What is it like to effectively lead an NGO focused on helping to create unbiased media in some of the world's most challenging conflict zones? In this insightful interview, Caroline Vuillemin, the General Director of Fondation Hirondelle – Media for Peace & Human Dignity, based in Switzerland, shares her experiences managing a Swiss NGO that creates and supports media to enable people in conflict zones to access accurate and objective information. Vuillemin delves into her impactful career journey within the media field, highlighting the organization’s mission to provide reliable information in conflict zones and the challenges of maintaining journalistic independence. She reflects on the essential role of persuasion and donor relationships, emphasizing the importance of diverse expertise in successfully managing an NGO. Despite not being a career journalist, Vuillemin's background in development and international relations has strengthened the foundation while upholding its journalistic values. Throughout the interview, she provides examples of Fondation Hirondelle's work in various countries, such as the Central African Republic, Ukraine, and Mali, and explains the importance of addressing trauma among local teams working in conflict zones. Vuillemin also discusses the impact of misinformation and AI on journalism, offering tips to improve media literacy and critical thinking. Concluding with advice for aspiring professionals, she encourages them to "dare to try, and never think that it's not for you." This interview provides a comprehensive look into the critical work of Fondation Hirondelle and Vuillemin's dedication to making a positive difference in people's lives through reliable media.
Interview by Sorina I. Crisan – Matthey de l'Endroit, PhD
Q1. What is Fondation Hirondelle, and when and why did you decide to work with them?
Answer: Fondation Hirondelle is a Swiss NGO that creates and supports media to enable people in conflict zones to access information. It was established 30 years ago by three Swiss journalists in response to the Rwandan genocide. After covering the genocide for Swiss public radio, they recognized how the lack of information, the manipulations, and the rumors were preventing people, especially refugees and displaced individuals, from making informed decisions. This led to the creation of our first radio station, Radio Agatashya, which brought together Tutsi and Hutu journalists to serve everyone. "Agatashya" means "hirondelle" in French and "swallow" in English, giving our foundation its name.
The media initiative led to the formation of Fondation Hirondelle. The founders never anticipated that it would grow into a significant media development actor. I first learned about and decided to join Fondation Hirondelle in 2002 while working for the International Foundation for Election Systems in Washington, DC. At that time, we were preparing for the first free multi-party elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly Zaire. One of Fondation Hirondelle's major projects was Radio Okapi, and I relied on its website for information about the DRC. I was impressed by their work and felt that working in media to serve people was incredible.
Although I am not a journalist by training, I have always wanted to be useful, which is why I pursued international development and relations. I knew I wasn't suited to be a doctor, but helping people become informed citizens and understand their rights was my calling. This mission aligned with my work at the International Foundation for Election Systems and continued at Fondation Hirondelle.
I moved back to Europe from the US and decided to contact Fondation Hirondelle, unsure if they would have a position for someone without a journalism background. Fortunately, they had an opening for an Administrative Project Assistant. That was 20 years ago. Over the years, I managed various projects and became Director of Operations in 2008. When the former director, Jean-Marie Etter, retired in 2017, the Board offered me the position of General Director.
I have been in this role since 2017, and I was quite surprised to get this position initially because I always believed that a journalist should lead Fondation Hirondelle because of its mission. However, the Board saw that my background in development could strengthen the foundation while maintaining our journalistic values. Fondation Hirondelle, though it operates like an NGO, perceives itself as a media group. We develop projects, raise funds, and convince donors, but we must ensure our journalistic independence and liberty of action.
In today's world, the distinction between information, public relations, and strategic communication is often blurred. Some donors may want specific topics covered, which is acceptable if they serve the public interest, such as human rights or climate change. However, we cannot accept any attempt to influence our editorial independence. Explaining this approach and maintaining our independence, despite financial dependency on grants, is crucial for our integrity and mission.
Q2. What is the level of involvement that you expect from donors, beyond funding?
Answer: Well, we actually require more than just funding from our donors because there's a political aspect to it, which makes it tricky. Our projects are apolitical in that we don't follow any political party or perspective. However, by working with media and helping people form their opinions, we inherently become a political actor. Therefore, donors, especially public donors, must understand that by supporting the media, they are also supporting freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, and access to information.
So, to answer your question, yes, donors provide funding, but they also need to stand for these values and rights. Often, in the countries where we operate, journalists may be threatened, or media outlets may face pressure from political governments or private interests. In such cases, we ask the ambassadors or representatives of our donors to speak out against these violations of freedom of expression, such as jailing journalists or other forms of suppression.
Maintaining our relationship with donors involves more than just submitting a report at the end of a project. It requires regular communication with donors, keeping them informed about the evolving situation on the ground, whether it’s positive or negative. For example, in the Sahel region, where we work in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, we maintain an ongoing dialogue with our donors. Some donors are uncertain about continuing their support due to the risks or current political climates in these countries, such as being governed by military regimes. We explain to them that if they withdraw and we have to close the project, it will be nearly impossible to return to that same location in the future. And, even if we can't address every issue in places like Mali or Burkina Faso, maintaining a presence is crucial.
Q3. What challenges do you face if the government shuts down your operations in a country?
Answer: In the countries in which we operate, we are fully registered and widely accepted by many local actors. If the government were to close us down, it would make any trials to return difficult in the future as long as this government remains. However, if a government was to shut us down, it would likely provoke significant reactions of support from civil society.
Moreover, closing down would mean losing not only our investment in equipment but also the time, training, and coaching we've provided to our team. Without independent media operating, journalists and media professionals might have to switch to other sectors or leave the country to make a living. If we ever wanted to come back, we would have to start from scratch with new staff and rebuild our human resource capacities.
Q4. Can you provide examples of how Fondation Hirondelle creates and supports media in different countries?
Answer: Our work spans 22 countries cumulatively over 30 years, with about 10 current projects in nine countries. One of these projects is a global website dealing with transitional justice in places like Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Colombia.
To illustrate our two approaches, let me give you two examples. Our foundation either creates and runs media or supports existing local media.
An example of a radio we created and run is Radio Ndeke Luka in the CAR (link here). We launched it in 2000, so it will be 25 years old next year. Today, it's an institution—the only independent and most trusted media outlet in CAR. Radio is the most widely used medium in the country, with over 75% of the population relying on it for information. Out of these, 65% listen to Radio Ndeke Luka every day. This puts a huge responsibility on the station, which operates out of the capital and has correspondents throughout the country. The team comprises about 100 local staff, including journalists, presenters, technicians, drivers, human resources, and an accountant. Despite being not-for-profit, the station needs comprehensive support to function daily in a country that has experienced multiple coups d'état, civil wars, bad governance, and corruption since 2000. Remarkably, many people in CAR see Radio Ndeke Luka as the only institution that never lets them down. They can't rely on the state or public services, but they can count on the radio every day for information, entertainment, and a sense of community. This trust and connection make all the efforts worthwhile, despite challenges like security issues, lack of electricity, and difficult internet access.
On the other hand, we support existing local media, as seen in our current work in Ukraine. In 2014, we started a small project unrelated to the war in the east, aimed at supporting the media sector during Ukraine's decentralization process. Although it was a short project, we built relationships with many media outlets across the country. In 2022, following the escalation of the conflict, we reached out to these former colleagues to understand their needs. Many had to close down or move to the western part of the country, needing basic survival support, like paying salaries and covering production and broadcasting costs. We partnered with Swiss Solidarity to support about 20 local Ukrainian media outlets—not the big ones from Kyiv or regional capitals, but smaller, local ones. We provide them with essential funding and editorial support, helping them adapt to new formats and cover topics such as war crimes and social cohesion. Our trainers assist the editors-in-chief and journalists in gaining new skills and provide coaching and critical feedback.
These two examples showcase our different approaches, but both aim to work directly with media professionals for the benefit of the audience.
Q5. How does Fondation Hirondelle conduct training for journalists in different countries?
Answer: We send trainers in person. During the COVID period, we had to develop online training out of necessity, and while it has become part of the toolbox for some organizations, it's very difficult to train and coach journalists effectively from a distance.
At Fondation Hirondelle, we rarely conduct journalist training in hotels because it doesn’t work well. Instead, we do training ‘in situ’ within the media outlets themselves. For example, in the CAR, our training occurs inside the radio station for the team there. We bring in trainers from the region or West Africa, depending on language needs and the ability to adapt to a fragile context.
In the CAR, we conduct training in French with media professionals who have had prior experiences in similar environments. In Ukraine, we conduct training in Ukrainian and have one or two trainers based in the country. We currently have one trainer, who is American and is living in Ukraine for around 20 years. They use translators when/if necessary.
Q6. Can you describe the composition of your team at Fondation Hirondelle?
Answer: Globally, our foundation has a team of about 300 people, mainly journalists. We have around 25 people in Lausanne, where the staff consists of back-office profiles, not journalists. In the field, our team includes journalists, technicians, presenters, and more. We have a pool of trainers we consistently use throughout our projects: English-speaking and Francophone trainers. For additional needs, we hire short-term consultants.
Q7. What measures has Fondation Hirondelle taken to address the impact of trauma on journalists and local teams working in conflict zones?
Answer: Globally, the impact of trauma on people working in conflict zones, within the media sector, has often been underestimated. It's now becoming more recognized as essential to address this topic for the success of our missions. Many humanitarian and development organizations now believe that if we don't consider trauma in our work with local actors, we miss a critical aspect of success.
For the people we send on missions, we prioritize senior professionals with extensive experience in similar environments. It can be frustrating because we have young journalists who are eager to help, but bringing in someone who is inexperienced can hinder rather than help our local colleagues. Experience in handling conflict and high-pressure situations, like dealing with a power outage minutes before a news bulletin, is crucial.
I've also seen people enter humanitarian or development work to escape their own problems. This is the worst approach. You need to know yourself well and be strong; bringing your personal issues to the field can lead to instability. This is why we sometimes see abuses of power and sexual harassment in these environments. People who are unprepared for the extreme conditions that they need to work in, can make poor decisions.
For local journalists and teams, we've started providing access to trauma support and health specialists. Initially, in places like the CAR and Burkina Faso, there was resistance. People would say they didn't need a doctor because they weren't mad. We had to reframe the conversation with the help of local doctors, asking about sleep, nightmares, and tension instead of directly suggesting psychological help.
Journalists in these areas not only cover difficult stories but also experience the same violence and trauma as their fellow citizens. Offering trauma support is just the beginning for us and it’s on voluntary basis, but more and more journalists are using the program, which I believe is beneficial.
I’ve worked in this sector for 20 years, and while I’ve never been a journalist in a newsroom, I’ve seen how tough the environment can be. As a journalist you’re not supposed to give your opinion but stick with the facts. And, journalists are often expected not to show emotions, which is different from not giving opinions. It's important to remain human. Women in particular face challenges when they show emotions, as they are often perceived as being weaker and then they are not sent to the field anymore.
To change these perceptions, we have ongoing discussions with editorial management and individual journalists. It’s okay to admit fear, shock, or that you have nightmares as a result of your work. It’s important to address these feelings because, in both the short and long term, it helps journalists continue to be effective and good at their work.
Q8. What is the role of persuasion in your line of work?
Answer: Persuasion plays a huge role in the media sector, and especially in international development and humanitarian work. While these are different sectors, one of the key aspects I focus on, in which persuasion plays a role, is emphasizing the importance of complementarity. Media isn’t just about journalists; it involves support staff, fundraising, monitoring, and measuring impact. Reflecting on and improving our work helps build trust with our audience and attract more donors.
When I started at the Foundation, journalists were resistant to the idea of measuring impact or being more reflexive about their work. They believed their sole duty was to inform, period. What people did with the information wasn't their concern. This stance is no longer tenable, especially with public funding involved. Today, many media outlets rely on grants and must demonstrate their impact.
To rebuild trust between institutions, the media, and the public, we need to evaluate our work, accept feedback, and be willing to improve. Being open to audience input and not just sharing information is crucial. This shift in perspective is something I’ve championed. Not being a journalist myself but leading the organization allowed me to advocate for these changes without my journalist colleagues feeling betrayed. They saw that our approach improved their work, garnered more support, and attracted a larger audience.
Another aspect of persuasion is maintaining humility. In the field of human well-being and improving life conditions, especially when it involves providing tools or knowledge rather than concrete services like health or education, it is challenging to measure impact. The link between our programs and people's behavior is not direct. Various factors influence someone's decision-making, from listening to a program to discussing it with friends, family, or community leaders.
Therefore, it is crucial to avoid doing harm, stay true to the facts, and acknowledge that our work is only one part of a larger chain. We must remain humble and self-critical about our actual contributions.
Q9. What influenced your decision to work in international development?
Answer: Regarding my education, after high school, I studied political science and specialized in international relations. Initially, I wanted to work in diplomacy or for international organizations. But I quickly realized that working for a state, thus in international relations, wouldn't suit me because I disagreed with many of the constraints. Being in civil society aligns more with my values.
There are a couple of life experiences related to traveling that I had before my professional career started, which significantly influenced it. When I was 14, I was lucky to go to Africa for the first time. I went to Mali on a field trip with my junior high, and that experience opened my eyes and made me want to work in international relations globally. Later, as part of my university studies, I studied abroad in my fourth year at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. That was probably the best decision I ever made. I was supposed to go for one year, but I ended up staying seven years in DC. After that year at university, I started working at the International Foundation for Election Systems. Discovering the field of election support and democratic support was new to me. I had never heard of it before and I also got to know about many other organizations working for citizenship and good governance. This exposure was eye-opening since I hadn't encountered this in Europe before.
This is how I entered the field of international development. I learned project management by doing it first, and then I earned some certificates in project management. This formal learning was useful because, while you can figure out things based on colleagues' advice—like creating action plans and budgets—learning about project cycle management and existing tools makes your work more coherent and efficient.
Q10. How did your upbringing influence your career in international relations?
Answer: I'm Swiss and French. I was born and raised in France, with my Swiss family on my father's side. Before working in Lausanne, I never imagined living in Switzerland. My family wasn't involved in international relations at all, but my parents were very curious about international politics. We always had newspapers at home and often discussed international politics.
Looking back, I think that the environment I grew up in played a significant role. It was a time of historical change, with the fall of the Berlin Wall. It felt like you couldn't just stay isolated in your small city, no matter how small it was. Being curious and growing up in that environment probably helped shape my interest in international relations.
Q11. How are misinformation and AI affecting the integrity of journalism today?
Answer: I think the challenges facing the media, such as, misinformation and AI, are very important because, for the last 10 years, the media sector globally has been in crisis. This is due to digitalization, the crisis of the business model, and the mistrust between the media and the audiences.
Recently, with the democratization of AI tools, there's been a cognitive crisis where we can no longer trust what we see. This used to be something tangible—we believed what we saw. But now, we can't trust our eyes. This undermines our access to information and facts, calling everything into question without a new framework. It's a disruptive force that damages the cognitive framework and trust between ourselves and others, and between us and the world.
This is a major threat to journalism. Every story is now subject to skepticism: Is the picture true? Is the voice real? Is the interview genuine? This environment makes it impossible to work if everything you produce is questioned. We need validating processes, like a label or sticker, to indicate that something is AI-proofed. We must act quickly because leaving people in doubt for too long is dangerous, especially ahead of elections when polarized discussions are common. When people are fearful or doubtful, they can't make informed decisions.
Adapting legislation on this topic is necessary but not the only answer. As human rights activists and media development actors, we are careful to defend freedom of expression. However, today's freedom of expression includes AI-generated content, lies, manipulation, and state propaganda. The new battle is for the integrity of information. We need to ensure the information people receive is trustworthy. This is a long process that involves legislation as well as professional and ethical standards. It's complex, but necessary. We've seen the limits of simply defending freedom of expression. For example, Russia produces fake news and claims it's freedom of expression. New laws against fake news often end up restricting fact-based, independent media. Legislation can be used for good or ill, so we must focus on maintaining the integrity of information.
Q12. How can we improve media literacy and critical thinking among readers and listeners?
Answer: I think it's crucial to develop critical thinking from an early age by introducing media literacy into the school curriculum. Just as we're educated about healthy food consumption, we should also be educated about healthy media consumption. We need to understand what constitutes junk information versus good, healthy information.
There are some basic habits that should be ingrained in our media consumption practices:
1. Verify the Source: Always check that there is a credible source.
2. Check the Date: Ensure the information is current.
3. Identify the Media Source: Know where the information is coming from.
These are simple practices, but they are increasingly important in an age where misinformation and threats are prevalent. We didn't use to be as careful about these things because the threats weren't as significant as they are now.
Q13. And speaking of making ourselves stronger, as we conclude the interview, I'd like to ask: for other junior professionals who might be interested in following in your footsteps, what advice can you share with them?
Answer: Dare to try, and never think that it's not for you.
When I came to Fondation Hirondelle, I wondered if it would be okay because I wasn't a journalist, but I tried, and it was okay. When I went abroad at 21, I was alone and a little scared, but I did it.
Do what you think is important. I've always done things that make sense to me and that I believe are important. It's a privilege to work on things that matter.
Working within the media field and in dangerous environments is very difficult, and I often tell my colleagues and teams: it's going to be difficult, no doubt, but it doesn't have to be painful. If you believe in what you do, you'll go through the difficulties, overcome them, and see the results. If it becomes painful, for example, if colleagues are not helping, there are tensions, or you're fighting among yourselves, then there's no point.
I wake up every morning feeling lucky to go to a job I love, meeting amazing people. I believe that it's because I try to give my best, and in return, I get the best from others too.
Thank you for reading.
#Interview #PersuasiveDiscourse #WomenInMedia #GenderEquality #SocialJustice #Journalism #InternationalRelations #Conflict #AI #Management #Switzerland
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General Director
Fondation Hirondelle – Media for Peace & Human Dignity | Switzerland
Note: This interview was recorded on May 10, 2024, and has been edited for clarity, ease of readability, and length.
Illustrations by: The profile photo shown in this interview is made available on the website of Fondation Hirondelle. The main article photo was taken during the interview, on May 10th. And the additional photos shown throughout the interview were provided by Caroline Vuillemin.
This interview was very informative because of the great questions asked by the interviewer, Sorina Crisan. I was very happy to learn about Ms. Vuillemin and her good work in the field of Media for Peace and Human Dignity. Today more than ever truth is being manipulated and it is difficult to determine what is truth and what is not.
Thank you for both for your good work.