Replication – what is needed to set up our concept elsewhere
Pilot Project 1 - Distribution
Pre-Ebola:
Listening Centers
Pilot Project 1Distribution
1. We select Focal Persons
2. We provide cell phones, solar rechargers, audio recorders and small monthly stipends
3. Bluetooth audio files are passed to Focal Points weekly via Bluetooth exchanges
4. Focal Points also share their programs with phone kiosks and community radios and directly to listeners
• 3 Operational areas• 15 Listening Centers
Pilot Project 1Distribution
Pilot Project 2 - Distribution
Ebola crisis:
Listener-Distributors
Distribution flow to rural villages
Distributor 1
Distributor 2
Distributor 3
Distributor 4
AMBASSADOR
JOURNALIST
RURAL WOMEN
AND GIRLS
Production
Mobile Production Unit (MPU)• Laptop & software• Audio recorder• Solar recharger• Cell phones• Headphones• Microphone• Batteries• Carrying case
Sustainability
Our networks are inexpensive
compared to radio
Replication of our concept
Our “MMW In A Box” webpage has tools for adapting our concept… anywhere!
http://www.mediamattersforwomen.org
To start your own MMW network, contact us!
MMW E-mail: [email protected]
MMW-SL E-mail: [email protected]
Alinah Kallon E-mail: [email protected]
Sharon Bylenga E-mail: [email protected]