News Broadcasting
BBC Swahili launches website that ‘speaks boldly’ about sex
MUMBAI: BBC Swahili and the BBC’s international charity, BBC World Service Trust, have launched a Swahili language website. It aims to break down taboos and myths around sex and sexuality and reach a wider, younger audience. It is available at bbcswahili.com.
The site called Kimasomaso, which means “speak boldly”, is named after the award winning BBC Swahili magazine radio programme and features the latest edition of the radio programme together with in-depth features, personal stories and advice.
At the heart of Kimasomaso are the voices of young diarists who share their personal experiences through their audio diaries which are also available online. Visitors can take a journey with a pregnant teenager or a young person going through the process of having an HIV test to discover how they cope with their everyday lives, how they come to the decisions they make and how they see their future.
Other topics range from violence against women and the influence of rap music on young people to how to use a condom and how communities are preparing young girls for marriage. A glossary on sexual and reproductive health for young people can also be found on the site.
The BBC commissioned African illustrator Tayo Fatunla to give Kimasomaso online a young, contemporary feel. He is an experienced artist with a portfolio of work for national newspapers and magazines in Africa and the UK.
BBC Swahili Service head Tido Mhando said,”By uniting our radio programme with the trust’s online site we can further widen our access to young audiences. Talking openly about sexual health remains a taboo in East Africa but this way we hope to help young people make sensible life decisions.”
BBC World Service Trust projects manager Keith Ricketts added, “Kimasomaso online is the perfect medium for reaching young people in East Africa who cannot tune into the radio programme but need and want this vital, potentially life-saving information. Now they can hear the programme and read the accompanying features in their own time and, most importantly, in their own language.”
Kimasomaso was awarded a silver medal at the New York Festivals Radio Programming and Promotion competition in 2004. The programme was judged on its production values, organisation, presentation of information, creativity and use of the medium.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
