Pamoja FM 99.8 FM is located in Kibra, the largest slum in Nairobi. Pamoja means “together” in Kiswahili. Pamoja FM is a project of Pamoja Development Centre (PADEC), a registered community organisation. PADEC was registered in 2006. The station went on air in 2007 aiming to promote unity among the diverse ethnic communities living in Kibra and to contribute to development through dissemination of education and information. The station’s coverage area is 3 km, reaching all of Kibra slum. It shares the common frequency, 99.9 FM with other slums based community radios and institutional community radios in Nairobi.
- Frequency: 99.9 FM
- Geographical reach: 3 KM Radius
- Language/s of broadcast: Kiswahili
- Broadcast duration: 24 hours
- Location: Kibra Slums, Nairobi County
- Estimated audience: 200,000 listeners
- Contact Person: Adam Hussein, Managing Director
Kibra slum has expanded rapidly since the end of British rule in the 1960s as people migrated to Nairobi in search of jobs in industry and business. The earliest settlers were Sudanese soldiers brought to Kenya by the British to fight in World War II. Kibra is derived from the Nubian word, “kibra”, meaning forest. Kibra slum, approximately 2.5 square km, is home to about 250,000 people. Poor living conditions and lack of sanitation and service provision means frequent outbreaks of illnesses such as cholera. Rates of HIV and AIDS and TB are high. Crime and ethnic tensions mean that the area is volatile and insecure.
The mission of the radio is to create, develop, apply and transmit knowledge, skills and understanding to all levels of society through radio, and to ensure equal, sustainable development, and peaceful co-existence among the various communities of Kibra.
Pamoja FM is focused on issues that bear directly on its listeners in Kibra slums such as environment, women’s rights, drug abuse and community awareness, among others. It brings news to the community, not just about crime and misery, but of hope and the existing opportunities in the community.
The radio station aims to tackle ignorance and to empower the community to participate in their own development. The station stresses the importance of cooperation among various development actors to overcome poverty, hunger, social hazards and injustices, gender violence, HIV and AIDS, climate change and community negativity and apathy.
