Radio is the most effective way to spread updated information to communities isolated by war-related conditions such as destroyed roads and bridges and the presence of rebel groups, as well as varied local language barriers. This is important especially for those internally displaced and others in refugee camps.
Many displaced people still have a small radio among their belongings. And even though electricity access is extremely low, most of these radios use rechargeable batteries or non-rechargeable batteries that are available in small village shops.
Communities around the world have often turned to radio as a vital medium for survival in conflict settings. Popular movies and novels have dramatized the use of this technology by World War II resistance fighters to coordinate actions against oppressive forces.
The use of radio during the Bangladesh Liberation War is another remarkable example. The Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra radio station had to keep shifting locations to survive attacks by the occupying Pakistani forces. All the while the station coordinated resistance, documented war crimes, and produced numerous resistance songs that inspired generations even after the country’s independence, encouraging patriotism and opposition to tyranny.
In Bangladesh today we still see networks of grassroots community radios delivering a mix of entertainment, education, and information. They broadcast early warnings of floods and cyclones, disseminate climate-adaptive agricultural practices and health advisories, and raise awareness to combat violence against women. Many other types of media have become popular worldwide and in Bangladesh, but radio has not lost its charm, especially for grassroots and marginalized voices.
Obviously, in a complex place like the DRC, no solution is simple. Radio alone cannot heal trauma, replace a shattered health system, or resolve decades of political instability. There are significant social, legal, and political challenges that demand attention. Any effective solution must be locally rooted and involve collaboration with provincial leaders, national governance, and community-based institutions, including faith groups.
Yet, even amid uncertainty, we should not underestimate the power of trusted information. In a nation where roads may be impassable and infrastructure in ruins, the humble radio remains an open channel, connecting people to life-saving knowledge, collective healing, and the hope of something better. Radio, when harnessed strategically, can do more than inform. It can inspire and mobilize.
In war-torn Congo, radio is more than a potential public health tool. It offers a lifeline.
The co-authors are part of the global Atlantic Fellows community, a diverse, international community of leaders who share a deep commitment to advancing fairer, healthier, more inclusive societies. The fellowship is funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies, a foundation established by the late American entrepreneur Chuck Feeney, who gave away his entire fortune during his lifetime.
To learn more about Radio ATRASID Project and Ganzamungu Zihindula’s mission to serve the most marginalized and hard-to-reach communities in DRC, please email: g.zihindula@atlanticfellows.org
