A brief history of the organization

CEMINA, like many other women’s organizations that were created during the 80´s, understood that the moment had come for women to use their voices and assets to occupy a place in society, questioning traditional values, shaking up old structures and streaming new ways forward.

We embraced this mission, investing in the idea of “empowering the voice”. That was it! We opened a channel which enabled not only us, but also our partners, the women from Rio de Janeiro and from Brazil as a whole, to speak candidly about women’s issues. The radio program “Women Speak Up,” our first initiative, was created in 1988. The program was initiated by a group of volunteers and soon acquired a more professional profile. It was replicated and continued broadcasting for 10 years, transforming women of the street into communicators of all ages and serving as a model for numerous similar initiatives. These radio programs grew out of the training courses that CEMINA first promoted in 1992.

From a simple seed, CEMINA has blossomed into a fragrant flower. The organization is, well recognized not only in Brazil but also abroad throughseed, a fragrant flower has blossomed (I like that! the innovative and coherent way in which it has worked towards fulfilling its mission. While CEMINA has received many awards, we refused to stop there. After occupying the radio waves from the North to the South of Brazil, we are working now to apply what we have learned through the radio to the new technologies for communication and information (ICTs) in the cyber space

The proposal to use the technology to expand and broaden the power of the radio to penetrate people’s hearts is at the core of this strategy. The program “Women Speak Up” has acquired the dimension of a radio itself. It is broadcasted 24 hours a day through the following Internet address: www.radiofalamulher.com. Our programs and campaigns, previously available only by mail in the form of cassettes or CDs, now can be heard and downloaded free of charge through the radio site.

The members of the Women’s Radio Network, women who have attended our training courses, now have access to the Cyberela Network, as we acquire more resources and funds to promote the digital inclusion of these popular communicators and their respective radio stations. The benefits promoted by the radio for their respective communities have expanded in the form of “Telecenters”. These are special locations in the community that provide women with access to the Internet to help promote digital inclusion. It is our commitment to ensure that women will not, once again, be left behind and lack access and opportunities to this important tool for social development.