By Morne Pietersen, Radio Station Manager

A local community radio station, Eden FM, is playing a pivotal role in preserving the cultural heritage and history of the Klein Karoo region through two distinct but interconnected research projects. The initiatives, undertaken with support from Cultural Survival’s Community Media Grant Fund, documented Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and the personal stories of forced removals under the apartheid-era Group Areas Act.

By Nailejileji Asia Tipap, Executive Director IWDA

By Anwell Bepe, Kasambabezi FM Coordinator

Kasambabezi FM, Kariba's community radio station, is making significant strides in addressing long-standing issues affecting marginalized communities in the district. Through its "Rise & Participate" project, the station is focusing on climate change effects, gender disparity, and the documentation of Indigenous history, particularly for the Tonga and Shona people. The project aims to empower local journalists with the skills to enhance community information sharing and participation.

By Jeannette KAZERA, Organization Coordinator

In the Fizi territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the illegal and unregulated exploitation of transition minerals such as cobalt, lithium, copper, gold, and cassiterite has long threatened the environment and human rights of local Indigenous communities. To combat this, the Union of Indigenous Women for Integral Development (UFAPDI), funded by Cultural Survival, launched a project to strengthen Indigenous leadership and empower communities through media. 

By Victoria Nolasco, Executive Director, Mindanao Climate Justice Resource Facility

In the face of a massive mining threat, a new generation of Indigenous youth in Mindanao is using citizen journalism as a powerful tool of resistance and cultural preservation. Through a project supported by Cultural Survival and led by Mindanao Climate Justice, young advocates are receiving the training and tools needed to tell their own stories and challenge dominant narratives about their communities.

Mussa Juma Siwayombe, Executive Director

A media-based campaign spearheaded by the Media Aid for Indigenous and Pastoralists Community (MAIPAC) is making strides in raising awareness about the harmful effects of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Tanzania's Longido District. The project, supported by Cultural Survival, is using radio programs, video documentaries, and social media to advocate for the abandonment of the practice and protect the well-being of young girls in Maasai communities.

By Bijo Thomas, Radio Mattoli Station Director

By Hendro Karundeng, Kelung Contributor, Tontemboan Tribe, Minahasa Nation

In the misty hills of Kolongan, a group of young Minahasan men and women gathered with a shared purpose: to reclaim their ancestral stories and traditions through the power of writing and media. This marked the beginning of “Mapantik ne Kelung” (The Writing of the Shield). The name evokes a powerful image of a kelung (shield), a tool once used by ancient Minahasan warriors, now wielded in a new kind of battle—one fought not with steel, but with words and images.

By Titus N’getuny, Communication Officer, Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN)

Por Ñani Pinto, de Avispa Midia

By Wayna Tambo – Red de la Diversidad

Wayna Tambo – Diversity Network is located in the city of El Alto, department of La Paz. It is a mid-sized city inhabited mostly by migrant populations who maintain a strong connection with the countryside. A large part of the population identifies as Aymara People.

By Jumoke Owoola 

In a concerted effort to amplify the voices of Nigeria's Indigenous communities and safeguard their rich cultural heritage, the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Development Studies (CIKDAS) held workshops in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State and Ijede, Lagos State focused on empowering community members, especially youth and Elders, to effectively utilize media platforms for cultural preservation and advocacy.