GALVmed partner, Shujaaz.FM has won a prestigious global prize – the International Digital Emmy® Award. Winning in the Digital Program: Children & Young People category, Shujaaz.FM beat media industry multinationals. This Emmy is awarded for excellence in programming and content created and designed for viewer interaction and/or delivery on a digital platform.
Shujaaz.FM produces and distributes 500,000 free monthly comic books, radio shows – 6 days a week syndicated to 23 FM stations across Kenya, a dedicated SMS interface, facebook – updated by the comic book heroes and interacting with the audience, a website and Shujaaz.TV broadcast on YouTube.
Rob Burnet, the social entrepreneur responsible for Shujaaz, said:
“We are so proud to have won the Digital Emmy for children and young people’s content. It’s a great recognition for all the hard work our young team of creative Kenyans have put into making Shujaaz the success it is. We use multiple-media communications to inspire and motivate an audience of some 5 million young Kenyans to take action to improve their lives and engage with urgent issues that shape their future. This is done through stories following the lives of four fictional young Kenyan’s. Shujaaz means ‘heroes’ and first amongst them is DJ Boyie. Boyie is 19 and unemployed and like all good comic book heroes he has a secret. In the comic he hacks into FM radio stations and broadcasts Shujaaz FM. This story device helps to create a credible parallel universe and means our stories move seamlessly between print, radio and social media.”
Hameed Nuru, GALVmed’s Senior Director Policy & External Affairs, commented:
“It is heartening to see Shujaaz FM receive international recognition for the creative ways in which they are reaching out to Kenyan youth and transforming lives. We at GALVmed recognise the authenticity and integrity of approach of the Shujaaz.FM team and its insightful Director, Rob Burnett. Like GALVmed, they listen to the end user and provide information relevant to the lives of Kenyan youth. In working together on the successful Kenyan Dream Initiative last year, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Government, we had constructive dialogue with young people and decision-makers in Kenya about the importance of livestock for livelihood and to realising dreams. We have heard that Kenyan Youth are asking for information on livestock health and how to keep chickens and together with Shujaaz FM and other partners are working to offer some assistance through more exciting projects about which we shall be posting information soon. For now, we offer our congratulations to all at Shujaaz.FM.”