ELWA Radio Engineering Building (LR 95112)
Our major ministry partner, ELWA Radio, is working towards the goal of renovating and improving buildings and equipment in order to maximize the impact of their FM broadcasts. This includes renovation of an existing building (the former 50 kilowatt shortwave transmitter building), moving the FM and shortwave transmitters into this new building, installing a new FM amplifier, and moving the present FM antenna to the new 350 foot tower recently erected on the site. It is SIM's desire to help in this process by providing funding for renovation and purchases of new cables and other equipment. It is expected that the increase in signal volume (from 250 watts to 2000 watts) and increase in tower height (250 feet to 350 feet) will substantially increase the listening radius, and improve penetration into the heavily populated areas of downtown Monrovia and Bushrod Island. This will allow evangelistic and Bible teaching programs to be heard by a much larger number of Liberians on their FM radio sets. Work on this project has already started, and we would like to see this completed by the end of 2004.
Project amount: $7,326 ($2,131 needed)
ELWA Radio Transmitter (LR 95113)
This project will provide funds to purchase and install a new shortwave transmitter at ELWA which will give Radio ELWA the capacity to broadcast on a additional frequency (49 meters). Currently ELWA is broadcasting both her English Language programming and Liberian Language broadcasts over the same shortwave frequency (60 meters, 4760 KHz). This means that some of the English Language programming is preempted by the Languages broadcasts, and that the time available for the language broadcasts is very limited. Since broadcasting hours on shortwave are limited, and since the rural target audience typically works on the farm, only a few hours are available (roughly 5:30 AM to 8:00 AM; 6 to 9 pm) for "prime time" broadcasting. ELWA Radio is currently broadcasting in nine languages for 15 minute broadcasts. Grebo, Kru, Gola, Bassa, Kpelle and Kissi are aired every week day, and Dan, Krahn and Loma on the weekends. ELWA Radio intends to add Mandingo, Vai and Bandi, with the ultimate goal of fourteen or fifteen different language broadcasts. This project will provide funds for a second shortwave transmitter and antenna to be used exclusively for the Liberian Languages. This will allow maximum use of one frequency for English language broadcasts, while the new frequency (49 meters) will be divided between the various Liberian languages.
Project amount: $30,825 ($23,779 needed)
ELWA Radio Restoration, Phase 3 (LR 95107)
The ELWA Radio studio and transmitter buildings were completely destroyed in 1990 as part of the early phases of the Liberian civil war. Since then the FM and SW transmitters and single studio have been relocated to the old ELWA Garage building, itself thoroughly looted in 1996. Resumption of FM, SW, and now Liberian language programming and broadcasting requires additional studio and office space. This project purposes to design, rebuild and rebuild studios and offices on the foundations of the old structure allowing the "Garage" to become a transmitter site. The new studio building will provide for new studio, much needed offices for programmers, a tape library, technical working space, CD players, computers, audio equipment, air conditioning, control room consoles, computer and related software, and furniture.
Project amount: $186,569 ($170,989 needed)
ELWA Radio Liberian Languages (LR 95108)
Reaching both unbelievers and believers with the Christian Gospel has long been the goal of ELWA Radio. This is best accomplished by reaching people in their local languages. With the resumption of shortwave broadcasting in March, 2000, ELWA Radio has for the first time in ten years, committed themselves to ministering in Liberian Languages. The programs focus on Bible teaching, health, and community development. Though the goal is to support these programs from the local church, the programs will require some subsidy until this can be realized. This project will provide a matching (about 50%) subsidy for five years in order to enable Liberian Language programming and broadcasting. The project will also provide funding for tape recorders and mini disk recorders, and give broadcasters the opportunity to travel to the areas where their programs are being transmitted to survey their listeners, raise awareness of finds, and get requests, announcements, music, and sermons that they can air.
Project amount: $42,879 ($42,342 needed)
ELWA Radio 350 ft. Tower (LR 95111)
ELWA Radio has nearly finished the construction of a new 350 foot FM radio tower to replace the current 250 foot tower which is in a state of poor repair. This will give our FM transmissions added range, so the gospel can be heard from a longer distance.
Project amount: $10,878 ($2,878 needed to finish the project)
Send remittance to: SIM-USA, Box 7900, Charlotte, NC, 28241, or to the nearest SIM office: http://sim.org/aboutSIM.asp?fun=6
Contact Information:
Liberia.director@sim.org