Dayo Radio Hits Airwaves Targets Community Listenership
By The COAST Reporter
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
A new online radio station focusing on matters of youth, women and vulnerable communities has hit airwaves in larger Kisauni suburb of Mombasa County.
The radio, known as DAYO-Radio, will broadcast in both Kiswahili and English for its researched programs aimed at educating, informing and setting the agenda for community-based stories.
Located at Mtopanga area, the radio, a Dream Achievers Youth Organisation’s initiative is sponsored by the Aga Khan foundation after just being conceived a year ago.
According to DAYO executive director Seif Jira there are a lot of young people yearning for information online.
“So DAYO radio is an online radio ready to solve that gap, so we have partnered with Aga Khan foundation to ensure we sensitize the young people on very many things that affect their lives.”
During a colourful ceremony at the DAYO office compound-Mtopanga on December 21, 2023, Jira says the radio project will be a game changer in disseminating information and knowledge relevant to emerging communities’ issues.
The event was witnessed by Media Council of Kenya (MCK) officials, National Cohesion and Integration Commission NCIC and Mombasa County youth affairs chief officer Khamis Juma Kurichwa among other dignitaries.
“Our programs will focus on community affairs like health rights and education because many do not know they have rights to health, we have also launched a resource center, which will help the young people,” he said.
The station has two permanent staff so far but with intention of hiring more with the availability of resources.
“We have talked with MCK and they have promised to support us by bringing paid up interns to work with us.”
Saying this festive season is ground for many youth indulging in criminal activities, Jira says the station will continue churning out educative information and peace messages to caution young against social ills.
With media landscape growing fast and with its own share of economic challenges, he says the organisation will look for donors to support its various planned programs that will be able to pay its anticipated staff.
“The reason we launched it during this festive season is because we want to run messages of hope and peace, we want young people to refrain from crimes and drugs, by doing so we will reduce crime levels in Kisauni.”
Coast NCIC regional coordinator urged the proprietors to ensure the radio was used to propagate peace and tranquillity in the larger Kisauni suburb.
The radio is determined to sensitise the young people against crime or drugs that are prevalent in the larger Kisauni area mapped as insecure and notorious for criminal activities.
County youth gender and sports chief officer Khamis Juma Kurichwa says the county government is commitment in advancing youth affairs through the radio talk shows.
“This is a big milestone, in community building, Kenyans will have a voice through the radio. We are in an information revolution, without information you can’t be heard.”
