Blindsided

The War Inside

It’s early 2025, and the city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo is being taken over by a rebel group called the M23. In response to the chaos, Feza, one of the few trained psychologists in the city, opens a therapy practice in the back of a cinema to treat what she calls an epidemic of post-traumatic stress. Support the show [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/] We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/].

Bookish

You may remember John Obot from a previous episode – the Nigerian teacher who attempted to break the Guinness World Record for time spent reading out loud. Well… despite the sleep deprivation, hallucinations, and false start, it turns out John’s attempt was rejected. So, what went wrong? And could he fix it? Or was this the end of his world record dreams? Support the show [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/] We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/].

My Land Without Oil

Pascal Mirindi, a 25-year-old activist from Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, grew up surrounded by the violent fall-out of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, which spilled over into the DRC. But at age 17, when Pascal joined a peaceful demonstration in the streets of Goma, it showed him another way to fight. Experiencing non-violent resistance changed his life and set him on a path to  protect his country's ecosystems from the greed of oil companies. But – being confronted constantly with police repression, threats, and even forced exile – he wonders if it's time to step back or time to step up… Support the show [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/] We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/].

It's Complicated

Before the month of love comes to a close, we wanted to share one of our favorite episodes from the archive.  Dating is complicated. Not to mention dating on the apps! And for LGBTQI+ folks on the African continent, where many countries criminalise queerness, it’s even MORE complicated. We asked reporters in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya and Namibia to share how they navigate the highs and lows of seeking romance, community and friendship online. Despite all the pitfalls, love calls out to all of us. ________ Support the work of Radio Workshop by donating today [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/]. Support the show [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/] We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/].

Blindsided

Abiodun Oyeniran lost his sight completely at age 21. At 28, he finally makes it into the University of Lagos, only to realise the campus is not equipped to fully support the needs of blind students. So, Abiodun becomes an accidental activist, creating a grassroots system that helps visually impaired students navigate exams for 5 years—until the university decides his solution is a threat to their policy and shuts it down. Show Notes Sources: * 2017 National Policy on Inclusive Education [https://education-profiles.org/sub-saharan-africa/nigeria/~inclusion]  * 2018 Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act [https://ncpwd.gov.ng/pdfs/6document.pdf] * 2023 Study on Nigerian Visually Impaired Students’ Computer Skills [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377500716_Basic_computing_knowledge_of_students_with_visual_impairments] * The Tweet [https://x.com/faree_for_real/status/1891111188626387282?s=20] Acknowledgements: This episode would not be possible without support from Fondation CHANEL, Ford Foundation, and Luminate. Support the show [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/] We can only do this work because of your support. You can make a donation at radioworkshop.org [https://radioworkshop.org/donate/].