How Radio and Storytelling Are Empowering African Youth and Driving Change with Melissa Mbugua

Episode 202 with Melissa Mbugua, East Africa Partnerships Lead at Radio Workshop. Melissa Mbugua leads partnerships across East Africa at Radio Workshop, an award winning organisation that trains young people across the continent to create powerful radio programmes and podcasts. Through storytelling, Radio Workshop equips youth with the skills, tools and confidence to inform their communities, influence public dialogue and shape Africa’s future from the ground up.

In this episode, Melissa shares how Radio Workshop is building a new generation of African journalists, storytellers and community leaders by supporting youth led audio storytelling. She reflects on the organisation’s work training over 5,000 youth reporters across 100+ radio stations and reaching millions of listeners across Africa through local broadcasts and a globally recognised podcast.

Drawing on her experience across East Africa, Melissa explores how radio remains Africa’s most trusted and accessible medium, particularly in reaching underserved and rural communities. She discusses how youth led storytelling is being used to address critical social and economic issues such as mental health, education inequality, climate change and civic participation, while creating pathways for young people to develop leadership, communication and critical thinking skills.

What We Discuss With Melissa

• Melissa Mbugua’s journey into youth empowerment and partnerships at Radio Workshop and her role in expanding its impact across East Africa.
• How Radio Workshop trains youth to produce radio programmes and podcasts across Africa.
• Why radio continues to play a vital role in informing communities and strengthening civic participation.
• How youth led storytelling addresses major social and development challenges in Africa.
• The future of youth driven media and storytelling in East Africa and across the continent.

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Fighting Misinformation and Advancing Health Literacy and Journalism in Africa? Make sure to check it out!

Connect with Terser:
LinkedIn – Terser Adamu
Instagram – unlockingafrica
Twitter (X) – @TerserAdamu

Connect with Melissa:
LinkedIn – Melissa Mbugua and Radio Workshop

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