Radio Workshop

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 letti...

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...

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. Y...

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...

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  protec...

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 seek...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 fac...

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. ...

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-relea...

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...

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...

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 whe...

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...

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....

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 lif...

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...

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...

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:...