Africa Podfest team has grown tremendously in the last 2+ years. We have been in the practice of taking a mid year break - our annual hiatus.
Hiatus,
“ a pause or a gap in a sequence, series or process “ Oxford Language Dictionary
As Josephine wrote for Barua Ya Baraza this week: Starting Africa Podfest, which is an African woman-led podcast startup, in Q4 2019 was not for the faint hearted. Quartz Africa reported in 2021 that just ‘$1 in every $15 raised in the African startup ecosystem goes to women-owned tech startups’. Maintaining our search for better audio and deeper data about African podcasting in this funding environment is expensive work. We have pitched, crowdsourced, sold tickets, and created solid partnerships with like minded funders at the individual and institutional level.
This necessary annual pause in our calendar has allowed us time and space to reflect recharge and re-energise ourselves after what is a full schedule.
Our schedule of award-winning events and activities includes the well-received Africa Podcast Day 2022 (majorly supported by Africa No Filter), the launch of the Discovery Tour Data Edition in partnership with Baraza Media Lab, Africa podcast strategy & training consultancy, podcast production ventures(check out the United Nations’ Africa Renewal podcast) and more recently, our work with KaBrazen podcast as part of the Ignite Culture, which is Eastern Africa’s largest grant fund for creative and cultural industries.
We have not, however, been all the way offline. We have been working on the Sema Nasi podcast, and have fresh episodes for you featuring reliable takes on African podcasting. We also have been on the move, taking our work on the road, and creating even more roads to motivate and support African podcasters. Listen below:
It has been a privilege to connect with other podcasts too. You can also enjoy this conversation on the Foresight Africa podcast by the Brookings Global team exploring the future of podcasting in Africa released on August 31, 2022
We are back just in time to say “Happy International Podcast Month!” and bring you more, including a deeper listen to the words of African podcasters through our new Podcast Opinions section. Welcome back to you, and to us!
Melissa Mbugua and Josephine Karianjahi | Cofounders & Codirectors, Africa Podfest
In this very Newsy Newsletter
Africa Podcast Day 2023 - Save The Date
Key Insights from Podcast Movement 2022: Africa Podfest at Barua Ya Baraza
Exclusive: A Sema Nasi Podcast interviews APVA Founder, Bidemi Adedire - And The Winners Are…
*NEW FEATURE* Podcaster Opinions: Sept ‘22 Podcasting in Times of Change
Children’s Podcasting In Africa: Announcing the KaBrazen Consortium
Opportunity: Cry Like A Boy seeks Audio Producers from Ethiopia and Senegal
How To Advertise with Africa Podfest
Save the Date: Africa Podcast Day (12 Feb 2023)
4th Africa Podcast Day 2023
Africa’s biggest global podcasting festival is back!
Meet Africa's Top Podcast Innovators
Join us as we explore how podcasters can continue to make the content they are passionate about and not be forced to stop because they don’t have the means, or tools to get their voices heard.
Have you been dreaming about Africa Podcast Day, with Africa Podfest live in Nairobi, Kenya? Good. Save the date for Sunday, February 12th, 2023.
Meet, Learn and Celebrate with us. Get the latest info, and start your journey today.
And to make things even sweeter if you are planning to join us in Nairobi, our friends at Baraza Media Lab are hosting the inaugural Africa Media Festival on 14-16 February 2023 in Nairobi. Learn more: www.africamediafestival.com
Africa Podfest at Podcast Movement 2022
This week, Barua Ya Baraza hosted Josephine as curator of its weekly letter, a dispatch from Podcast Movement discussing 4 Key Takeaways from the global event.
For those who attended the world’s biggest podcasting conference, Podcast Movement 2022 in Dallas either in-person or as virtual attendees from around the world, thank you for supporting and checking out Josephine Karianjahi’s data-led session featuring research insights from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
This research collaboration is part of the Discovery Tour of African Podcasting: Data Edition and is a partnership between Africa Podfest and Baraza Media Lab with groundbreaking implications for everyone interested in African podcasting. Special thanks to Podcast Movement, Baraza Media Lab, SemaBOX Africa and our VIP individual supporters via Ko-Fi.
Podcaster Opinion
Africa Podfest puts African podcasters at the centre of the conversation. Powered by our editorial consultant, Maryanne Emomeri, in this new section, we get to hear the opinions of different podcasters on the different monthly themes. This month we feature Muthoni Waigwa of the podcast Moments with Nderru and Sambaza of Sambaza podcast
African elections in one country are always impactful across the continent. Kenya’s elections, held every 5 years, were held in August. It was also the International Peace Month. Having this in mind, how can podcasters use their podcasts during such times of change?
Podcast Opinions - Muthoni Waigwa: Times of change are inevitable and necessary. They say that change is constant. However, we can find ourselves resistant to change because it prompts us to recognize that we have resolved to stay the same and hold onto the familiar. It is safe and comfortable. Yet, change being constant means change will happen. The question is: which side will you find yourself once the dust settles?
With this in mind, podcasting in Africa is on the rise and people are still trying to understand what podcasting is. This leaves room for podcasters to educate their audiences about this new medium and the relevance of it. It also offers a chance for voices to speak up and be heard. This platform provides an opportunity for new voices to share their perspective about their livelihoods which are impacted by peace and transformative leadership for the continent.
Youth being the majority in Africa have been in the background. They feel unseen and unheard. They want their presence felt at the forefront of issues that pertain to their livelihoods. Therefore, podcasting creates a space for them to speak freely and talk about the change that they desire. With African elections, youth can play a contributing role by sharing their insights on how peace, and leadership impacts them not only during the election period but after the new leadership takes office; speaking up on matters pertaining to youth and offering solutions for their fellow youth.
With bravery and courage, the youth can use their mobile devices and share a message to the continent and world at large. They can freely express themselves and build a movement around their message and offer hope to other young people in their communities and nations, ensuring that they are part of the solution.
“When you give yourself permission to communicate what matters to you in every situation you will have peace despite rejection or disapproval. Putting a voice to your soul helps you to let go of the negative energy of fear and regret.”
― Shannon L. Alder
And The Winners Are…
September is the month when the inaugural Association of Podcasters and Voiceover Artists Awards(APVA) announces its first awardees. Sema Nasi Podcast featured Bidemi Adedire, an amazing change maker and Founder of the Association of Africa Podcasters and Voice Artists and also the inaugural APVA awards which is the first of its kind in Africa. Listen now!
African elections in one country are always impactful across the continent. Kenya’s elections, held every 5 years, were held in August. It was also the International Peace Month. Having this in mind, how can podcasters use their podcasts during such times of change?
Podcast Opinions - Sambaza: When you press record and take in the first heave of air to start speaking onto your mic, picture Leonard Mbotela then (circa Aug '82) being held at gun-point to say what he could have never fathomed. Now put yourself in a different space of not being able to talk about your favorite topics or aspirations because some imaginary law is on your back, choking your creativity. Yes! It's possible. It comes in different facets; you really just never know.
As a voice of reasoning and influence, podcasting for an African takes an in depth sense of truth and purpose in pursuit of that favorable political environment in which you can podcast. It is not just for yourself but for your listeners and subscribers who diligently listen and download your creative content.
The African podcaster, moving forward, will have a responsibility at one time to either podcast about fashion or love to make a conscious effort to talk about or mention good governance or peace. Why do I say this? You cannot podcast freely and express yourself as a Creative when there are limitations to what you want to do. Don't even try to imagine it. Kenya's podcasting environment is somewhat conducive but could be better.
So fellow African podcasters, be strong and bold to share your idea(s) of what you wish your environs around you should be. Basically, your voice is the tool for International Peace as you spread love vibes to your listeners. Peace be with you.
Children’s Podcasting in Africa - The KaBrazen Consortium
KaBrazen podcast officially launched on Africa Podcast Day 2022. Voting with our feet that Africa’s children and youth need podcasts like KaBrazen which shares the stories of brazen African women with our littles, Africa Podfest is a founding member of KaBrazen Consortium.
This consortium, which brings together the powerhouse content studio LAM Sisterhood’s KaBrazen podcast, Nairobi-based studio Za Kikwetu Productions and Africa Podfest, is a groundbreaking collaboration in the African podcasting and the wider culture and creative ecosystems. Our first project together is further development of the effervescent KaBrazen podcast with new episodes in English and Kiswahili and deeper exploration of the Africa children’s podcasting space.
Are you podcasting for children and young people and want to explore what this would look like in Africa, check out KaBrazen.com
Opportunity | Advertiser’s Announcement
The Dans La Tete des Hommes team is looking for audio journalists in Ethiopia and Senegal for its new podcast.
“The Chef's Surprise” is a cooking show about efforts in five African countries to revive forgotten grains and improve food security, threatened by the disruption of wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine. In each country we will choose a famous local chef who will guide us through the culinary traditions of each country and offer us a recipe with that ingredient.
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L'équipe de Dans La Tete des Hommes recherche des journalistes audio en Éthiopie et au Sénégal pour son nouveau podcast.
« La surprise du chef » est une émission de cuisine sur les efforts déployés dans cinq pays africains pour faire revivre des céréales oubliées et améliorer la sécurité alimentaire, menacée par l'interruption des importations de blé en provenance de Russie et d'Ukraine. Dans chaque pays, nous choisirons un célèbre chef local qui nous guidera à travers les traditions culinaires de chaque pays et nous proposera une recette avec cet ingrédient.
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የዳንስ ላ ቴቴ ዴስ ሆምስ ቡድን ለአዲሱ ፖድካስት በኢትዮጵያ እና በሴኔጋል የድምጽ ጋዜጠኞችን ይፈልጋል።
« ላ ድንገተኛ ዱ ሼፍ » ከሩሲያ እና ዩክሬን የሚገቡ ስንዴዎች መቆራረጥ ስጋት ላይ ጥለው የተረሱትን እህሎች ለማደስ እና የምግብ ዋስትናን ለማሻሻል በአምስት የአፍሪካ ሀገራት ውስጥ በተሰማሩ ጥረቶች ላይ የምግብ ዝግጅት ዝግጅት ነው። በእያንዳንዱ ሀገር ውስጥ በእያንዳንዱ ሀገር የምግብ አሰራር ወጎች ውስጥ የሚመራን እና ከዚህ ንጥረ ነገር ጋር የምግብ አሰራርን የሚያቀርብ ታዋቂ የሀገር ውስጥ ሼፍ እንመርጣለን.
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