Youth+ Radio Awards 6 Champions in Kenya’s First Podcasting Competition
Kimani Maina and Shalom Meeni have today been announced as top winners after receiving Ksh. 50,000 and Ksh. 40,000 respectively amongst other prizes at the inaugural Youth+ Radio PodQuest 2024, a youth-centered podcasting competition spearheaded by Youth+ Africa. The groundbreaking initiative aimed to discover Africa’s next generation of podcast talent.
Over eight weeks, 80 participants applied, and 11 finalists underwent intense one-on-one mentorship from industry experts before showcasing their pilot episodes at a Live Demo Day held at The Alchemist in Nairobi.
Reflecting on their win, Kimani Maina, winner of the Ready for Market Award, expressed his excitement: “This platform has been life-changing. Podcasting gives us a voice, and I’m excited to bring untold stories to the forefront and shape conversations that matter.”
Shalom Meeni, winner of the People’s Choice Award, added: “Podcasting is a powerful tool for storytelling, and I’m eager to continue creating content that connects people and amplifies diverse African experiences.”
Freddy Mulli, CEO of Youth+ Africa, praised all participants: “Africa is home to some of the world’s most dynamic podcasting talent. We are incredibly proud of what the finalists have achieved, and we look forward to supporting these young creators as they build on their success. Podcasts are becoming a powerful medium for storytelling and income generation, and these creators are leading the way.”
In addition to receiving a range of prize money, full-season podcast production, marketing and branding support, and three months of mentorship with industry leaders, the winners were recognized in the following categories:
-
Ready for Market Award: Kimani Maina
-
People’sChoice Award: Shalom Meeni
-
Impact Award: Teresa Loch
-
BreakthroughIdea Award: Kellyne Njoge
-
The Wazo/SemaBox Award:The Disruptors (Ngina Mualuko and Mahak Dagar)
-
TheGood Company Award: The Bigger Picture (Mitchelle Gathii and Austin Morara)
Youth+ Radio PodQuest 2024, organized in partnership with Legally Clueless by Adelle Onyango, Semabox Africa, and Joyride Studios, was created to highlight the potential of podcasting as a medium for education, creativity, and sustainable livelihoods for youth aged 18 to 35. The initiative was launched in line with the International Youth Day (IYD) 2024 theme, “From Clicks to Progress – Digital Pathways for a Sustainable Future.”
The competition aligns with Youth+ Africa’s mission to empower young people across the continent through social entrepreneurship, mentorship, and capacity-building initiatives Its Youth+ Radio platform continues to spotlight stories of Africa’s most inspiring young entrepreneurs.
About Steve Biko Wafula
Steve Biko is the CEO OF Soko Directory and the founder of Hidalgo Group of Companies. Steve is currently developing his career in law, finance, entrepreneurship and digital consultancy; and has been implementing consultancy assignments for client organizations comprising of trainings besides capacity building in entrepreneurial matters. He can be reached on: +254 20 510 1124 or Email: info@sokodirectory.com
- January 2024 (238)
- February 2024 (227)
- March 2024 (190)
- April 2024 (133)
- May 2024 (157)
- June 2024 (145)
- July 2024 (136)
- August 2024 (154)
- September 2024 (212)
- October 2024 (255)
- November 2024 (196)
- December 2024 (42)
- January 2023 (182)
- February 2023 (203)
- March 2023 (322)
- April 2023 (298)
- May 2023 (268)
- June 2023 (214)
- July 2023 (212)
- August 2023 (257)
- September 2023 (237)
- October 2023 (264)
- November 2023 (286)
- December 2023 (177)
- January 2022 (293)
- February 2022 (329)
- March 2022 (358)
- April 2022 (292)
- May 2022 (271)
- June 2022 (232)
- July 2022 (278)
- August 2022 (253)
- September 2022 (246)
- October 2022 (196)
- November 2022 (232)
- December 2022 (167)
- January 2021 (182)
- February 2021 (227)
- March 2021 (325)
- April 2021 (259)
- May 2021 (285)
- June 2021 (272)
- July 2021 (277)
- August 2021 (232)
- September 2021 (271)
- October 2021 (304)
- November 2021 (364)
- December 2021 (249)
- January 2020 (272)
- February 2020 (310)
- March 2020 (390)
- April 2020 (321)
- May 2020 (335)
- June 2020 (327)
- July 2020 (333)
- August 2020 (276)
- September 2020 (214)
- October 2020 (233)
- November 2020 (242)
- December 2020 (187)
- January 2019 (251)
- February 2019 (215)
- March 2019 (283)
- April 2019 (254)
- May 2019 (269)
- June 2019 (249)
- July 2019 (335)
- August 2019 (293)
- September 2019 (306)
- October 2019 (313)
- November 2019 (362)
- December 2019 (318)
- January 2018 (291)
- February 2018 (213)
- March 2018 (275)
- April 2018 (223)
- May 2018 (235)
- June 2018 (176)
- July 2018 (256)
- August 2018 (247)
- September 2018 (255)
- October 2018 (282)
- November 2018 (282)
- December 2018 (184)
- January 2017 (183)
- February 2017 (194)
- March 2017 (207)
- April 2017 (104)
- May 2017 (169)
- June 2017 (205)
- July 2017 (189)
- August 2017 (195)
- September 2017 (186)
- October 2017 (235)
- November 2017 (253)
- December 2017 (266)
- January 2016 (164)
- February 2016 (165)
- March 2016 (189)
- April 2016 (143)
- May 2016 (245)
- June 2016 (182)
- July 2016 (271)
- August 2016 (247)
- September 2016 (233)
- October 2016 (191)
- November 2016 (243)
- December 2016 (153)
- January 2015 (1)
- February 2015 (4)
- March 2015 (164)
- April 2015 (107)
- May 2015 (116)
- June 2015 (119)
- July 2015 (145)
- August 2015 (157)
- September 2015 (186)
- October 2015 (169)
- November 2015 (173)
- December 2015 (205)
- March 2014 (2)
- March 2013 (10)
- June 2013 (1)
- March 2012 (7)
- April 2012 (15)
- May 2012 (1)
- July 2012 (1)
- August 2012 (4)
- October 2012 (2)
- November 2012 (2)
- December 2012 (1)