admin | February 14, 2025
Mavis Muchiya’s passion for giving marginalized voices a platform was inspired by her childhood experiences in a village where women faced gender-based violence and were silenced. This desire to speak for the voiceless led her to pursue a career in radio. In 2013, she began volunteering at Mazabuka Community Radio Station in Zambia, where she worked as a presenter and producer in both English and local languages. Her role at the station allowed her to turn her childhood inspiration into action, amplifying the voices of those who had been marginalized.
In 2015, Mrs. Muchiya was promoted to producer and later, in 2016, to reporter. But despite her new role, she continued presenting and producing programs, with a strong focus on advocating for the underrepresented in her community.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Muchiya has used her passion for community engagement and her expertise in local language programming to connect with listeners in rural areas. Through programs like Your Voice, Bulimi (focused on agriculture), and Community Issues, she has empowered small-scale farmers and rural communities with vital information. Your Voice specifically addresses issues surrounding Constituency Development Funds, helping vulnerable groups, including women and people with disabilities, access resources and opportunities.
Mrs. Muchiya’s connection to her audience goes beyond broadcasting. She frequently visits communities, records vox pops, and hosts call-in shows, ensuring that her programs are interactive and relevant to her listeners’ lives. She also receives regular feedback from listening groups, which helps her fine-tune her programs to better serve the needs of rural listeners.
Mrs. Muchiya addresses challenges faced by rural farmers, such as accessing government resources, drought, and livestock diseases, in her shows. By bringing in experts and sharing stories of overcoming adversity, her programs offer solutions and hope. For example, she recently highlighted how farmers were adapting to irrigation challenges, providing practical advice that listeners could use.
In 2022, Mrs. Muchiya collaborated with Farm Radio International to enhance her radio programs. Through this partnership, she received training in program production, storytelling, and using tools like scripts and Barza Wire to make her broadcasts more engaging and informative. This collaboration allowed her to incorporate new techniques into her programming, particularly for female farmers, and she received funding after completing a series of 10 programs that same year. The resources from Farm Radio International have significantly improved the quality of her broadcasts, making them more relevant and impactful for her audience.
With a deep passion for rural development and the empowerment of women, Mrs. Muchiya continues to use radio as a tool for positive change.
Mrs. Muchiya is a broadcaster whose work is changing lives, one story at a time. Through her dedication to her listeners, her innovative programming, and her passion for advocacy, she has become a crucial voice in the Zambian radio landscape.