Forbes Africa: School Radio Taking Back The Air Waves

Nov 10, 2016 | Articles, Social

Over the last year, I have been doing a bit more freelancing writing with different publications. As editor of Destiny Man previously, I was not able to contribute to more spaces and it has been fun exploring a broader range of topics now that I can freelance. The reality, however, is that, it can be extremely difficult building a life solely as a freelancer so the approach I have taken is to write about subjects that are of interest to me and/or have a positive impact on the society.

The Children’s Radio Foundation is doing some great work with children continentally, using radio not only to amplify their voices but also to give them skills to tackle life.  Needless to say, I was extremely pleased when Forbes Africa accepted my pitch for an article on a school radio station that CRF established at the Centre of Science and Technology (COSAT), a secondary school in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. I had the opportunity to chat to two young students who were involved in the radio station as well as the Project Manager, Linda Daniels.

Click the link to read the article: Forbes Africa: School Radio

Radio still has a place, particularly within an African continent. COSAT’s station serves as a platform for the youth to speak candidly about the challenges they face within their community as well as to explore the kind of future that they want, on their terms in a way that is relevant to them. Too often, as adults, we think that we have the solutions without understanding the youth’s context. How do you propose a solution without insight into the root of the problem? If you look at the challenges facing our young today and how they feel they need to express their dissatisfaction, I believe these are made worse by a lack of empathy and our inability to truly listen.