MALAWI: Radio Maria Malawi Mentoring Young Buddying Journalists
Radio Maria Malawi has not only contributed to the evangelization mission in the country but has always offered opportunity for young people to build their career in radio broadcasting.
In an interview with AMECEA Online News, Rev. Fr. Charles Kaponya, the Deputy Director of Radio Maria said that in a year, they often take in ten to fifteen volunteers whom they train for six months on various fields in radio production. Unfortunately, at the end of the training, only four or five often remain to serve at the station.
“Radio Maria is like a stepping stone to other media houses who often come to poach those whom we have polished in the field of radio. This is because many young people often approach the station as volunteers but after getting the training and acquiring necessary skills, they just leave,” Fr. Kaponya explained.
However, the Deputy Director says that although it is a big challenge to the station, whose resources are very limited, they view it as the station’s contribution to the development of youth in the country.
“It is expensive to train the volunteers every now and then, but we cannot just give up because we still need them. With very limited resources, we still have to continue taking in volunteers and training them because their contributions to the station is very vital. We view the challenge as a positive contribution to the growth and development of young people in Malawi. When we meet young people who have passed through Radio Maria and are doing well in field of communications, it is a clear indication that Radio Maria’s contribution did not go to waste and that is part of holistic evangelization,” Fr. Kaponya explained.
Among those who Radio Maria has mentored is the current Communications Officer for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, (ECM) Mr. Prince Henderson, who said, “I started my career here as a volunteer and thanks to radio Maria, my career in communications has continued to rise.” Mr. Henderson expressed gratitude to the family of Radio Maria in Malawi saying, “I will forever be grateful for the foundation I got from here.”
Established in August 1999, Radio Maria, does not run any commercials for sustainability. “People love for Radio Maria is purely for evangelization and it is through the love of the listeners that we get our support though much more is still needed,” said Fr. Kaponya.
Radio Maria’s broadcasting outreach throughout the country is 70% and currently a 24-hour broadcast. It has both employed staff and the volunteers of which currently are the majority. The station has managed to put up ten transmitters that enables its broadcasting outreach in all the eight Catholic Dioceses in the country
In a recent survey conducted by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Radio Maria scooped position four out of over 68 radio stations in the country. This proved that Radio Maria is among the top most listened to Radio Stations in the Country.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News.
