Summ’it aims to connect audiences through audio storytelling
BLANTYRE, Malawi — For years, reporting on decentralization was a difficult task for Sakina Kaima Majawa, a journalist at Chanco FM, a community radio station in the Zomba district of eastern Malawi.
An award-winning broadcaster, Majawa, who produces and presents a weekly public information program, “Mphamvu Ku Anthu” (Power to the People), says she struggled to understand governance processes and verify information fully. “I used to struggle with verifying information and presenting balanced stories on decentralization. Sometimes I would just report what I was told without questioning it. I knew that wasn’t enough, especially for our listeners who depend on us for the truth.”
Like many community radio journalists, she also believed monitoring development projects was beyond the media’s role. But a recent training session on localization changed that perception. “The training taught us that we are the bridge between the council and the community. Whatever is happening, we need to monitor projects, understand budgets, and see how communities benefit from what they proposed,” she says.
Majawa is among 30 journalists who have benefited from a three-year European Commission-funded “Brave Media” program implemented by the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA-Malawi) in partnership with BBC Media Action. According to the BBC’s website, the “Brave Media” initiative enhances the resilience of independent media through locally led solutions and tools, safeguards free access to trustworthy information, supports democratic values, and ensures journalists can continue working in the public interest without fear or interference.
The initiative focuses on strengthening community media through training in access to information, investigative journalism and social accountability reporting. Majawa says the training has helped her understand how to use access-to-information laws to demand answers from duty bearers. “I now report more accurately and with confidence.” She now applies this approach in her reporting. For example, in one case, she followed up on an incomplete school block in Chinamwali township that stalled after a change in political leadership. “I am now confident in approaching officials and asking tough questions,” she says. “I understand that it’s my responsibility to seek answers on behalf of the community.”
Community radio stations are closest to the people, yet many journalists have lacked access to advanced training
MISA-Malawi Chairperson Golden Matonga
Demanding accountability
The training program’s impact is also visible at the institutional level. At Rumphi community radio, station manager Wyson Chiputa Gondwe says the program has improved newsroom standards and professionalism. “These training sessions have really empowered our team,” he says. “We’ve seen clear improvements in how journalists write stories, conduct interviews, and verify information.”
Gondwe adds that programming has become more relevant to community needs, particularly in governance and development. “We are now producing content that speaks directly to local challenges. More importantly, we are helping people understand their rights and encouraging them to demand accountability from their leaders.” He says ongoing mentorship and technical support have been key to translating training into practice. “It’s not just about attending workshops. The continued guidance has helped us apply these skills in real newsroom situations, and that has made a big difference.”
Project implementers say the initiative aims to strengthen independent media and improve coverage of governance and development issues, especially at the grassroots level, where community radio plays a vital role. MISA-Malawi Chairperson Golden Matonga says the program is addressing long-standing gaps in community journalism. “Community radio stations are closest to the people, yet many journalists have lacked access to advanced training,” he says. “This initiative is bridging that gap by equipping them with skills to report accurately, ethically and in the public interest.”
Matonga adds that stronger community media contributes to democratic development. “When journalists are well-trained, they inform citizens better, promote transparency, and support meaningful development.”
BBC Media Action, a key partner, says the program, implemented in more than 20 countries across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, is designed to support independent journalism in environments where access to reliable information is limited. It emphasizes fact-checking, investigative reporting and governance coverage to help journalists move beyond routine reporting to content that drives accountability and civic engagement.
As the program progresses toward its expected completion in 2027, its impact is already evident in Malawi’s newsrooms and communities. “This training has changed how I see my role,” Majawa says. “I am no longer just reporting news. I am helping my community understand what is happening and giving them a voice.”
The author reports on the industry from Blantyre, Malawi.
This story originally appeared in the May/June 2026 edition of RedTech Magazine. You can read or download that edition for free here.
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