By Mwenya Mukuka
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Secretary General Very Rev Fr. Cleophas Lungu has urged the diocesan Communication secretaries to create a network of Catholic radio stations in the country in order to give a greater impact to the people they are serving.
Zambia currently has 9 Catholic run radio stations.
In his remarks during the official opening of a Diocesan Communicators and Catholic Radio Managers Training at Kasisi Retreat Center in Lusaka, on Tuesday, 30thMay, 2017, the Secretary General said, “In collaboration with Fr. Winfield Kunda ZCCB national communications office, I urge you to deliberate on the creation of network of Catholic radio stations in the country. I remain waiting for that resolution so that I can present it to the Bishops for endorsement.”
Fr. Lungu also emphasized on the need for enhancing accountability in the administration of Funds in accordance with the objective of the training; ‘to equip the participants with Financial Resource Mobilization Skills’ in order to build mutual trusts with the partners.
He also asked the workshop participants to explore some other local resource mobilization opportunities for that they cannot only depend on proposal writings.
He said that as communicators, they must advocate for local resource mobilization skills that would help them raise funds for their communication activities.
“We just had commemorated World Communication Sunday [28th May, 2017], and if we implemented the disbursement of 50% of that Sunday collection for Diocesan Communication and 50% for national communication office, the LUMEN TV project which is now under way would not last long before it is completed,” he said.
‘The Catholic Church in Zambia will soon launch a national wide TV station to be called LUMEN TV Zambia.’
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Communications Department held a 4-day training in Online Journalism and grant proposal writing skills. The training was made possible by Pontifical Missions Societies (PMS) support through SIGNIS application projects.
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