Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Ruby Jones.
Voice 2
And I'm Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Kibera - the name is well-known in the city of Nairobi, in Kenya. More than 700,000 people live in this part of the large city. The area suffers from great poverty. Many of Kibera's homes lack security. They are small and not well built. And most do not have clean water or toilets. Kibera is Africa's second largest slum.
Voice 2
Kibera also experiences much violence. It is a difficult place to live. However, many are proud to call Kibera their home. And many are working hard to improve life in Kibera. Today's Spotlight is on a radio station that is doing just that. Kibera's Pamoja FM not only broadcasts news and music. It also informs and empowers the people of Kibera.
Voice 1
Pamoja is the Swahili word for "together." And that is what the workers of Pamoja FM do - they work together to make life better in Kibera. Workers at Pamoja come from different ethnic and religious groups. But they all want what is best for the community.
Voice 2
Pamoja started as a young adult development center in Kibera. The center's goal was to "help Kiberans to help themselves." A few years ago, the center decided to find a new way of helping Kiberans.
Voice 1
The group first thought about starting a community newspaper. However, they finally decided that a newspaper was not a good idea.
Voice 2
The director of Pamoja FM, Muchiri Kioi, talked with a Nairobi newsgroup about why they changed their minds. He said,
Voice 3
"Not many people in Kibera would ever buy a newspaper. And, more importantly, there are many here who can not read."
Voice 2
So instead, the group started a radio station. Radio seemed much more promising for Kibera. With radio, it would not be necessary for listeners to know how to read. Also, most Kenyans get their news from radio. And in poorer areas, more people own radios than televisions.
Voice 1
Pamoja FM's goal is still to "help Kiberans to help themselves." However, their method has changed. And this has brought many good things. Muchiri Kioi talked with a Nairobi newsgroup about the change from a community center to a radio station. He said,
Voice 3
"We have got a wider network now. We have broadened our wings. But we are still Pamoja. We are still trying to bring Kiberans together."
Voice 2
There are many radio stations in the Nairobi area. However, Mr. Kioi explained why a station like Pamoja was still needed. He said,
Voice 3
"Common broadcasters just are not touching on anything to do with day to day life in Kibera...If you listen to any other radio station, it is like the million people living in Kibera do not exist."
Voice 1
Pamoja FM plays music and news like other radio stations. However, it also covers issues important to Kibera - issues like the environment, women's rights, drugs and community development.
Voice 2
Philip Muhatia is a radio presenter at Pamoja FM. He recently talked with the news group BBC. He shared both the good and bad things about broadcasting in Kibera.
Voice 1
Not long ago, Philip was attacked by a group of men with guns. They forced him to the ground and took his money. These kinds of events make Philip's working in Kibera difficult.
Voice 2
However, Philip still loves what he does. He told the BBC, what he likes best about working in Kibera.
Voice 4
"All in all, I have to say I am very positive because the slum has improved much compared to how it used to be...We have electricity now. You will also find places that are very clean - it used to be very dirty everywhere. Also communities from all around the world are represented here. So you get to talk to many different people and hear their stories and ideas - that is very humbling."
Voice 1
And Philip does get to talk to many different Kiberans on the radio. His show is broadcast in the morning. He reads the news, and also talks with listeners. He explains,
Voice 4
"We often talk about religious and social issues, what is going on in the community and also the world."
Voice 2
About 1,500,000 people listen to Pamoja FM. Often Philip chooses an issue to discuss. Then many listeners call on the telephone to share their thoughts.
Voice 1
Pamoja FM also provides important local information. Because it is a community radio station, it can inform people about community events. It announces local weddings and funerals for free. The station even informs the people of Kibera about open job positions.
Voice 2
Pamoja FM addresses important issues for the community. However, their work is not easy. At this time, Pamoja FM does not have very much money. Presenters like Philip are volunteers. They do not get paid for their work. This makes life difficult for Philip. However, he thinks the station is important for the community and worth the sacrifice.
Voice 1
Philip was asked about how he survives with no pay. He said,
Voice 4
"Well you see, me I am a Christian. We believe that it is God who cares for us. There are some things that are hard to address but you have to because this is Kenya, this is our country and this is our community. You cannot run away from things, you have to continue on."
Voice 2
Pamoja FM's lack of money has not stopped them from producing good work. After only one year, Pamoja FM has already received an award from Internews. InterNews is an organization that helps train and support local media all over the world. And in 2008, they honored presenter Tole Nyatta with a Media Leadership Award.
Voice 1
Tole won the award for his radio work during riots in early 2008. These riots began in late 2007 in Kenya. The people were fighting about the voting results from the presidential election. Many people died in the riots - including many people in Kibera.
Voice 2
However, even in danger, Tole continued to present the news to people in Kibera. Pamoja FM kept people informed about the riots. It also kept them informed about important local services - like which food stores were still open and what roads were closed.
Voice 1
Like Philip, Tole works for Pamoja FM as a volunteer. However, that does not keep him from working hard.
When Tole accepted his award, he gave a speech. In the speech he shared both the struggles and hope of Pamoja FM.
Voice 5
"We took up difficult work. Each step has been very difficult because of the lack of resources and trained workers. However, we are hopeful that someday in the near future things will change for the better."
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