Umucyo Radio, also known as Umucyo Community Radio, is the first Christian radio station in Rwanda. During the recent INMA Africa News Media Summit, Cecile Nyirahavugimana, the station’s managing director, shed light on its journey and impact.

Established in 2005, the station has been a beacon of hope for the Rwandese, especially those grappling with the aftermath of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

“Our vision is to be the leading gospel station here in Rwanda for real-life change,” Nyirahavugimana said. “We want to change spiritually the life of our audiences through the word of God.”

That goes hand-in-hand with the station’s mission, which she said is to “preach the gospel using media and make shine the bride of Jesus Christ.”

To do that, it creates high-quality programmes that deliver a positive message: “As we are Christian radio, we have programmes on social economics and health, education and fighting against gender-based violence, and a programme based on family, sports, youth, etc.,” Nyirahavugimana said.

Central to the mission are its core values: integrity, excellence, collaboration, and innovation.

“We treat everyone with dignity and respect, free of discrimination and harassment. And we serve people with excellence by providing timely services,” she explained.

Collaboration is key as the station works with various churches in Rwanda. It supports churches committed to community-based action, aids in the mission of making a difference, and provides information and inspiration.

The business of doing good

Although the station was established in 2005, it didn’t become a registered business company until 2012. Covering 62% of the country, Umucyo Radio broadcasts on the frequency 102.8 and also has an active online presence thanks to TuneIn Internet radio, YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Simple Radio.

Its unique interdenominational approach allows it to serve a diverse audience with preachers from different churches and ministries both in and outside Rwanda, which also helps the station survive.

“We collaborate with pastors and the churches. They contribute according to the time they use,” she said. “The pastors from the different churches pay for the time and space, and they pay some of the money for productions.”

Creating a production studio has allowed Umucyo Radio to generate another revenue stream as it offers services including content production, video recording, music recording, and publicity services. She said some customers even rent the video studio to create YouTube videos.

To ensure it could provide the needed services, Nyirahavugimana said the staff has gone through training programmes, including participating in the Rwanda Media Programme, which provides training by journalists for media companies.

“That programme sharpened our staff in different skills,” Nyirahavugimana said. “For example, programming, audience research, marketing, and interviewing.”

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Umucyo Radio received a grant from the United Nations Development Programme and Rwanda Governance Board, which has helped support the media house’s goal of becoming a hub for audio-visual content production. The station is also working toward its accreditation from the Africa Council of Accountability and Accreditation (AfCAA), something that Nyirahavugimana said reflects its commitment to transparency and accountability.

Making a difference

Thanks to its strong emphasis on values and its commitment to extending a helping hand, Umucyo Radio has been able to make a significant impact in the community. It provides shelter to vulnerable families, organises hospital visits, pays health insurance for some families, and even covers school fees for some individuals. 

It is also working to extend its reach through partnerships and collaborations that will allow it to share more programming while providing additional assistance to its audience.

“We also have a collaboration with some Christian international organisations,” she said. These include Trans World Radio, a multinational evangelical Christian media distributor, and Davar Partners International, which distribute audio bibles. 

Through these partnerships, the station has been able to distribute radios in rural areas and provide audio Bibles to its audience. Additionally, it has a partnership with New Life Africa Satellite Network in Tanzania.

Umucyo Radio continues looking to the future and finding more ways to provide hope and share their faith with the people of Rwanda and beyond.

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