We can announce great news from Elandsdoorn for today’s Radio Day:
With the help of REGIOCAST, the Hugo Tempelman Foundation was able to donate completely new technology to the radio station MCRS (Moutse Community Radio Station) in Denilton. This was installed and put into operation on site in January.
MCRS was founded in 1997 as a non-profit women’s initiative.
Moutse Community Radio Station is a station that was founded in 1997 by local women. This is remarkable. It is unusual for women to organize themselves in one of the poorest rural areas of South Africa. It is also unusual for them to make a difference for the purpose of providing information to the community.
To this day, many of the 30 people at the radio station work here as unpaid volunteers. The radio station is the most important information medium for the people in this vast region. It not only broadcasts important community information, dates and meetings. The radio is also used for preventative education. And this is an important pillar of the Ndlovu Care Group’s health work. From the very beginning, the Ndlovu Care Group has supported the development of the radio station in many areas, both in terms of content and financially.
Ndlovu Care Group supported the radio station from the very beginning
“Of course, we also want to create jobs and apprenticeships with this offer. And thus also improve people’s economic and emotional circumstances. With Moutse Community Radio, we want to bring the community closer together. And thus enable an exchange that would otherwise not be possible. This is important in order to make people a little more self-reliant and therefore more independent,” explains Hugo Tempelman.
REGIOCAST supplies new technical equipment and specialist know-how
Victor Worms, a member of the board of the Hugo Tempelman Foundation, made the connection with REGIOCAST. When Managing Director Rainer Poelmann heard about the tireless efforts of Hugo Tempelman and his Ndlovu Care Group, he was immediately inspired. Helping the local people and giving them the tools to create was not a question for REGIOCAST. That is why the company donated unused studio technology. And also comprehensive spare parts. Of course, the company also provided personnel support with specialist know-how.
Technicians are impressed by the warmth
All the equipment was carefully shipped in December. In January, two of the company’s IT experts flew to South Africa. They set up the new editing suites and installed the necessary file servers. The previous data transfer was carried out via USB, which was transported from one computer to another. The collaboration with the technicians on site went smoothly and was fruitful in the long term. The two German colleagues Vincent van Rüschen and David Klesse were impressed by the openness and warmth of the locals. They were infected by the African serenity and patience. Surprisingly, there was never any stress or hecticness. Even if some things could not be put into operation on time at first due to a lack of supplies.
“It’s impressive what the Hugo Tempelman Foundation is doing in South Africa to help the poorest of the poor,” says Vincent. “We would both go there again in a heartbeat to help. It was a very special experience with an incredible number of new impressions. Above all, the contrasts between rich and poor are hard to imagine, but real,” adds David. “I will also remember the meeting with Hugo Tempelman himself. What this Dutch doctor has achieved out of charity in South Africa is absolutely remarkable. We hope that we were able to make a small contribution to the work of the Ndlovu Care Group with our efforts,” say Vincent and David.
Ndlovu Care Group gets airtime on the radio station
In addition to training the technicians there after the construction work was completed, Rainer Poelmann, Enno Santjer (both REGIOCAST) and Rainer Eichhorn (ON AIR) visited the MCRS at the end of January, accompanied by Victor Worms and Vivi Eickelberg (board members of the Hugo Tempelman Foundation). As a radio professional, Victor Worms plans to provide the young radio enthusiasts with assistance in questions of moderation and marketing. His many years of experience are very valuable here. From now on, the Ndlovu Care Group will be given a fixed broadcasting time.
This is great for Hugo Tempelman’s medical work. Educating people about AIDS prevention and HIV infections is an essential part of the work. As are further topics on audiological examinations and nutritional advice. So far, this has been carried out by teams who have provided information in public places at meetings or local events or have visited schools. The collaboration with the radio station increases the reach many times over.
REGIOCAST enables sustainable information
This was made possible by the support of REGIOCAST. “It is very important to us to take responsibility for our society. That is why we attach great importance to our social commitment. It is important to us to be able to make such an important contribution to the quality of life of people in South Africa. There, where needy people live, who are dependent on all kinds of help. The Moutse Community Radio is a project close to our hearts, which we support with passion. The main aim is to make the project as sustainable as possible. In the best case scenario, community radio will become an economic success in the future. To achieve this, we will continue to support the station and its creators to the best of our ability in the future,” explains Rainer Poelmann.
We say THANK YOU.
You can read about our first visit to the radio station here: Visiting Elandsdoorn: Radio Moutse
