“Why would Trans World Radio even consider establishing a medium wave transmitting station in Benin? Really! Aren’t they all listening to FM?” This question has often been asked of TWR staff as the organisation prepares to establish a new broadcasting presence in West Africa.

While there is a proliferation of FM radio stations in west and central Africa, these are located in towns and cities. Most don’t broadcast beyond the city limits. However, more than 60% of the population still live in rural areas where FM signals cannot reach. Many of these people groups are Muslim - either nominally or devout. Some are semi-nomadic or nomadic and move around, making it very difficult to broadcast to with regular and persistent evangelical programming which is essential in reaching them.

Once completed, the medium wave transmitter site will reach Benin, Togo, parts of Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritania, Algeria, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Churches in the targeted area are in desperate need of sound biblical teaching. TWR’s programmes will provide much needed biblical education and teaching surrounding issues unique to life in West Africa. Programmes will include ministry to Muslims, discipleship programmes (In Touch Ministries, Thru The Bible, Words of Hope and Deeper Life Ministries), programmes meeting social needs (Africa Challenge, AIDS Challenge, Generation of Hope), children’s programmes (Project Samuel), programmes directed at presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people of traditional religions (Animism, Voodism), local church productions, programmes reaching the illiterate (Radio Bible) and programmes on peace and reconciliation which will reach into troubled countries.

TWR hopes to be broadcasting from this new transmitting site as early as November 2005. Currently TWR broadcasts 20 languages to West Africa from Johannesburg, South Africa on short wave. Not only will the new broadcasting station provide opportunity for broadcasting up to 50 new languages within five years of start up, but the signal quality will be much improved.

TWR has already raised a portion of what is needed to establish the transmitter site in Benin. US$ 1,404,728 is still needed. Please prayerfully consider partnering with TWR financially on this project so that, together, we can take God’s Word to millions of people who have never heard.

Article: Rev. Brent Bartlett
10 November 2004