Background Information
Umunthu FM is a local radio station situated at Nkhotakota Boma in Malawi which broadcasts to wider parts of the central region of Malawi and surrounding areas. The station is licensed by Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) in 2020, registered with the Registrar of Companies, and is also affiliated with different reputable media bodies like the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) and the Media Council of Malawi (MCM). Its mission statement is to inform, educate, entertain and alleviate human suffering and achieve social justice through quality interactive and impact development programs. The station envisions a society where the citizens realize their democratic rights to actively participate in social and economic activities through the dissemination of verified and credible information.
Our core values center on ‘’humanness’’thus ‘humanity towards others’, Fairness, professionalism, impartiality, and accountability.
We give the local masses a platform that will propel them to actively participate in different development initiatives through the production and airing of well-balanced and verified news and radio programs of multiple formats. Our primary target audience is multi-generation between the age of 10 to 70, who are precisely small-scale farmers, fishermen, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and members of the general public.
Umunthu FM endures being objective in our programming, whether it’s entertainment, educational or informational. In our approach to news coverage and overall programming, Umunthu FM shall always strive for excellence. The station is also uniquely positioned to offer a human interest and holistic approach to its programming. The station operates for 18 hours each day thus from 06.00 am hours to 10:00 pm
Programming Focus
We believe in the ‘’citizen participation philosophy’’ hence our programs cannot be produced and aired without the involvement of the citizens.
Promotion of quality and accessible education for all age zone radio program aiming at empowering girl child to attain university education, preventing early marriage through role model approach (68 girls have been admitted back to school)
Support Access to quality health services including sexual reproductive health, WASH, cancer education, HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment care and support, and others- we have a program called – Youth Take Action-we are working with youth network, Network, (
Women’s economic empowerment e.g Women under thick tree (Amayipakachere radio program) women share business ideas, and testimonies on how they are dealing with economic challenges
SRH -Menstrual health hygiene targeting vulnerable girls with support from Share net International and Developing radio partners
Governance, human rights gender-based violence, and child protection- we train community members on how they can hold duty bears accountable on how they utilize public resources (Citizen Voice radio program)
Promotion of improved agriculture technologies, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable fish production (Productive agriculture)
Our Vision
To be a dynamic media institution that empowers the community to actively participate in development through participatory programming.
Our Mission
Umunthu FM seeks to inform, entertain and alleviate human suffering and achieve social justice through quality participatory development programs.
Our Core Values
1. Humanity; Umunthu FM will always uphold restorative social justice, compassion, and having humans towards others in the course of its programming.
2. Professionalism Umunthu FM will always uphold a high sense of professionalism in the course of its programming.
3. Fairness: Umunthu FM shall make sure that its broadcast is true and fair and shall make sure that it refrains from broadcasting news that consciously and unconsciously mislead and even deceive listeners.
4. Accountability
Umunthu FM will be responsible for its decisions or actions and will be able to give explanations to them.
5. Impartiality. We always uphold impartiality in our programming.
Coverage Area
Umunthu FM is currently covering Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Dowa, Salima, Kasungu, Nkhatabay, parts of Dedza parts of Mzimba, and part of Lilongwe district and shortly will complete its entire expected coverage of the whole central region in Malawi.
Our Achievements So far
Contributed to improved turn up of the youth accessing SRH services eg family planning, HIV testing, family planning methods
Increased number of women giving testimony that they are now doing economic activities due to information disseminated on our radio station
Introduced a weekly magazine program entitled SRHR and disability which accords platforms for women and girls with a disability to share their experiences and helped to enhance accountability, transparency, and inclusiveness in service delivery towards women and girls with disability within our catchment areas.
Increased retention of girls who dropped out of school 102
Establishment of 22 community hubs/ radio listening clubs within our catchment area
Improved working relationships with different stakeholders at both district and national levels
We have managed to produce one journalist who has received an award from MISA as the best agriculture journalist in the year 2022
We have received an international award from FRIEDRICK NAUMANN FOUNDATION as being the best second best community radio station with the second listener’s participation.
Why We Need Support?
To continue producing and airing real-impact interactive radio programs on improved health services, good governance
We have to maintain our citizen participation philosophy by increasing the number of community hubs/ radio listening clubs.
Continue working with different partners since as media our work is to complement government efforts or interventions.