Press Release

U.S. Government Extends Radio Broadcasting Strategies Training in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS in Namibia

The American Cultural Center invites you to the award ceremony for Internews training, at 15h00 on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 in the American Cultural Center Auditorium, Third Floor in the Sanlam Building.  The whole idea behind this program was to provide deeper and broader training to Namibian radio reporters, so that they might present more in-depth stories on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Namibia, capturing the humanity within the stories, and providing better reporting and information to their Namibian listeners.

The Director of the American Cultural Center, Ray Castillo, provided a US$50,675 President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) grant to Internews, a U.S. NGO providing training in the field of radio and television journalism for public causes, in July 2008. A seven-day radio-feature training workshop themed “Prevention of Mother-to-Child  Transmission” (PMTCT) was held at the Kalahari Sands Hotel last August 18-24, 2008; Internews then followed this in-depth training with personal mentoring session both in Namibia and via the internet.  The innovative program required that the trainees complete 5 broadcast features in the new style by the end of 2008.  As an incentive, Internews promised to award equipment to the successful trainees.

“I am very impressed and pleased with the Namibian trainees.  I knew that they already possessed significant skills, but they have raised their reporting to new heights through this training program,” said Ray Castillo.  “This is the sort of interesting and informative Live FM reporting that the Namibian public expects from their public broadcasters and NBC, Base FM, UNAM, and are really delivering.  Most of the trainees have continued beyond the required 5 features and are now including this great reporting as part of their regular programming.  Bravo!”

Ten trainees from the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Base Fm, UNAM Radio and Live Fm in Rehoboth underwent an extensive training program, which was conducted by Ms. Angie Kapelianis, a prominent South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) journalist.  Mr. Lutz von Dewitz from the NBC rendered technical support.  

The ceremony will comprise the handing over of six laptops and 20 zoon recorders to nine Internews radio trainees and their respective radio stations for successfully completing and broadcasting their required five quality HIV/AIDS features.