RootIO

Would you believe this is a radio station?

Not so ordinary bucket

To tickle a little bit, would it even cross your mind that this ordinary looking bucket  can play your favorite playlist and still give you the latest breaking  news  from your community leaders all through your radio? This all sounded like crazy talk till I met Christopher Csikzentmihalyi and Jude Mukundane of the RootIO project.

 Chris heads European Research Area Chair and Scientific at the Madeira InteractiveTechnology Institute, while Jude was formerly head of VAS engineering and Technology Innovations at Uganda Telecom but is now full time  Chief Technological Officer(CTO) of the RootIO project where he handles the daily technical aspects of this ordinary looking bucket.

Jude explains how RootIO works to the RAN interns

As it turns out this ordinary looking bucket which we have come to know as RootIO is a combination of open-source software and other tools, like portable transmitters and a power source that allows people to use their phones to host shows and broadcast information on the RootIO low-power radio stations.  A small transmitter is built into a waterproof bucket with a fan, a charge controller and a data enabled smartphone is connected to an antenna and a solar panel replacing the expensive standard radio studio. Content will thus be live in the cloud and stations will be able to produce shows that are easily transmitted from more than one transmitter.

Christopher Csikzentmihalyi

This ground breaking innovation was conceived from a flash light bulb moment when Chris came to Uganda on a UNICEF assignment. On this assignment, he couldn’t make the locals way of communication especially for the case of radio. People followed the radios programming with keen interest and had little input. Radio being the almost go to source for information, Chris thought to himself, "Surely, there must be a better way!”  and this is how the idea was born.

 RootIO has grown out of the recognition that despite the wonders of mobile telephony and the internet, radio is still a vibrant medium and in many places and it is where most people get the bulk of their information.   This has seen the team win a grant from ResilientAfrica Network (RAN)   and the Knight’s Foundation new challenge. It has also successfully partnered with UNICEF Uganda, UNICEF Innovations Lab, Uganda Radio Network, Makerere University School ofJournalism and Communication, and Mama Fm.
 

The RootIO team with RAN Communications manager Harriet Adong

With help from RAN, RootIO has been able to secure a license from Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to carry out pilot broadcasting on 103.8FM.   The Broadcasting has been able to cover 35km on flat terrain areas with Patongo in Agago, Kitgum Town, Pabbo Sub-county in Amuru District, and Aber Sub-county in Oyam District   earmarked to benefit from this project during the pilot phase. In Patongo and Aber, RootIO launches have beensuccessful and the locals can now tune and call in to pass on their messages.      
 

 
 
Like in all Innovation journeys, all this success has not been without its challenges.   With this approach of setting up a radio station, there are various challenges such as audio quality, working with locally available parts of varying quality and all the software needed should function seamlessly which is not always  the case because of internet  connection hurdles.
 

But as they press on, in order to attain their goal of providing this solution to all the local communities they are encouraged by the feedback they are getting.  “Local radio ,”Chris says “supports the ability of the community to inform itself and help decision making.” 
“It is exciting how the local communities have welcomed these RootIO station into their communities,” the team notes, “especially with the focus being reports for local farmers.”

 So with one of the local news sites statingthat this innovation has the ability to have the same effect as Mobile money, this ordinary looking bucket definitely does not look that ordinary anymore and you should definitely watch this space!!!.

Compiled by Communications and Engagement Department ResilientAfrica Network(RAN)
(Achiro Jennifer, Byomuhangi Owen,Musisi Henry, Nalunga Winnie and Nuwagaba Kenneth )