Hi! My name is Irene Scott, I'm a former journalist and for the last 13 years I've been working with small local media organisations and community groups around the world to provide life saving information to communities in emergencies.

I first met Sam a decade ago in a hot, dusty tent which formed our office in a displacement camp in Juba, South Sudan. We were working in Internews’ Boda Boda Talk Talk project - elevating community needs to humanitarian agencies and creating space for conversation. Sam was rapidly learning media skills, connecting with people, and dreaming about peace for his community and his country.

I remember him telling me that he wanted to take what he had learned working together to set up his own radio station. It sounded like a wild dream and so impossible in the middle of a civil war. Never have I been so happy to be proved wrong.

A few years back, Sam set up his own radio station in Akobo - in the far far north of South Sudan. The Community Peace Radio Organization (CPRO) is a small community radio station that broadcasts for 35 kilometers. A small team determined to share information and create connections through the airwaves.

It's basically running on fumes, sweat and determination. This is the only station for more than 300 kilometers, and it’s not just playing music, it’s talking about women’s empowerment, peacebuilding and healing, and community life. In other words, it’s the kind of radio that makes the world feel a little less messy and a lot more hopeful. It’s the kind of radio that lets the community drive their own narrative, connect in their own language and plot their own path.

Here’s the kicker: like many community media outlets around the world, Sam’s station has been hit hard by global aid cuts. Right now, they’re keeping things going one jerry can of generator fuel at a time.

The math is simple:

• $1,200USDD (AUD $1,800) = one month of generator fuel.

• We’re trying to raise enough for four months.

• That’s four months of conversations that bring the community together, fight GBV and build peace

So, here’s where you come in, If you’ve ever:

• Worked in South Sudan, (maybe you know Sam!?)

• Been moved by the power of radio, podcasts and storytelling,

• Or just believe that our world is held together by the glue of community connection……then please chip in.

Skip your next coffee and throw in $5. Skip your next food delivery and give $20. Skip your next “emergency” online shopping cart and donate what you can.

Every single dollar is a drop of fuel will go straight into keeping the station alive.

Let’s keep the lights on, the generator humming, and the radio waves buzzing with voices that matter.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions or want to donate to CPRO in a more ongoing way, I'm happy to make connections to Sam and his amazing team. [email redacted]