Radio RumphY. Bringing the Last Licensed Community Radio Station to Malawi

20/05/2020

Austin Airwaves is pleased you announce the radio station gear has finally arrived in LiLongwe, Malawi, after a long, circuitous trip from the Dominican Republic, the US, Europe, and South Africa!
Boxes still need to make their way to tiny Rumphy in the north.
Thanks to everyone who supported Radio Rumphy!

13/04/2020

WE ARE SUSPENDING THE RADIO RUMPHY COMMUNITY RADIO PROJECT

The world certainly has certainly gone to hell in the last month. Here's the latest, likely last, update from AA's Rumphy Radio Project.

WE WILL CONTINUE to maintain contact with key persons on the project. We will wait for another opportunity to build another community radio station, somewhere, to allow people 'to speak to themselves and for themselves.'

HAD WE GONE to Malawi, we might very well not been able to return to the US quickly, or at all.

AYK, Austin Airwaves' Public Safety/Education Director Karen Horan is a 26 year veteran Texas Paramedic, and is now very much on the front lines of the Corona pandemic. Very dangerous, stressful work, ugly politics, PPEs and body bags.

WE HAVE ORDERED the 'simple studio' gear, xmtr, coax, twin di-poles and hardware from Aareff in the Dominican Republic including the shipping via DHL to the Malawian capital of Lilongwe. There are Corona outbreaks in Malawi and the Dominican Republic as well. It's not clear when the already paid for studio/xmtr gear will be completed and shipped.

WE HAVE PAID for the station's frequency search and allocation with MACRA, the Malawian broadcast regulatory agency.

WE WILL SEE what the future brings. Thank you all. Stay tuned. Hang in there.

Jim Ellinger
Africa Desk
Austin Airwaves

13/03/2020

Breaking Burn Bad News 11:20pm 3/13/2020

We regret to share the news that AFRIKABURN has been officially CANCELLED.

Austin Airwaves will now not be traveling to Malawi, but will instead ship the entire FM radio station and tower to Rumphy, in the remote northern part of the nation. (How hard could that be?)

We regret the deteriorating corona virus situation has forced this cancellation on Austin Airwaves, the good people of Rumphy, thousands of other events, and millions of souls.

“Peace Stand By”

Thank you,
Jim Ellinger & Karen Horan
Africa Desk
Austin Airwaveshttps://www.afrikaburn.com/latest-news/afrikaburn-2020-cancellation-statement

They say only love can break your heart, so it’s with heartbreak that we are confirming that the event that we all love so much is cancelled for this year.

28/02/2020

27/02/2020

26/02/2020

Here are a few snapshots of past projects we've worked on.

26/02/2020

Need a little happy music to start your morning? Check this out. You'll be smiling by the time its done.

MALAWI GOSPEL MUSIC

26/02/2020

NOW HIRING!

AA is seeking the expertise and experience of individuals with the following skill sets. These positions are for unpaid or minimally paid volunteers as a part of an ambitious five month project.

Grant writer, minimum decade+ of related experience
in development in Africa, media, and women's health

Web developer, website host, FB, Twitter, videos, blogs, etc.

Travel Coordinator, develop travel itineraries, seek
discounted/donated tickets, 600 lbs of luggage/shipping *

Graphic artist, Cartographer, signage/displays, web pages
Project logo, banners, T-shirts, IDs, maps of region, etc.

Radio Engineer #1, US and Malawi May, 2020
Develop 'shopping list' of equipment/sources
develop specific broadcast scenario for remote locale *

Radio Engineer #2 Stateside: studio, broadcast,
antenna/STL design, LPFM and full power FM
Minimum five years of related experience

Medical/Health Specialists dealing with health
and communicable disease issues for girls and women
Must be licensed, minimum decade+ experience *

Optional Positions:
Solar, power installation, equipment donations *
Radio/Audio content, Construction of 40' bamboo radio tower *

Women, LGBTQs, persons of color and of Malawian and African dissent are especially welcome.

Serious inquiries only to:

Jim Radio [email protected]
512-796-4332 (10:00AM to 8PM Central.)

22/02/2020

Austin Airwaves is working to design and build the last licensed community radio station in Malawi. And as you can guess, this isnt cheap.

Help us out! Click the link and donate to the cause!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/radio-rumphy-malawi039s-last-community-station?teamInvite=uhNn1xjIdcbQVtyKsKnJ7hpAhEGmRP9cILMquRV6iKklczcc0sPKgSrs7Muwutsg&utm_medium=email&utm_source=product&utm_campaign=p_email%2Bteaminviteemail

HELP AUSTIN AIRWAVES put the last licensed community radio s… Jim Ellinger needs your support for RADIO RUMPHY, Malawi's Last Community Station

22/02/2020

10 page likes and counting!

Hey, we gotta start somewhere.

Wanna help us out? Tell everyone you know about what we're doing here! Get everyone to like this page!

07/02/2020

07/02/2020

Austin Airwaves Community Radio Projects,
Stations and Conferences in Mother Africa
(as of September, 2017)

Dakar, Senegal January 1995
AMARC6 Waves of Freedom
World Association of Community Broadcasters
(AMARC-Africa)

Chimoio, Mozambique Radio Gesom February, 2004
“The Two Mosquitoes” Radio training
(ACDI-VOCA)

Rabat, Morocco May, 2005
World Association of Community Broadcasters
(AMARC-Africa, MENA)

Nairobi, Kenya, January, 2007
World Association of Community Broadcasters
(AMARC-Africa)

Tamale & Accra, Ghana RITE-FM December, 2009
Radio training (ACDI-VOCA)

World Social Forums 2013 & 2015
Tunis, Tunisia
Training, equipment insertion

Wa, Ghana W93.5FM March, 2016
Radio training (ACDI-VOCA)

N’Ditim, Cameroon
Radio Taboo September, 2017
tech build out, station sign on

07/02/2020

https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/43-community-radio-stations-across-south-africa-face-closure-35506259

More than 40 community radio stations nationwide face a shut down because of a lack of licences, funding and spiralling debt.

31/12/2019

https://www.voanews.com/africa/malawi-floods-kill-more-50-displace-200000
It's just more of the same mud and misery. Cyclone Adai really blasted the entire region.
Our man on the ground says there has been no electricity for a week.
A radio station sure would be a good thing for them to have right about now.
We are still GO to put an AA Radio Team on the ground in Rumphi around the end of April, 2020.
Seeking financial and technical support.
Happy New Year from Austin Airwaves.

Malawi – Deadly Landslides in Northern Region 22 April, 2019 by FloodList News in Africa, News Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) reported on 22 April that at least 3 people have died in rainstorms and landslides that occurred in Rumphi District in the country’s Norther...

20/12/2019

Austin Airwaves Radio Rumphy Project
Released 12/21/19 (c)Austin Airwaves

Austin Airwaves (AA) is in search of specialists and community radio and women's health activists to assist in establishing the last licensed community radio station in the remote Rumphy District of northern Malawi. An AA Radio Team will deliver the station to Malawi in May, 2020. These are non-paid positions lasting approximately five months. (*Indicates a position that will best served in a remote destination under likely adverse conditions.) Experience in community radio and international travel and teaching and building in a remote location a plus.
Considerable opportunity for positive experience and exposure as a part of 'Austin Airwaves Radio Rescue Team 2020'. At this early point of the project, individuals are expected to cover their own int'l travel expenses from Houston, TX to Lilongwe, Malawi.
Women, LGBTQs and persons of color and of Malawian and African dissent are especially welcome. NO TOURISTS. Serious inquiries only please to:
Jim Radio [email protected] 512-796-4332
SEE: Radio Rumphi, Bringing the Last Licensed Community Radio Station to Malawi.
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=radio%20rumphi.%20bringing%20the%20last%20licensed%20community%20radio...&epa=SEARCH_BOX https://www.facebook.com/radiotaboofilm/

AA is seeking the expertise and experience of individuals with the following skill sets.
These positions are for unpaid volunteers as a part of a five month project. Filled Position can still be applied for.

Grant writer, minimum decade+ of related experience
in development in Africa, media, and women's health

Web developer, website host, FB, Twitter, videos, blogs, etc.

* Travel Coordinator, develop travel itineraries,
seek discounted/donated tickets, 600 lbs of luggage/shipping

Graphic artist, Cartographer, signage/displays, web pages
Project logo, banners, T-shirts, IDs, maps of region, etc.

* Radio Engineer #1, US and Malawi April/May, 2020
Develop 'shopping list' of equipment/sources
develop specific broadcast scenario for remote locale

Radio Engineer #2 Stateside: studio, broadcast,
antenna/STL design, LPFM and full power FM
Minimum five years of related experience

*Licensed Medical/Health Specialists dealing with health
and communicable disease issues for girls and women

Serious inquiries only, plz. Contact Jim Radio @ [email protected] 512-796-4332

03/12/2019

http://roscheryouthdevelopment.org/index.php

03/12/2019

http://roscheryouthdevelopment.org/index.php

Roscher Youth Development Centre. It is a non-profit organization (NGO), based in Rumphi, northern part of Malawi.