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Radio Workshop

Forget the Africa you think you know. This is Radio Workshop. With real stories about young Africans. From Freetown to Cape Town, hear the world’s youngest population. One story at a time.

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Yesterday · 7 min
Episode 5: Writing for the ear | Audio Storytelling, Step by Step
You've got the tape — now what? Episode 5 dives into the writing and editing process behind a finished audio documentary: outlining with scenes and beats, pacing rules for keeping listeners engaged, and why every good story needs an editor. Naomi and Dhashen pull back the curtain on their scripting process for their Zambia copper mining documentary, Copper Town. Listen to Copper Town. Produced by Radio Workshop in partnership with DW Akademie. Hosted by Naomi Grewan and Dhashen Moodley. Filmed and edited by Makhulu Media. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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Sunday · 6 min
Episode 4: The Interview | Audio Storytelling, Step by Step
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. Filmed and edited by Makhulu Media. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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Saturday · 7 min
Episode 3: Pre-production | Audio Storytelling, Step by Step
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 Copper Town. Produced by Radio Workshop in partnership with DW Akademie. Hosted by Naomi Grewan and Dhashen Moodley. Filmed and edited by Makhulu Media. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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Friday · 6 min
Episode 2: Research, Research, Reseach | Audio Storytelling, Step by Step
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 Radio Workshop in partnership with DW Akademie. Hosted by Naomi Grewan and Dhashen Moodley. Filmed and edited by Makhulu Media. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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Thursday · 6 min
Episode 1: Find your story | Audio Storytelling, Step by Step
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 through sound. Listen to Copper Town. Produced by Radio Workshop in partnership with DW Akademie. Hosted by Naomi Grewan and Dhashen Moodley. Filmed and edited by Makhulu Media. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#56
August 25 · 40 min
Copper Town
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 illegally in the waste dumps for whatever the mines left behind — all of them determined to come out of this boom with more than a hole in the ground. Want to learn how to make narrative podcasts like this one? Watch our tutorial series with DW Akademie on YouTube. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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S1 · E55
July 6 · 23 min
Brake Like a Boss
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 make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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June 16 · 27 min
You Will Die at 30
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, produced by openDemocracy. Show Notes Sign up for Radio Workshop’s newsletter on Substack, and connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Sources: Human Rights Watch - This Alien Legacy Human Dignity Trust, Ghana Modern Ghana - The Bawku Chieftaincy Conflict Needs To Be Resolved Within The Framework Of The 1992 Constitution Amnesty International - Ghana: Anti-LGBTI bill stirs up hatred, persecution and discrimination Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act 2024, Ghana Purdue University - Social Media and Human Rights Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Rights in Ghana Acknowledgements: Fondation CHANEL, Luminate, Ford Foundation, and Stephen Hendrickson. Special thanks to Rob Byers. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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S1 · E53
May 26 · 21 min
The War Inside
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.
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April 8 · 31 min
Bookish
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.
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S1 · E51
March 10 · 25 min
My Land Without Oil
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 constantly with police repression, threats, and even forced exile – he wonders if it's time to step back or time to step up… Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#51
February 26 · 41 min
It's Complicated
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 all of us. ________ Support the work of Radio Workshop by donating today. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#50
February 17 · 18 min
Blindsided
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 2018 Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act 2023 Study on Nigerian Visually Impaired Students’ Computer Skills The Tweet Acknowledgements: This episode would not be possible without support from Fondation CHANEL, Ford Foundation, and Luminate. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#49
February 3 · 19 min
We’re on Sound School!
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. And that can lead to serious mental health issues. So, how then, as a young man himself struggling with expressing feelings, did Kabir manage to produce a captivating radio documentary about emotions? Support the work of Radio Workshop by donating today. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#48
January 19 · 13 min
Waste Not Want Not
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. Sources Occupational Groups in the Informal Economy: Waste Pickers Infrastructure News - Stop Pretending Waste Pickers Don’t Exist Nature News - South Africa’s waste pickers deserve more recognition for environmental role Newcastillian News - SA’s Recycling Lie: What Really Happens to Your Rubbish Acknowledgements This episode would not be possible without support from the UMI Fund. Special thanks to Hindenburg for supporting our projects across Africa with audio editing software. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#47
Dec 30, 2025 · 31 min
I Will Not Grow Old Here: The Lights of Sandton
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 her family needs her. So for now, she’ll stay. She says, “Leaving won’t be impossible, I just need to be patient. I still refuse to grow old here, and that's never gonna change.” Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#46
Dec 23, 2025 · 38 min
I Will Not Grow Old Here: The Air We Breathe
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 calm. But Alex remains the same. “Nobody’s coming to save you. It’s every man for himself.” She says she has to fight to have hope when nothing seems to be getting better. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#45
Dec 16, 2025 · 29 min
I Will Not Grow Old Here: A Girl from Alex
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 life in Alex and says she has made this promise to herself: "I will not grow old here." Mary-Ann is 25 now. Back then, she was working five jobs to make ends meet. Although she has one full-time job now, she says, “One income is too close to no income. And the thing is, I’m still in Alex.” So she still has a way to go before she reaches the success she dreams of. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#44
Dec 9, 2025 · 25 min
Zambia's Sacrifice Zone
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 Copperbelt University, Oliver is determined to change the industry from the inside out. As Zambia rapidly expands copper exports, he says: "Mining is so important for our country, but we need good policies and practices for it to benefit us and not harm the environment." Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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#43
Dec 2, 2025 · 21 min
Love Is a Conversation
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 disorder. He says the episode became a point of connection, bringing his dad into his life in a new way. And when Mo shared his diagnosis, his dad had a surprising response: it all sounded relatable. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.
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