Habari zenu? Good people, whether you are reading this from your mobile or from work, across Africa or beyond, we are grateful you are here. Greetings from Africa Podfest HQ in Nairobi, Kenya.
Gratitude is a must. We are here because of you. We are wholly supported by group and individual investors like you from across Africa and around the world. A big thank you to our corporate, foundation and individual supporters (via Ko-Fi giving platform) who keep our lights on. Because of this fiscal and in-kind support, we have made it from March ‘20 to March ‘21 and with your help, we will keep going.
It has been one year since everything changed. We at Africa Podfest remember thinking this would pass and things would get back to normal. Of course, we all know differently. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic also rages cruelly on. Notably, the pandemic has claimed the lives of many media professionals, including many lights who shaped the global audio and podcasting arena. Africa Podfest especially remembers the late Lorna Irungu-Macharia, a Kenyan media personality whose work, passion and life enriched our thinking and practice about the African media landscape, who died March 22, 2021. Our condolences to her family and friends and all facing loss during this era.
Best to you and courage to us all,
Josephine Karianjahi
Co-Director, Africa Podfest
How African Podcasters are Changing Narratives
If you follow the world of African podcasting, you will be delighted to read this new VICE feature which came out March 29. ‘Podcasters Are Reclaiming Storytelling in Africa’ a flight around Africa featuring exciting pods and their creators. Samira Sawlani, whose journalism focuses on East Africa deftly advances our combined awareness on African podcasts as storytelling outposts for and by Africans. I cannot put this down, not least of all because it features a host of phenomenal, fresh and immediately available African pods and features Africa Podfest’s Melissa Mbugua
Kenyan Podcaster Selected as 2021 TED Fellow
Podcasting while community building is not easy and Kaz does it in a way many African podcasters can admire. Kaz is a Kenyan podcaster (The Spread) who has joined the 2021 Class of TED Fellows this month. Each TED Fellow was selected for their remarkable achievements, the potential impact of their work and their commitment to community building. Kaz is an educator building a positive and safe space for sexual discourse in Kenya through her podcast and TV segment The Spread. Through these platforms, Kaz illuminates and confronts the pleasure gap, challenges restrictive LGBTQ+ policy and emphasizes reproductive rights. Congrats Kaz!
Opportunities and Resources
Prince Claus Seed Awards: The Prince Claus Fund is looking for emerging artists and cultural practitioners (podcasters encouraged to apply!) whose innovative work addresses pressing social and/or political issues within their own context. Recipients are free to invest the Award of €5.000 in the development of their artistic practice. The Prince Claus Seed Awards will be support the career development, creativity and experimentation of emerging artists and cultural practitioners around the globe including select African countries. The Prince Claus Fund will give 100 Awards to emerging artists and cultural practitioners, who will receive €5.000 to develop their cultural practice. (Deadline May 11, 2021) - Apply HERE
Free Podcast Consulting from Multitude Productions: Multitude Productions has done something remarkable. The company has set aside 10 hours of staff time each month to connect with, advise, and consult for people from underrepresented groups in podcasting and audio. If you have questions about a podcast project or careers in podcasting, or would just like to meet someone else working in this field, go to their website to schedule a virtual coffee with someone at Multitude.
New Resource - Quick Guide on How To Start A Podcast: Captivate has launched a free practical 5-step framework to go from zero to podcast with no alienating jargon or imposter syndrome from initial idea through to launch. Get it HERE
Get Found on the African Podcast Database : Are you an African podcaster who has not added their podcast to the African Podcast Database. Here is why you should. Africa Podfest frequently gets requests for specific podcast content creators, audio producer opportunities and we always point everyone to the Database for further connections. You can be searched by topic or by country and we never share your information with 3rd parties. It is a super simple signup. Add your podcast HERE
Do you have an opportunity or resource you would like us to share to the Africa Podfest community? Email us: hello@africapodcastfestival.com today.
(Paid promotion) Tales of the Accidental City
New Audio Drama Alert! Do you love drama? And comedy? And stories with depth? Then Tales of the Accidental City is for you! Meet four Nairobi residents stuck in an anger management class as they try to figure out how to heal the wounds of the past with the help of their quirky counsellor. Will they be able to keep their cool or will it all descend into chaos? Written and Directed by Maïmouna Jallow, starring Eddy Kimani, Lorella Jowi, Mercy Mutisya, Tana Kioko and Martina Ayoro. Listen to all three episodes on the Positively African Anchor page. And find out more about our plays, films, and books on Positively African. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
(Paid promotion) Podcast Review Day #PodRevDay
Podcast Review Day, #PodRevDay, is a podcast review sharing event on the 8th of every month on Twitter. On this day we write and share genuine and passionate podcast reviews to show our appreciation for the creator community. PodRevDay participants are from about 20 countries so far but not many are from African countries. After watching all of the Africa Podfest sessions and seeing how many podcasters and podcast listeners in Africa are using Twitter, I thought I’d like to introduce this event to you and invite you to join us.
We need your voices in our podcast listener community not just in our earbuds! Also, by reviewing and sharing African podcasts that you listen to, you will extend your own podcast community by connecting with other podcast listeners who have similar content likings. And you will help other podcast listeners globally find quality African podcast that they may not know about, every month. On the 8th of every month! For information on how to join us you can check out our newsletter: it’s in text, podcast and YouTube video format www.podrevday.com.
Thank you,
Steph from PodRevDay (@podrevday on Twitter)
Paid Promotions: We have added a new feature to the newsletter, which is paid promotions. If you have a podcast, event, work opportunity, product or other initiative that you would like to advertise to African podcasters and podcast enthusiasts, send an email to hello@africapodcastfestival.com for details on taking part in April 2021
Africa Podcast Day Recap In Case You Missed It + Thank You
Our celebration of #AfricaPodcastDay yielded valuable insights which are now available to watch again on the Africa Podfest Youtube channel. Not sure where to start? Brush up your knowledge of audio editing with Hindenburg and attend a comedy podcast taping with Lesser Known Somebodies’ Simmi Areff and much more. Recap below.
Partner with us
Africa Podfest inspires and elevates African podcasters to build a sustainable and inclusive podcasting industry across Africa. Our intention is to achieve this by simplifying podcast learning, placing a spotlight on African podcasters, and centring voices that have been in the margins. We welcome support from individuals and institutions. Email us to inquire about institutional partnership hello@africapodcastfestival.com