Bayelsa State

In the Niger Delta, many communities are still reeling from the legacy of the armed struggle. Tomorrow is a New Day, is sensitive to this and seeks to show the power of peace dividends.
 
The project’s Solidarity Events were designed to improve conditions in the community –physically, through development activities, and emotionally, by encouraging widespread participation in the activity to foster cohesion in the community. Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) just hosted two such Solidarity Events in Bayelsa State.
 

What is the next step in using media for peacebuilding? Radio dramas, no! Radio magazines, NO! Blending a magazine and drama format, YES! What could be better than having listeners become engrossed in a plot and then create opportunities for them to share what excited them about the latest episode?
 
This is the new direction that Tomorrow is a New Day is going. We’ve learned that even if a radio drama’s topics touch listeners, the best way to connect with the audience, is through audience interaction.
 

 
Flooding is rapidly destroying properties and farmlands worth billions of Naira in the Niger Delta. Worst affected is Bayelsa State, home of two Tomorrow is a New Day communities, Amassoma and Kaiama.  The flood, popularly referred to as “FloodMania” by members of the Bayelsa State Virtual Government Town Hall on Facebook, has been devastating for residents.
 

Last week, the Local Project Committee (LPC) of Koko travelled to Bayelsa State to meet with the LPC of Amassoma. This was Tomorrow is a New Day’s second Mutual Exchange Visit.
 
Between the 17th and 21st September, 2012 the two groups shared their experiences with the project and ideas about improving their communities.
 
One member of the Amassoma LPC, Boboyi Ozogu, said he was “impressed that the same thing is being taught in all the TND communities and that it all has the same objective [peace] in all the TND communities.”