ELWA - Monrovia, Liberia

History
The History of Radio ELWA goes back to the vision of SIM (Sudan Interior Mission) that everyone might have the chance to hear the tenents of the Christian faith by means of broadcasting.

In 1952, the Government of Liberia granted a permit for broadcasting. A frequency was assigned and the call letters “ELWA” (Eternal Love Winning Africa) were designated for what became Africa’s first Christian radio station with the first broadcast going out on 18th January 18 1954.

ELWA Radio continued until July 1990 when the station was silenced due to the civil war in Liberia. In 1992, SIM with its compassionate concern and commitment to reaching the un-reached and helping to mend broken and shattered lives by means of broadcasting, took the challenge to resurrect ELWA Radio.

In 1996 however, ELWA Radio was again silenced and suffered greatly during renewed fighting.

Following the 1996 crisis, national staff regrouped and purposed to re-start this ministry. SIM for the second time made a commitment to help rebuild ELWA Radio on the condition that the vision, initiative and management remain on the hands of the nationals.

Radio ELWA is today a Christian radio station operating from Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa. It presently broadcasts on FM 94.5 and SW 4760 kHZ (60 meters), with a transmission power of 1000 watts (1 kilowatt).

The station's current schedule includes eight hours of English broadcasting each day and one and a half hours of Liberian Language broadcast in Grebo, Kru, Gola, Bassa, Kpelle, Kissi, Dan, Krahn and Loma, supported almost entirely by local funds. Roughly seventy-five percent of ELWA Radio’s income to date has resulted in charges from public service announcements, requests, donations, and local program producers, and from pastors and churches who sign up for air time to broadcast their programs.

In 2003 HCJB International partnered with ELWA in providing most of the resources for short-wave broadcasts from a unique transmitter and antenna, which they developed and installed. ELWA was once again able to reach all of Liberia and surrounding countries with the life changing Gospel of Christ.

Vision
With the coming of the short wave broadcasts on 60 meters (4760kHz), there is a need to include other Liberian languages not on the air, such as Mandingo, Bandi and Vai. There is also a need to increase the power of the FM signal (from 250 Watts to 2kW) and to provide a local means of power supply, which all entail technical, financial and administrative challenges.

There is now the need for a new studio and office building to accommodate the growing staff.

There is also a desire to add a second shortwave transmitter, to enable the station to broadcast simultaneously in English and indiginous Liberian languages.

Contact information:
Mr. Moses Nyantee, Manager
E-mail: moses.nyantee@elwaministries.org
E-mail: radio.staff@elwaministries.org
Phone: 011-231 6-515511

• ELWA website

Lightning Damage

On the night of Thursday 13th June 2007, lightning hit the Eternal Love Winning Africa (ELWA) compound in Monrovia, Liberia.

The lightning destroyed two panel boxes and a power meter which supply the radio station and damaged the generator switching system at the power-house. The ELWA Hospital back-up generator and some of appliances were also hit. Parts of the radio transmitter and control board were also destroyed.

This lightning strike came just after the debut of programming in the Liberian languages on the FM band on Monday June 12th 2007. Prior to that date, the Liberian language programs had been off the air for about a year.