Radio Workshop

This is the craft at the center of every great audio story: the interview. Naomi shares field-tested techniques for getting powerful, honest tape — from slating and room tone to the follow-up questions that unlock real emotion. This episode will help you learn how to listen, how to know when to sit in silence, and how to know when you've got what you need. Listen to Copper Town. Produced by Radio Workshop in partnership with DW Akademie. Hosted by Naomi Grewan and Dhashen Moodley. Filme...

From shoot schedules to spare batteries, this episode covers everything you need before you hit record in the field. Naomi walks you through the real planning documents used for Radio Workshop's Kitwe story, explains how to think in scenes (not just interviews), breaks down essential recording gear, and shares non-negotiable safety practices for reporting in unfamiliar locations. Practical, a little funny, and essential for anyone prepping their first audio documentary shoot. Listen to ...

Great audio documentaries start with great research. In this episode, Naomi and the team show you exactly how they tracked sources, organized themes, and found "good talkers" during pre-production for their Zambia copper mining story. You'll learn the Focus Statement method — a simple formula that keeps your reporting on track when things get messy — plus real examples of how research shaped their audio story before a single interview was recorded. Listen to Copper Town. Produced by Rad...

Want to make a narrative podcast? Start here! In Episode 1 of our six-part series, Radio Workshop producers Naomi Grewan and Dhashen Moodley break down the five essential ingredients of a great audio story — characters, tension, significance, change, and place using Copper Town, a documentary they made in Kitwe, Zambia, as an example. This episode is the foundation for aspiring audio documentarians, journalists, and storytellers across Africa wanting to tell compelling, impactful stories thro...

Zambia knows how a copper boom usually ends: rich countries get richer and little is left behind but environmental devastation. This time, a new generation wants to change the ending. In the copper town of Kitwe, Zambia has some of the richest copper deposits on earth, the metal the world needs to build renewable energy and AI data centres. The copper price is climbing, the mines are hiring, and young Zambians want in: a mining student betting her future on the industry, young men digging ill...

22-year-old Zanele Molo is learning to ride a bicycle for the first time. But she hates being out of control. Over four days, the team at Khaltsha Cycles – a Khayelitsha-based bike shop and non-profit organisation that empowers women & girls through cycling – will help Zanele find her balance. As she musters the courage to master the bike, Zanele goes back into her past to figure out why letting go is so hard. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can mak...

At 23, trans woman Awo Dufie is outed, homeless, and facing a prophecy that says she will die at 30 — because she is queer. This threat is reinforced by Ghana's social climate and a looming anti-LGBT bill. Determined to break free from the prophecy, Awo embarks on a risky journey to find an 83-year-old queer elder who didn't just survive decades of hatred and colonial laws — she built a rich life. Can Awo too live long and live free? This is the first episode of a series on queer elders, prod...

It’s early 2025, and the city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo is being taken over by a rebel group called the M23. In response to the chaos, Feza, one of the few trained psychologists in the city, opens a therapy practice in the back of a cinema to treat what she calls an epidemic of post-traumatic stress. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

You may remember John Obot from a previous episode – the Nigerian teacher who attempted to break the Guinness World Record for time spent reading out loud. Well… despite the sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and false start, it turns out John’s attempt was rejected. So, what went wrong? And could he fix it? Or was this the end of his world record dreams? Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

Pascal Mirindi, a 25-year-old activist from Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, grew up surrounded by the violent fall-out of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, which spilled over into the DRC. But at age 17, when Pascal joined a peaceful demonstration in the streets of Goma, it showed him another way to fight. Experiencing non-violent resistance changed his life and set him on a path to protect his country's ecosystems from the greed of oil companies. But – being confronted...

Before the month of love comes to a close, we wanted to share one of our favorite episodes from the archive. Dating is complicated. Not to mention dating on the apps! And for LGBTQI+ folks on the African continent, where many countries criminalise queerness, it’s even MORE complicated. We asked reporters in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya and Namibia to share how they navigate the highs and lows of seeking romance, community and friendship online. Despite all the pitfalls, love calls out to al...

Abiodun Oyeniran lost his sight completely at age 21. At 28, he finally makes it into the University of Lagos, only to realise the campus is not equipped to fully support the needs of blind students. So, Abiodun becomes an accidental activist, creating a grassroots system that helps visually impaired students navigate exams for 5 years—until the university decides his solution is a threat to their policy and shuts it down. Show Notes Sources: 2017 National Policy on Inclusive Education 2...

Last week, one of Radio Workshop’s producers was featured on the Sound School podcast. Sound School, hosted by Rob Rosenthal, spoke to Kabir Jugram about his podcast episode “Nothing Wrong, Bro,” which explores the mental health struggles of young men in South Africa’s most densely populated city, Johannesburg. Twenty-three-year-old reporter Kabir Jagram says young men in South Africa are stoic. Holding back emotions is a survival mechanism in a country wracked with youth unemployment. ...

Aphiwe's grandmother taught her to flatten cardboard boxes when she was just a kid, selling the tiny "baby bundles" and saving the money in a piggy bank. Now 19, Aphiwe wears her grandmother's old work clothes and does the job alone — supporting her entire family. Waste pickers like Aphiwe recover 80% of South Africa's recycled plastic and paper, yet earn poverty wages in an industry that depends on them but won't protect them. Shownotes Support the work of Radio Workshop by donating today. S...

To wrap up our December re-releases, here’s the third and final episode of our award-winning series. Mary-Ann explores the contradictions of life in Alexandra. There are no easy answers, and not everyone will make it out of Alex—but there’s something infectious about the energy and persistence of young Alexandrians, a spirit Mary-Ann embodies and hopes will take her out of Alex. Some day... Three years later, Mary-Ann is still living in Alex. She says she doesn’t want to be there, but h...

In episode two of our three-part series re-release, Mary-Ann steps out of her comfort zone to explore parts of Alex she's been warned about her whole life. Her search for answers leads her to places where past and present overlap. How will she find her way out of Alex when the legacy of apartheid lingers, practically in the air she breathes? Meanwhile, things in Mary-Ann’s personal life take a turn for the worse. Since we published this episode, Mary-Ann says her personal life has been ...

Continuing with our December re-releases, today we’re sharing the first episode of the series that earned us our first Ambies nomination and first One World Media award. This story starts with a number: 70%. That's how many young people in South Africa are unemployed. Youth hustle and hope to find success, but how do you make it in a place like Alexandra township in Johannesburg? And how do you get out? In this three-part series, 23-year-old Mary-Ann Nobele brings listeners into her lif...

To continue our month of episodes from the Radio Workshop archives, we're revisiting a story from last year. Oliver grew up in Kabwe, Zambia. Nearly a century of lead mining has poisoned Kabwe's land, air, and water, making it one of the world's most toxic towns. Now Oliver is watching a new mining boom sweep across his country, this time for minerals that power clean energy. He faces an impossible choice: fight the industry, or join it to change it from within? Now 19 and a student at Copper...

As we head into the holiday season, we’re re-releasing some of our favorite episodes you might have missed—this one is from 2023. The story takes us to Lagos, where we meet audio producer Mo Isu. Mo suffers from severe anxiety—so severe that he knows it's time to get professional help. But will his stern, old-school father approve? Mo decides to face his fears and have a tough conversation. Since this episode was released, Mo has received an official diagnosis for generalised anxiety di...

Last Friday, South African women shut down the country a day before the G20 Summit - an initiative led by Women for Change. Across the country, thousands gathered at midday to bring the country to a standstill and honour those who have lost their lives to gender-based violence and femicide. With 16 Days of Activism approaching, it’s crucial that we keep this momentum going. Today, we’re re-releasing an episode born from 16 Days of Activism in Ethiopia, where — like South Africa — women ...

For the past year, Siphesihle Magagula has been going door-to-door selling solar power. He convinced nearly all of his neighbours to buy a basic solar kit, bringing lights to about 400 homes for the first time. His neighborhood, Nomzamo, never had electricity before — despite being close to South Africa's biggest coal mines and power stations. But some of his clients are disappointed. Their solar kits don’t have enough power to run fridges or TVs. Nomzamo is just one example of South Af...

33-year-old Goodnews is a food delivery rider by day and an aspiring writer by night. He works 12 hours a day weaving through Lagos traffic to deliver as many orders as he can to customers. Although he is an engineering graduate, Goodnews is part of the 85% of working Nigerians unable to find formal employment. By joining the country’s growing gig economy, Goodnews now earns three times more than he has at any other job, but he says the work isn’t all roses… ________ Supp...

When 26-year-old Shacky called his friend at midnight from a Johannesburg park, he was ready to end it all. For years, both young men had carried their struggles in silence—unemployment, family pressure, and the weight of being told to “man up” no matter what. But that night changed their friendship forever. In this deeply personal story, 23-year-old reporter Kabir Jugram explores what happens when South Africa’s sky-high youth unemployment meets the toxic expectation that men must suffer alo...

Forget the Africa you think you know. This is Radio Workshop. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

At just 21, Linda Mudzenda carried the hopes of Zimbabwe—and much of Africa—onto the Britain's Got Talent stage. Her show-stopping vocal performance earned her the Golden Buzzer, but it also represented something bigger: African talent claiming its place on the global stage. We sat down with Linda to hear her story and what this breakthrough means for her future. Show Notes: Sign up for Radio Workshop’s newsletter on Substack, and connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Support the work of...

The clock is ticking for 17-year-old Nonhlanhla Mashabana. For months, she’s buried herself in her textbooks. Now, instead of enjoying her matric dance like any teenager should, she can't shake her anxiety about the make-or-break final exams. They're just weeks away. In South Africa, the odds are against her: just 12 out of every 100 students who start Grade 1 will ever reach university. As Nonhlanhla prepares for her greatest challenge yet, the question is: Can she overcome a broken educatio...

In honor of Youth Day and the enduring resilience of South African students since the 1976 student protests, we're re-releasing Finding The Right Words. Meet Nonhlanhla Mashabana, a spelling bee champion and high-achieving high school student who has the odds stacked against her. Growing up poor in post-Apartheid South Africa, she carries the weight of her family's hopes for a better life. As she walks down a road that has caused so many to stumble, how will Nonhlanhla navigate a broken educ...

Ruby is a 30-year-old mother of three, and she’s ready to do whatever it takes to give her kids a better life. Even if it means leaving her family in Zimbabwe to become a live-in care worker in the UK. Now, halfway across the world from everyone she loves, Ruby works around the clock to make enough money to bring her family together again. But can Ruby sustain the punishing routine long enough to pull it off? Acknowledgements: Veryus Studio in Harare, Hindenburg, The Ann Levy Trust, The Sh...

Bana Mwesige was 12 years old when he joined the church choir. Singing was his sanctuary. But now, at age 28, Bana can’t bring himself to sing gospel anymore. It’s not his faith in God that has wavered, it’s his faith in the church. When his pastor tried to "cure" him from what needed no curing, Bana felt something inside of him break. Sources: Human Rights Council - The Lies and Dangers of Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Human Rights Watch - Dignity Debased: ...

Dating is complicated. Not to mention dating on the apps! And for LGBTQI+ folks on the African continent, where many countries criminalise queerness, it’s even MORE complicated. We asked reporters in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya and Namibia to share how they navigate the highs and lows of seeking romance, community and friendship online. Despite all the pitfalls, love calls out to all of us. Sources: Amnesty International - Africa: Barrage of discriminatory laws stoking hate against LGBTI perso...

Oliver grew up in Kabwe, one of the most toxic towns in the world. His mom wouldn't even let him play outside because the land, wind, and air are so heavily polluted from nearly a century of lead mining. Now 18, Oliver sees a new wave of mining sweeping across Zambia. This time, mining companies want to extract minerals for the clean energy boom. Oliver faces a choice: fight the industry as an activist, or join it to change it from within? Support the show We can only do this work because o...

Damola is waiting for an email that will change her life… A Canadian visa. Six months ago, she decided to emigrate. Despite a fulfilling career as a dentist, Damola wants out. And she’s ready to leave behind everything and everyone she knows including her recently widowed mother. According to a recent survey, 70% of Nigerians aged 15 to 35 want to leave the country. How did Nigeria get here? Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radiowo...

[Trigger Warning: Mentions of sexual harassment, rape and child abuse] Lella Miskir is tired of the constant harassment she and other women in Ethiopia experience on the daily. In response, Lella now walks through the streets of Addis Ababa, armed – with a small, red whistle. Her online campaign, #MyWhistleMyVoice, encourages women to blow their whistle every time a man catcalls them, acts inappropriately towards them or assaults them. It’s giving women confidence and hope, but blowing the w...

South African spelling bee champion, Nonhlanhla Mashabana, faces her greatest challenge to date: her final year of high school and the precarious and uncertain transition to higher education. There's a lot standing in her way: growing up poor in post-Apartheid South Africa, the weight of carrying the family's hopes of a better life, and the fear of being the first to leave home. As she walks down a road that has caused so many to stumble, how will Nonhlanhla navigate a broken education system...

On June 18th, thousands of young Kenyans swiftly mobilized against a proposed tax increase that would significantly raise daily living costs, particularly affecting the most vulnerable. Thousands of peaceful protestors in the streets of Nairobi were soon met with a violent response from police. Reports indicate 39 people were killed, with countless others wounded and unlawfully arrested. The dust is now settling. Friends lost in the fray are being found. Grieving for the dead is just beginnin...

Many young South Africans weren't sure who to vote for ahead of South Africa's elections in late May. But, many of them told us they wanted new leadership. The results of the election reveal that uncertainty as no one party won a clear majority. In fact, the African National Congress will have to create a coalition government for the first time in their 30 years holding office. A development leading to more anxiety and uncertainty since no one knows what to expect. In case you missed it, we'r...

Rihanna was just 19 years old when she was arrested for being trans in Uganda. It was 2014. She spent 9 months in prison - an ordeal that tore a rift between her and her God-fearing mother. In this episode, we hear how her arrest radically changed the course of their lives - and how Rihanna’s mom unexpectedly became a staunch ally. This is the second in our two-part series on LGBTQ rights in Uganda, as the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 turns a year old. Support the show We can only do this...

Young South Africans are confused about who to vote for. This year, there are dozens of parties to choose from on the ballot paper. But for many young voters, having lots of options doesn’t make it any easier. With a presidential election just around the corner, Radio Workshop reporter Naomi Grewan asks young people "Why?” and "How are you going to figure it out?" Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

It was May of 2023 and Musana was on a romantic getaway in Kenya with her girlfriend. It quickly turned somber when Uganda's President, Yoweri Museveni, signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act into law. Now what? Should Musana make a new life in Kenya or risk returning home? On the one-year anniversary of the Act, Musana reflects on her decision. This is the first in a two-part series on LGBTQ+ rights in Uganda. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a dona...

Our last episode was a World Radio Day special. We asked our listeners to send us their love letters for the medium. This month, we’ve got a little bonus love letter for you: When a national emergency strikes in Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ruth Omar and her family turn on the radio to help them navigate the confusion. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

This episode is a celebration of 100 years of radio on the African continent. Radio is our beloved grandmother. Our lifeline. And to honour her, we asked friends in Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda to share their best radio memories with us. Little love letters in sound… Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

Tricia Mpisi is a Congolese-South African writer, actress and content creator with a passion for stories. Superhero stories to be exact. And like most superhero stories, Tricia's life is also marked by tragedy. With TikTok as her unlikely sidekick, Tricia is finding her voice, facing her grief and defeating the ultimate villain: shame. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

Sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and a pesky clock - that’s what Nigerian teacher John Obot has to deal with during his Guinness World Record attempt. But with nearly 5 million online viewers and over 20,000 in-person spectators, John will push himself to his limits... and beyond. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

Nigerian audio producer, Mo Isu, suffers from severe anxiety. It’s gotten so bad that he thinks it might be time to get some professional help. But is that something his stern, old-school father would approve of? Mo decides to face his fears by having a tough conversation... Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

On 17 September our episode “This Coal Life” was featured on National Public Radio’s daily news podcast Up First. The Sunday Story, hosted by Ayesha Roscoe, featured the Radio Workshop story that explores how the Skhosana family is going to cope with South Africa's transition to renewable energy. The Skhosanas live a modest yet comfortable life in Kriel, South Africa. And they owe it all to coal. In fact, their family has worked in this industry for generations. But, now, the entire en...

Young people in Zimbabwe are torn. Not just about who to vote for, but whether or not they’ll vote at all. Zimbabweans head to the polls on August 23rd 2023. It may be the first or second time young people can participate in the election of a president since the end of Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule in 2017. The coup that toppled him sparked new hope. But election violence, an unstable economy and lack of reforms in the years since have jaded Zimbabwe’s youth. This story was produced by Radio W...

We held an audio storytelling workshop in Cape Town, South Africa in early 2023, where nine producers from five different countries learnt how to produce a story from beginning to end in just 10 days. This episode features two stories made by new producers, Naomi Grewan from South Africa and Munirah Kaoneka from Tanzania. ‘I'm Just a Wes’ is a story that explores trans joy, and 'Embracing Your Scars’ - a thoughtful and empathetic story about surviving trauma. Support the show We can only d...

The Skhosanas live a modest yet comfortable life in Kriel, South Africa. And they owe it all to coal. In fact, their family has worked in this industry for generations. But, now, the entire energy sector in South Africa is set to be rewired. Renewable energy will replace coal in a transition intended to dramatically reduce carbon emissions, while also making it a “Just Transition,” as the government calls it, with better jobs and cheaper energy - and maybe even healing past wounds. But what h...

Sibongile is trying to be a better friend to her colleague, who is living with bipolar disorder. Abigail desperately wants to improve her relationship with her father, but not at the cost of her mental health. And two sisters, pushed apart by a traumatic incident, find their way back to each other. These three intimate stories were produced by Radio Workshop youth reporters from across South Africa for the SNF Nostos Mental Health conference, which will be held in Athens, Greece from the 21s...

Climate change is already impacting billions of people worldwide. Floods. Droughts. Climate migration… The enormity of the crisis at hand can make it easy to lose sight of the individuals who are impacted. Like Grace Chileshe Chanda, a 21 year old Zambian climate activist, who's agreed to show us what climate change and the damage from increasingly heavy rains and floods looks like up close in Mtendere - the largest and oldest township in the country’s capital, Lusaka. Support the show We c...

Smangele Mathebula was raised to be a strong black woman. Her mother, Irene, taught her to be tough in order to survive the difficult challenges of Apartheid. Smangele never learned to be vulnerable. Now she has her own daughter who's seventeen, and Smangele doesn't want her to hold in her emotions like she learned to. So the two sat down to talk about their mother and grandmother, Irene, sharing feelings, and not grabbing a knife by the blade. Support the show We can only do this work beca...

Rebecca Mbaama knows grief. When she lost her mother suddenly, her world came crumbling down. But for the sake of her siblings (and herself) Rebecca had to keep going. Luckily, her mother left her with all the tools she needed to do just that. In this episode, Rebecca explains how she is facing her climate grief in much the same way - by taking action - not to mention her first flight ever to attend COP27, where she meets activists Emi Mahmoud and Maria Reyes. And just like Rebecca's mum, th...

Coming out as a trans man is risky. Doing it on Youtube - incredibly risky. Especially when home is the relatively small town of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, where Noks Simelane says there’s no such thing as anonymity. Yet Noks did exactly that at age 19. This is our second story about finding allyship in surprising places - and this time, the unexpected ally was the internet… Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

Secrets. That’s what kept “Ras That Guy” safe in Zimbabwe. At his wedding, he wore a traditional white dress to protect a secret. He found hormone injections on the black market which he could take in secret. But Ras is done with secrets. They’ve been eating him up inside. In this episode, he peels back the layers to reveal who he really is. To his surprise, he found allies in people he least expected. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donatio...

In the third and final episode, Mary-Ann goes in search of “new songs” about her home. A chorus of young voices helps her to explore the contradictions of life in Alexandra. There are no easy answers, and not everyone will make it out of Alex, but there is something infectious about the energy and persistence of young Alexandrians - a spirit Mary-Ann embodies and hopes will take her out of Alex. Some day. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a dona...

In episode two of three, Mary-Ann steps out of her comfort zone to explore parts of Alex she's been warned about her whole life. Her search for answers leads her to places where past and present overlap. How will she find her way out of Alex when the legacy of apartheid lingers, practically in the air she breathes? Meanwhile, things in Mary-Ann’s personal life take a turn for the worse. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworksh...

This story starts with a number: 70%. That's how many young people in South Africa are unemployed. Youth hustle and hope to find success, but how do you make it in a place like Alexandra township in Johannesburg? And how do you get out? In this three-part series, 23-year-old Mary-Ann Nobele brings listeners into her life in Alex and shows us why she's made this promise to herself: I will not grow old here. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a don...