Radio Workshop

Radio Workshop
  • 4.9 (7)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Forget the Africa you think you know. This is Radio Workshop. With real stories about young Africans. From Freetown to Cape Town, hear the world’s youngest population. One story at a time.

  1. Blindsided

    3D AGO

    Blindsided

    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 policy and shuts it down. Show Notes Sources: 2017 National Policy on Inclusive Education 2018 Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act2023 Study on Nigerian Visually Impaired Students’ Computer SkillsThe TweetAcknowledgements: This episode would not be possible without support from Fondation CHANEL, Ford Foundation, and Luminate. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    17 min
  2. We’re on Sound School!

    FEB 3

    We’re on Sound School!

    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. Holding back emotions is a survival mechanism in a country wracked with youth unemployment. And that can lead to serious mental health issues. So, how then, as a young man himself struggling with expressing feelings, did Kabir manage to produce a captivating radio documentary about emotions? Support the work of Radio Workshop by donating today. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    19 min
  3. Waste Not Want Not

    JAN 19

    Waste Not Want Not

    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 an industry that depends on them but won't protect them. Shownotes Support the work of Radio Workshop by donating today. Sources  Occupational Groups in the Informal Economy: Waste PickersInfrastructure News - Stop Pretending Waste Pickers Don’t ExistNature News - South Africa’s waste pickers deserve more recognition for environmental role Newcastillian News - SA’s Recycling Lie: What Really Happens to Your RubbishAcknowledgements This episode would not be possible without support from the UMI Fund. Special thanks to Hindenburg for supporting our projects across Africa with audio editing software. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    13 min
  4. I Will Not Grow Old Here: The Lights of Sandton

    12/30/2025

    I Will Not Grow Old Here: The Lights of Sandton

    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 years later, Mary-Ann is still living in Alex. She says she doesn’t want to be there, but her family needs her. So for now, she’ll stay. She says, “Leaving won’t be impossible, I just need to be patient. I still refuse to grow old here, and that's never gonna change.” Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    31 min
  5. I Will Not Grow Old Here: The Air We Breathe

    12/23/2025

    I Will Not Grow Old Here: The Air We Breathe

    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 a turn for the worse.  Since we published this episode, Mary-Ann says her personal life has been calm. But Alex remains the same. “Nobody’s coming to save you. It’s every man for himself.” She says she has to fight to have hope when nothing seems to be getting better. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    38 min
  6. I Will Not Grow Old Here: A Girl from Alex

    12/16/2025

    I Will Not Grow Old Here: A Girl from Alex

    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 you get out? In this three-part series, 23-year-old Mary-Ann Nobele brings listeners into her life in Alex and says she has made this promise to herself: "I will not grow old here." Mary-Ann is 25 now. Back then, she was working five jobs to make ends meet. Although she has one full-time job now, she says, “One income is too close to no income. And the thing is, I’m still in Alex.” So she still has a way to go before she reaches the success she dreams of. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    29 min
  7. Zambia's Sacrifice Zone

    12/09/2025

    Zambia's Sacrifice Zone

    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 faces an impossible choice: fight the industry, or join it to change it from within? Now 19 and a student at Copperbelt University, Oliver is determined to change the industry from the inside out. As Zambia rapidly expands copper exports, he says: "Mining is so important for our country, but we need good policies and practices for it to benefit us and not harm the environment." Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    25 min
  8. Love Is a Conversation

    12/02/2025

    Love Is a Conversation

    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.  Since this episode was released, Mo has received an official diagnosis for generalised anxiety disorder. He says the episode became a point of connection, bringing his dad into his life in a new way. And when Mo shared his diagnosis, his dad had a surprising response: it all sounded relatable. Support the show We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org.

    21 min
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4.9
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Forget the Africa you think you know. This is Radio Workshop. With real stories about young Africans. From Freetown to Cape Town, hear the world’s youngest population. One story at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Radio Workshop
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Radio Workshop
  • Show Website
    Radio Workshop

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