Worou Tanko, a Woman journalist, communicates and Raises Awareness about Border Community Engagement

Bénin – In a community bordering Nigeria, 522 km north of Benin, Worou Tanko pursues her passion for journalism by hosting radio programmes. A woman committed to her community and mother of 4 children, she shares her time between her family life and her work as a journalist in Nikki, a locality plagued by growing insecurity linked to the spillover of the security crisis from the central Sahel and threatening coastal countries. Worou broadcasts in the local language to reach the majority of listeners who do not attend school in the community.

Wearing headphones and with her eyes fixed on her subject for the day, she strongly believes that raising awareness among communities is an effective way of combating insecurity. “I’m a broadcaster in the national Fulfuldé language at radio Su Tii Déra FM in Nikki. And radio remains a channel that is accessible to everyone and for everyone to inform, be informed and interact between our communities,” Worou declares.

Originally from the commune of N’dali, Worou is well aware of the difficulties faced by communities living far from the capital and she has chosen to work there to raise awareness and inform the population. The limited resources available to border communities have made radio an essential and affordable tool for raising public awareness and getting messages across.

Before setting up her own radio studio, Worou first worked as a literacy teacher and then as a literacy supervisor in N’Dali and Kalalé. This background makes her a young fighter who has always been close to her community and remains motivated to change perceptions and behaviour in her locality.

She adds, “Our community needs much more in terms of awareness-raising to achieve behavioural change at all levels.” “Our communities are plagued by insecurity, and they deserve to be sensitized. To have an impact on these communities, the strategic choice of my awareness-raising campaign makes perfect sense in the local language, Fulfuldé, due to the lack of school education for most members of this community,” she says.

However, the search for information in border areas remains a major handicap for journalists, and sometimes the information provided may not be accurate because it may not be updated in time.

The escalation of violence in these areas makes them high-risk zones, and community violence is sometimes encountered. According to Worou, the lack of awareness and dialogue between and within communities weakens social cohesion and individual peace, and women are the most affected.

She pointed out that farming and income-generating activities have suffered as a result of the growing insecurity and related the sad experience of a trader in food products: “In fact, the testimony of a trader in food products who was returning from her activities was met by unidentified armed individuals. After being assaulted, she was rescued and rushed to hospital,” Worou confides.

Previously, Worou used her radio programmes to provide information and was convinced that when information is accurate, it should be published. She provided information based on accuracy.

With the support of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) as part of the Programme, “Border Community Engagement in Border Security and Management: from Senegal to Benin”

(Engagement des communautés frontalières dans la sécurité et la gestion des frontières : du Sénégal au Bénin), Worou received training to raise awareness and communicate more effectively. “I’ve learnt that ‘some things are better left unsaid’, and I’ve also learnt that before providing any information, you need to check the source, and not publish information that may be morally sensitive for the community,” she explains. Along with 85 other women from border localities practizing the same trade, she has learnt to use the right techniques and expressions when communicating.

Convinced about the choice of women to promote peace and security, she now uses her programmes to raise awareness among the community about the prevention of violent extremism, social cohesion, the process of discussion and confidence-building between communities and the authorities, community dialogue and community engagement.

Today, she confirms that the communities of Nikki are gradually becoming aware of the challenges of insecurity and are supporting the efforts of local authorities and also those in charge of security, especially with the community police.

“This training has enabled me to learn how to deal with security issues, how to communicate in times of crisis, and what should be the attitude of a woman communicator in times of crisis.”

Worou encourages all women who want to take up the profession of journalism to join in, and give themselves body and soul while demonstrating professionalism. She maintains that journalism is exciting and demanding.

This awareness-raising workshop for women in the media was initiated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with the support of the US State Department, as part of the programme targeting Senegal and Benin, ‘Border Community Engagement in Border Security and Management: from Senegal to Benin’, the focus of which is “promoting good practice across the region in community policing (community engagement), strengthening relations between institutions and the population as well as encouraging community engagement”.

Written by Moustapha Kalil Ouattara, Communications Consultant at the IOM Regional Office for West and Central Africa, kouattara@iom.int