NAIROBI —
Mtaani radio, founded three years ago, has been the voice of the people in Nairobi’s Dagoretti area, boasting an estimated 5,000 listeners. From making announcements on lost children to calling out pickpockets and lobbying politicians to keep to their promises, the radio station has impacted the community in positive ways.
Mtaani is a Swahili slang word that means “our ghetto.” The 100 watt station broadcasts both in Swahili and Sheng, a dialect that youth in this area understand more.
The station is the brain child of Kelvin Nyangweso, who grew up in this deprived area of Nairobi.
“We felt like there were a lot of issues that can be highlighted and the message can reach to more people because Dagorreti itself has a population of 240,000, imagine,” explains Nyangweso .” So can you imagine the message that’s being aired on the radio can transform this person who is listening to the radio, who is the youth because Mtaani radio is a youth initiative and a majority of people listening are the youth.”
Kelvin Nyangweso: Mtaani radio is a brain child of Kevin,who grew up in Dagoretti,a deprived area of Nairobi where this radio broadcasts, Dec. 14, 2016. (Photo: R.Ombour/VOA)
He got started using a transmitter donated by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. The station gets its financial support mostly from well-wishers, using the money to pay for rent and electricity.
Why do the donations keep coming? Donors say they have seen the impact the station makes in the community.
All nine Mtaani Radio journalists are residents of Dagoretti and work on a voluntary basis.
Tebby Otieno, who has been with the radio station for three years now, says the reason why she volunteers is because she believes there is power in communication.
Tebby Otieno is a presenter at Mtaani Radio.She hosts a weekly shows that mainly talk about the issues faced by residents of Dagoretti area where the radio broadcasts, Dec. 14, 2016. (Photo: R.Ombour/VOA)
“When I am walking around and hear people talking about things they are going through and what is affecting them, that’s the topic I will come talk in the studio,” Otieno says. “As a journalist I believe when I talk about it, maybe it’s an issue about insecurity here or water shortage, if I talk about it they will feel like issues affecting them are being handled.”
Tebby, through her show, lobbied for local politicians to construct a road in the area and improve street lighting for better security. Two years later, there is a paved road and good lighting.
Residents say they identify with the presenters, and that the presenters have become their spokespeople.
“The issues we have been reporting at Mtaani Radio concerns mostly violence, gender based violence in some private homes, insecurity and a number of them, in fact, after reporting the issues in Mtaani Radio, they do highlight, if at all it concerns the security, once it is reported to the Mtaani Radio, they do take action because most of the time they do not just leave the issue that way,” said Alex Opondo, an ardent listener.
Mtaani Radio also reports important local news stories which are broadcast during a 9 o’clock bulletin.
The station hopes that in the future, it will be able to employ staff and reach different parts of Nairobi.
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