Fondation Hirondelle - Media for Peace and Human Dignity

Since its creation in 1995, Fondation Hirondelle has established Radio Agatashya in the Great Lakes region of Africa, STAR radio in Liberia, the Hirondelle News Agency at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) at Arusha in Tanzania, Radio Blue Sky in Kosovo (in partnership with the United Nations) , Radio Ndeke Luka in the Central African Republic, Moris Hamutuk in Timor as well as support to the Radio Television of Timor Leste (RTTL), Radio Okapi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (in partnership with the UN), Radio Miraya in Sudan (in partnership with the UN), Cotton Tree News in Sierra Leone, and a project of support to the Nepalese Radio.

Fondation Hirondelle is a Swiss non-governmental organization of journalists and humanitarian professionals. Since 1995, it creates independent media in crisis or transitional situations. The operations managed by Fondation Hirondelle play a fundamental role in societies where insecurity and the physical risks for journalists have made the media silent, and where unbiased news and information can play an effective role in dissipating rumours, avoiding propaganda and focusing attention on hard facts. Those media serve as tools for peace-building and for restoring citizenship.

  • Elections
  • Human Rights
  • Humanitarian Protection
  • Judicial Reporting (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda)
  • Media
  • Public Administration and Government Strengthening
  • Transitional Justice

Media
Fondation Hirondelle is one of the few non governmental organizations able to swiftly establish concrete broadcast operations in countries in transition; when circumstances are favorable, Fondation Hirondelle works in close partnership with the UNDPKO (DRC, Sudan) or with other credible local partners (Liberia, Sierra Leone).
Other
  • Capacity and development training
  • Direct project implementation
Description of activities
Independent reporting news & current affairs: Providing independent & unbiased coverage of current affairs, societal issues & election processes in sensitive or transitional situations / Sierra Leone, United Republic of Tanzania Other: Frontline actions Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS) has learned from its extensive experience in Africa that women's potential contribution to durable peace has yet to be fully recognized. The proportion of women involved in negotiations for the prevention or resolution of conflict is extremely low, even though women play a significant role in the reconstruction and transformation of war-torn areas. FAS works to support women and women's groups throughout the whole peace process, ensuring that they are involved at every level so that their needs and priorities are taken into consideration. / Its work focuses for the most part in the Mano River region (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) and the Great Lakes region (Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda)as well as the Horn of Africa.
Training journalists as well as media practitioners to effectively perform as credible & trustworthy news & information professionals / Liberia, CAR
Establishing media operations in countries where the public service broadcaster does not exist anymore or is unable to operate nationally as a result of the conflict / DRC, Sudan
Independent reporting news & current affairs: Providing independent & unbiased coverage of current affairs, societal issues & election processes in sensitive or transitional situations / Sierra Leone, United Republic of Tanzania Other: Frontline actions Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS) has learned from its extensive experience in Africa that women's potential contribution to durable peace has yet to be fully recognized. The proportion of women involved in negotiations for the prevention or resolution of conflict is extremely low, even though women play a significant role in the reconstruction and transformation of war-torn areas. FAS works to support women and women's groups throughout the whole peace process, ensuring that they are involved at every level so that their needs and priorities are taken into consideration. / Its work focuses for the most part in the Mano River region (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone) and the Great Lakes region (Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda)as well as the Horn of Africa.

Public Administration and Government Strengthening
To bring an independent, unbiased & credible picture of the way the country is run, at different levels, thus allowing the listeners – who are usually a large part of the citizens – to become themselves, more and more, actors of the democratic process.
    Description of activities
    Public affairs reporting: Coverage by independent journalists of national and local political and economical issues, organising daily public debates; the strength of the different media run by Fondation Hirondelle compels the main actors of the public governance to feel themselves accountable for their action. / DRC, CAR, Sudan, Sierra Leone
    Public affairs reporting: Coverage by independent journalists of national and local political and economical issues, organising daily public debates; the strength of the different media run by Fondation Hirondelle compels the main actors of the public governance to feel themselves accountable for their action. / DRC, CAR, Sudan, Sierra Leone

    Judicial Reporting (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda)
    To enhance continued coverage & interest of the local, regional & international media on the efforts to make universal justice effective for the Rwanda genocide.
    Other
      Description of activities
      Judicial reporting: Independent coverage of the proceedings of the ICTR, as well training or journalists for judicial reporting / Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania.
      Judicial reporting: Independent coverage of the proceedings of the ICTR, as well training or journalists for judicial reporting / Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania.
      • Africa
        • Central Africa
          • Democratic Republic of the Congo
          • Central African Republic
        • Eastern Africa
          • Sudan
          • United Republic of Tanzania
        • Western Africa
          • Sierra Leone
          • Liberia

      Central African Republic

      Sectors of activity: 
      Media
      Description: 

      Gathering & broadcasting nationwide relevant news & information (FM & Short Waves)
      Journalist professional capacity & ethical training
      Real time information & debates, as well as voter education
      Achieving progressively the sustainability of a nation wide, public service oriented, radio.

      Burundi

      Sectors of activity: 
      Media
      Types of activity: 
      Capacity and development training
      Description: 

      Training of journalists for judicial reporting

      Sierra Leone

      Sectors of activity: 
      Media
      Types of activity: 
      Direct project implementation
      Capacity and development training
      Description: 

      Gathering & broadcasting nationwide relevant news & information (FM & Short Waves)

      Journalist professional capacity & ethical training

      Real time information & debates, as well as voter education

      Central African Republic

      Sectors of activity: 
      Media
      Description: 

      Gathering & broadcasting nationwide relevant news & information (FM & Short Waves)
      Journalist professional capacity & ethical training
      Real time information & debates, as well as voter education
      Achieving progressively the sustainability of a nation wide, public service oriented, radio.

      Burundi

      Sectors of activity: 
      Media
      Types of activity: 
      Capacity and development training
      Description: 

      Training of journalists for judicial reporting

      Sierra Leone

      Sectors of activity: 
      Media
      Types of activity: 
      Direct project implementation
      Capacity and development training
      Description: 

      Gathering & broadcasting nationwide relevant news & information (FM & Short Waves)

      Journalist professional capacity & ethical training

      Real time information & debates, as well as voter education

      Fondation Hirondelle - Media for Peace and Human Dignity
      Avenue du Temple 19c
      Lausanne CH-1012
      See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
      http://www.hirondelle.org
      Non-governmental organisation
      More than 10 years
      Other
      200
      Avenue du Temple 19c
      Lausanne CH-1012
      See map: map.search.ch, Google Maps
      Headquarters

      The main responsibilities of the headquarters are policies making, strategic decisions, operational coordination, financial management & accountability, fundraising & communication.

      12.4
      Mr
      Jean-Marie Etter
      Chief Executive Officer
      Jean-Marie Etter
      Chief Executive Officer
      4

      Partnership

      Cotton Tree News, Sierra Leone

      Description: 

      Cotton Tree News is a partnership between Fondation Hirondelle & Fourah Bay College, School of Mass Communication.

      Partner organisations: 
      Academic

      Radio N'Deke Luka, Central African Republic

      Description: 

      Radio N'Deke Luka is operated in partnership with the UNDP.

      Partner organisations: 
      United Nations
      Governments

      STAR inc. Liberia

      Description: 

      NGO / STAR radio is a partnership between Fondation Hirondelle & the Liberian NGO STAR inc.

      United Nations Mission in Sudan - UNMIS

      Description: 

      Radio Miraya is a joint venture between Fondation Hirondelle & UNMIS

      Partner organisations: 
      United Nations

      United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - MONUC

      Description: 

      Radio Okapi is a joint venture between Fondation Hirondelle & the MONUC.

      Partner organisations: 
      Unirted Nations