- september 24, 2024
Michael Ojwang: »I use my vulnerability on the radio to educate about the consequences of violence«
Michael Ojwang from Nakuru is a radio host. He makes programs about cohesion.
The air is heavy, and all sound is flattened in the small radio studio of local station Radio Yetu, which reaches far beyond Kenya’s fourth largest city, Nakuru, with over 307,000 inhabitants. The broadcast area covers the entire region’s 2.4 million Kenyans.
Michael Ojwang clicks his mouse and pushes buttons on the large mixing console, sending bongo-flavored tones into the airwaves.
»Radio is a powerful force in Kenya; there are a lot of listeners who tune in to be entertained and informed, « smiles the radio host, who is trying to use his time on air to prevent violence after being part of the MIDRIFT HURINET program that trains local opinion makers and leaders to collaborate and to avoid violence.
»I’ve started organizing my programs to talk with my listeners about some of the structural problems we have in our communities. «
It's about making yourself vulnerable
»What do you think I should have done? Call in and give me your opinion.«
One of the things that Michael Ojwang has particularly taken away from the training sessions with MIDRIFT HURINET is the courage to confront the topics and experiences he finds uncomfortable.
That’s why he has started using his vulnerability on the radio, because he has found that when he opens up, listeners support him, and together, they start a conversation about what kind of society they want and how they can solve the problems together.
»I use both open-ended questions and situations I’ve experienced myself, like once when I saw someone being attacked and walked away without doing anything because I was afraid of being attacked myself, « says Michael Ojwang.
»I felt guilty about it afterward. So, I asked the listeners what they would have done if they had seen it, « and he recalls how it started a conversation on the radio about violence, trust in the police, gang crime, and why you might not speak up about injustice.
Slowly but surely, a proud smile spreads across the radio host’s face.
Michael Ojwang is acutely aware of the responsibility that comes with his role as a radio host. He understands the importance of turning down the music and turning up the microphone to address pressing societal issues.
MEET THOSE WHO FIGHT VIOLENCE AND BUILD BRIDGES FOR PEACE