The stereotype belief that women are/were meant for domestic duties has since been dismissed. There was a time, not long ago when women were considered to for giving birth to children and cooking meals for the family. Before her marriage, she was dependent on her father under whose authority she lived, and after her marriage, her husband became her lord and master. These go with the suggestion that women cannot contribute much to the progress and development of the country where they were discussed as frail sensitive creatures who have no contribution to make.

Not everyone agrees on what is meant by appropriate gender behaviour for boys and girls, men and women and this disagreement has increased in the past years. The recent development in the activities of women at Mattru Jong Bonthe district in the southern region of Sierra Leone clearly shows that sex roles are not fixed, and that if there is a natural order, it allows for many different arrangements. With the developmental activities of women at Mattru Jong, it would then, be misleading to suggest that women cannot contribute much to the progress and development of our country Sierra Leone.

One such positive contribution made was the establishment of a F.M. Radio Station by the women of Mattru Jong through the relentless effort of Sarah Rogers who is the current manager of the radio station assisted by Alice Kimabeh. The radio station, F.M. 88.5 is having very positive impact on the social, economic and the political life of the people in that part of the country

Voice of Women F.M 88.5 Mattru Jong Bonthe district southern Sierra Leone is a new community radio station located at the Old Post Office William Street Mattru Jong serving about 139,832 people within the district. The radio transmitter and other gadgets were donated to the women of Mattru Jong by �OSIWA� through (Cornet) which started operation in September 2006.

The station, with about 13 members of staff does not only empower women through freedom of expression but has the capability of contributing to the development of Bonthe district community.

The reason for the establishment of the radio station for women of Mattru Jong is to help empower the through freedom of expression, thus enabling them to contribute to community development. The objectives of the radio station F.M. 88.5 includes, but not limited to the addressing of issues that affect women, children and other categories of people within the Bonthe community through different radio programmes.

The promotion and development, the building of capacity of women within the district, the empowerment of women, the freedom to express their views on national and regional issues, the fight for the right of women, children and other vulnerable groups within Bonthe district are part of the packages presented almost on a daily basis to the community. This writer paid a visit to the radio station on the 10th September 2008 after having listened to some of the programmes aired out. I met the acting station manager called Mr. Sulaiman A. Sengeh and informed him that there programmes are interesting and educative. He explained to me that the radio station was one of the products of the 50/50 group, a women�s organization in the country and their desire is to contribute to the development of the Mattru community. The name of the radio station �Voice of Women� I told him clearly indicates that it is only women who are more active in the development of the district. He however explained that men are also contributing to the development of the district in diverse ways and informed me that the radio station operates for a period of six hours per day, which is from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The station, based on my observation during my week stay in Mattru showed that the station had embarked on media campaign against gender, violence, children and women exploitation, spread of HIV/AIDS and other killer diseases, religious education based on both Muslims and Christians beliefs and their ways of lives. Other programmes listened to were based on the role of women in agriculture, peace-building, political tolerance, gender equality, maternal and health care, teenage pregnancy and early marriages.

The �Bonsoir Mattru Jong� French teaching programme was my contribution to the station, which has currently become one of the most popular programmes in the district within the very shortest period of its establishment. Despite, the hard work and dedication of managers and the women folks in the district, There are several constraints experienced by them; namely, cost of fuel, stationary, cassettes, batteries, mobility of news agents, computers, other office equipment, stipends for volunteers and even office space as the radio station is currently occupied and operated in the Old Government Post Office Building in Mattru Jong.

The women of Mattru Jong are women with a difference. It would be absurd, with this kind of development and initiatives demonstrated by women to suggest that women at Mattru Jong or in general cannot contribute to the progress and development of Sierra Leone. Women are not to be discussed as frail sensitive creatures that have no contribution to make. Voice of Women �F.M. 88.5� Mattru Jong has shown that women n that part of the country no longer devote most of their productive years to child-bearing. The station, if anything is to be learnt morally is demanding a re-examination of the social relationship of the sexes, as Mr. Richard Salankoli of Wai Street Mattru Jong puts it �Women are national builders and not kitchen managers anymore�

via StandTimesPress.com