In many countries where the civic space and media are restricted, accessing reliable information becomes a crucial issue. In the face of censorship or propaganda, the media supported by Fondation Hirondelle are continuing to provide useful information rooted in people’s day-to-day lives. This essential journalism is a reminder that information is not a democratic luxury but a vital basic service. And by enabling understanding, discussion, and action among citizens, it contributes directly to safeguarding fundamental freedoms and thus to peace.
Informing to Live
When freedoms decline, the Foundation’s media have a clear priority: informing to live. In Burkina Faso, Studio Yafa’s weekly program “Faso Yafa” is meeting the urgent need for information among internally displaced persons. Health, safety, access to humanitarian services: In addition to providing vital information, the program connects displaced populations with their host communities, while also raising awareness of their living conditions throughout the country. Against a backdrop of violence and fear, this information helps to reestablish ties, restore dignity, and enable populations to look to the future, while also easing tensions.
The Local Network: Key to Trust
In environments where freedom of expression continues to be fragile, a network of journalists and committed local players becomes the backbone of credible information. In Tunisia, the Participation Active des Citoyennes et Citoyens Tunisiens program (PACT), supported by Fondation Hirondelle, illustrates this dynamic. By strengthening the capabilities of local media and civil society organizations, the project promotes information rooted in the realities of the regions and an open dialogue between citizens and institutions. This network of local voices enables the specific concerns of the communities to be taken into account, disinformation to be tackled, and trust in public statements to be restored. These areas of dialogue and participation nurture active citizenship, which is vital for establishing lasting peace.
Exile: The Last Refuge of Freedom
When silence becomes law, some media have no choice but to go into exile to continue to provide information. One example is Frontier Myanmar, a media partner of Fondation Hirondelle, with whom the foundation has been producing the “Doh Athan” human rights podcast since 2017. From Thailand, its journalists give a voice to victims, opening up their microphones to exiled communities as well as those still in the country. By maintaining this connection, they emphasize that information crosses borders, linking awareness, and that this continuity helps to keep the collective memory alive and to maintain hope of a peaceful future.
For more than 30 years, Fondation Hirondelle has been supporting journalism serving populations who face crises or the closure of civic spaces. Through its support for independent media, training for journalists, and promotion of dialogue, it is upholding a simple, universal conviction: that access to reliable information is the first step toward freedom and peace.