Youth-led podcasts are emerging as a powerful tool for amplifying marginalized voices in Malawi. These podcasts, created and hosted by young Malawians, are tackling social issues, sharing personal stories, and promoting diverse perspectives.
As a result, youth-led podcasts are revolutionizing the media landscape in Malawi, providing a platform for young people to tell their own stories and drive social change.
Thew Botha, the mayor of Podcast In the North, said, “The podcast in the North is a platform that documents stories of young creatives, entrepreneurship, and innovative citizens through unfiltered conversations.”
“I started the podcast out of the need to shine a light on so many unique stories in the North and Malawi in general,” he said. “For years, the North had no proper media coverage and no space for the young, the creative, the innovative, the hustlers until I decided to start.”
Botha insists that podcasts have brought so much depth when it comes to perspectives on the state of the country. “Regarding tourism, entrepreneurship, and entertainment, technology has become a positive tool for opening doors for young people,” he said. “If the cost of data could be lowered a bit, we would see Malawi and its talent exposed on the global market, so much so that crucial issues like forex could be tackled as well,” he added.
He added that podcasts have become a true representation of the conversations young people need to have and, if there were more resources, would be able to produce more content because mainstream media has become a second option for people nowadays.
Brandon James, of Podcast Malawi, said he joined the podcast because of passion. “I joined the podcast because I wanted to, and I had a passion for it,” he said.
James emphasized that being at Podcast Malawi has impacted his understanding of social issues in Malawi. “At first, I had an interest in social issues, specifically cultural and economic issues. So being at the podcast has helped me understand things that were told to us by our parents, which we cannot change, and were led to believe were the government’s responsibility.”
“However, if we look now, it’s not happening the way our parents told us. It has changed my perspective.”
If the podcast is representing voices and stories that aren’t typically heard in mainstream media, he said, the topics discussed on Podcast Malawi are the same but with a different angle. “I can say that the issues discussed on Podcast Malawi are the same as those aired on mainstream media, but what makes it different is that we take a different angle in discussing those topics.”
He added that Podcast Malawi does not have limits when it comes to choosing topics to cover. “As Podcast Malawi, we’re not boxed in when choosing topics. We discuss whatever we feel like discussing.”
Hastings Yobe, a Lilongwe resident, emphasized that the podcast has impacted his understanding of social issues in Malawi. “The podcast has greatly impacted our understanding by providing a platform for marginalized voices to share their stories and experiences,” he said. “It has changed our perspective on topics such as gender equality and mental health, which are often stigmatized or overlooked in mainstream media,” he added.
Speaking about how the podcast presents voices and stories that aren’t typically in mainstream media, Yobe said, “The podcast is providing a platform for young people, women, and other marginalized groups to share their experiences and perspectives, which is essential for creating a more inclusive and equitable society.”
He added that he would like to see future episodes cover topics such as economic empowerment for young people, climate change and environmental justice, and disability rights and accessibility.
