FAQ

For many communities we work in, radio remains a lifeline.

Radio can reach people struck by war, disaster or poverty. It speaks to communities where illiteracy is high, or where political, social or religious barriers prevent people accessing vital information and education. We use the most appropriate media for each community we reach, whether that's community FM, short wave, the Internet or other means. 

Feba seeks to build trusted relationships with its audiences, becoming a sustained and consistent presence in their lives.

We work through the most suitable media for each community we reach.

In some communities, that will be short wave. In others, it may be community FM, medium wave or the Internet and social media.

In disaster situations, it's sometimes appropriate to distribute radios to those affected so that they can access vital information. 

Wherever possible, our material is produced in-country by local people, in partnership with like-minded organisations. We seek to work alongside other national Feba and FEB associations as well as like-minded NGOs.

We actively seek to inspire potential partners to use radio or other media for the benefit of hard-to-reach communities. Through developing media skills in local people and investing time, expertise, staff, equipment, technical support and funds in projects, we plan for each - in time - to become self-sustaining.

We tailor our material to the needs of the communities we serve. Material can: 

• Provide information and education relevant to a community’s needs and issues 
• Enable communities to help themselves and make positive life changes
• Provide an opportunity for self-expression, giving communities a voice
• Encourage reconciliation between individuals, families and communities
• Instil joy and relief through entertainment and humour
• Awaken the possibility of a relationship with Jesus
• Provide Bible teaching and encouragement for those who choose to follow Jesus

We work with hard-to-reach communities in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, serving them at their point of need. 

They might be communities:

• Living in remote geographical locations or cultural isolation with little or no access to support and services such as medical facilities
• With high rates of illiteracy
• Facing reduced life expectancy due to insufficient health information
• With reduced access to news, information and varied ideas due to lack of media exposure or media being heavily controlled by authorities
• Facing discrimination and oppression leaving them voiceless and lacking empowerment
• Experiencing high levels of unemployment or low-yielding daily work leaving them unable to provide for their needs

We don't broadcast in the UK. 

Whether broadcasting on short wave, medium wave, FM, the Internet or using social media, Feba material is:

• Wherever possible produced locally, often in partnership with like-minded organisations
• Culturally appropriate, using local art forms and customs to present life-giving content
• Produced in the listeners’ heart language and local dialect
• Relevant to listeners’ needs and issues

We work with some of the world’s hardest-to-reach communities.

In an increasingly digital world, short wave remains a lifeline for millions of people who can be reached by no other means.

Where governments control broadcasting and impose licensing restrictions, short wave broadcasts, which originate from outside the country, are vital.

They give people access to news and information, which might otherwise be withheld from them.

Shortwave can also reach remote communities, where other signals cannot.

We broadcast via short wave where it remains the most effective way to reach people. 

Airtime is a broadcasting slot on a particular transmitter – shortwave, medium wave or FM – which we use to air a programme.

We purchase airtime from several organisations with transmitters around the world, enabling us to broadcast programmes to communities that we’ve chosen to reach through radio. 

Check out www.febaradio.net

We took the decision not to continue investing in Chrysolite (studio in a suitcase) production in 2009. Those which have been deployed are all in use on location or in readiness for disaster response.

Feba’s role is now about selecting and using commercially available equipment, enabling communities to produce great content that brings life-changing hope and transformation – not investing in the deeply technical development of brand new equipment solutions.

Feba is a registered charity in England and Wales, and is dependent on donations from individuals, churches, legacies and grant-making trusts to continue our work.

Our charity accounts can be viewed on the Charity Commission website

Click here for ways you can make a donation to Feba

Feba began as Far East Broadcasting Associates, a small group of British supporters of the US-based Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC).  

In 1959 this group of British supporters took up the task of establishing a station in the Seychelles - a British Protectorate at the time - from which they could broadcast into India, becoming the Far East Broadcasting Association.  

We are now known as Feba Radio but in practice we use Feba (it’s less of a mouthful) and we work in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Radio remains an important tool for many hard-to-reach communities, but we use whatever media is most appropriate for each community. It may be radio - short wave, medium wave or community FM - or it may be web or social media-based. 

Feba doesn't belong to a particular denomination and we don't promote one denomination over another among our listeners.
 Our supporters, partners and listeners come from all faiths and none, joined together by the desire to see transformation in the lives of those we reach. 

Many of our supporters are followers of Jesus, and come from many different denominations.

We are committed to working with the local church wherever possible, enabling it to use media to positively impact its local community. 

We have some resources for churches available for download on our website, including video clips, our Prayer Diary and our Annual Review.  We can also send out posters and more copies of our newsletters by post.

We would love to be able to visit all churches who request a visit, but we have no one person responsible for this.  So each request will be looked at individually on a case-by-case basis.

Please use the contact form to give as much detail as possible – about the church (and yourself), or phone up to discuss it on 01903 237281.

We believe:

• In one God, who exists as almighty and loving Father, Son and Holy Spirit
• In the Bible as the true, inspired and authoritative word of God
• In the value and dignity of all people, created in God's perfect image but separated from him by sin and subject to his punishment
• In Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, and fully human and fully divine. He lived a sinless life on earth; he bore the punishment due to sinners by dying in our place by crucifixion and by this saves all who repent of their sin and believe in him
• He was physically raised from death to life and returned to God the Father
• In the Holy Spirit, who gives new spiritual life to believers in Jesus Christ and lives in them, giving them power to live a holy life of obedient service
• In the spiritual unity of all believers, the church
• In the future personal return of Jesus Christ as judge of all people, the saved spending eternity with God and the lost banished to eternal condemnation