As Zambia celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence in October 2014, the country honored citizens that have played key roles in its development with a special Golden Jubilee Medal. Among the politicians and activists that received the award, Mike Daka—the founder and director of our client Radio Breeze—was recognized for his work to expand access to information across the country. Mike is a longstanding journalist, editor and media trainer with more than 30 years of combined experience. Prior to starting Radio Breeze he served as the Director of the Zambia Institute of Mass Communications, the country’s leading media training centre.
Since its launch in 2002, Radio Breeze has provided vital news and discussion programming for underserved populations in Zambia’s Eastern Province. Over the years, the station expanded its reach and grew into a sustainable business while maintaining a reputation for professional, transparent and relevant reporting. Radio Breeze has played an important to role in reducing corruption across the country. Notably, the station exposed a ring of police officers extorting citizens at check points, leading to the arrest and prosecution of the corrupt officials.
In 2011, MDIF provided Radio Breeze with a loan to expand its reach across the country. With the funds, Radio Breeze purchased transmission equipment to boost its signal and launched a marketing campaign to attract listeners in new areas. The station has grown to become a model for others interested in doing community-focused and commercially viable media work in the developing world.
To learn more about Radio Breeze and its work in Zambia, visit the Case Stories section of our website.