In September 2010 I trained a small group of mainly Kenyan Somali journalists who would be working for a new radio station named Azania. It would broadcast to the Northeast of Kenya and the Southern part of Somali. The training was two weeks of mainly theory, organised by Mandala TV (http://mandalatv.com/).

Some had some experiences while others were very green. The hardest part was to convince the trainees that professional radio sticks to the clock. So, the news does not start at 7 minutes past the hour but on the hour on the dot.

We covered a lot of ground and manage at the end of the training to put their names to the functions that needed to be filled at the new station. Azania wants to focus on women and the youth and bring a message of peace and unity for the Somali people.

The female trainees had to be pushed to have their voices heard. They were so used to be quiet when men were around. I managed to convince them to feel on an equal footing with their male colleagues.

After two weeks, I felt confident to have them prepared as much as possible for the launch of the station in November.