International NGO Search for Common Ground (SFCG), Director, Jose Francisco de Sousa, called on the youth of Timor-Leste to listen to the Radio Show Babadok Rabenta broadcast through all community radio stations.
Director Sousa said the radio show addresses specific issues affecting young people’s lives including female students who fall pregnant while attending school, youth unemployment and corruption, alternatives available to youth after the ban on martial arts groups, foreign workers and other issues.
The issues the show addressed were identified by the youth’s themselves during the Youth National Forum discussions held in 2013 where youth’s demanded to know what are the government’s policies to address youth problems and how they could contribute to the peace building process in the country.
Director Sousa added through the Radio Show Babadok Rabenta, the youth are able to raise their own perspective on issues and the government directly responds to these.
“They should listen, not just sit and criticize, so they know what they can do to contribute to development.”
The Babado Rabenta show started in 2010 so the youth could express their opinion through the media on how they can contribute towards peace building in the country.
The radio program is funded by AusAID.
Acting Mission Director for AUSAID, Sandra Minkel, said she was proud they could help the radio show and support the youth of Timor-Leste as the show mostly talked about peace building messages for the community especially the youth.
She added the involvement of the youth is very important to look for solutions to problems affecting their lives, such as access to good education and employment.
“It is important to create a space to empower the youth by involving them in dialogue and discussions so they can express the issues they face and so the leaders can find solutions,” said Acting Mission Director Minkel.
Babadok Rabenta is a 24 episode radio show broadcast through the community radio stations weekly in all 13 districts.
