The role of media in creating awareness on mitigating poverty among rural women: The Case Study of Monduli District

The study was conducted at Nanja and Mtimmoja villages in Monduli district, Arusha Region. The study aimed at examining the contribution of media (Community Radio) in creating awareness on mitigating poverty among rural women. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods with their advantages of complementing each other. Quantitative data were obtained through structured questionnaires and analysed with SPSS programme. Qualitative, data were obtained through interviews, Focus Group Discussions, Observation and written documents. Respondents were selected by random sampling while key informants were purposevely identified. The findings of the study revealed that radio plays a vital role in disseminating information in rural areas. The useful content of the radio programme has to consider the culture, language and information needs of the intended audience. Yet access to information to rural women does not relate with media (TVs, Radio, Newspaper and Websites). Rural women explore alternative means of communication which are through village meetings, women groups, the use of mobile phones, churches and schools announcements which seem to be useful sources of information. The study recommends that there is a need for government, NGOs and community itself to strengthen these sources of information as to ensure the right to information is well achieved hence poverty mitigation.