Mangochi, Malawi, with its tropical savanna climate, tall palm trees, and coconuts for sale in the streets is the home of Radio Lilanguka, which has an incredibly positive response from its listeners, the Yao people.
SIM Malawi in their website article called “Reaching the unreached over the airwaves” explains that despite almost 20 years of difficulties and setbacks in getting a broadcasting license, the persistence of individuals and organizations finally paid off and in 2016 the Government of Malawi granted them a license.
Radio Lilanguka began broadcasting a year later on November 27, 2017. “The Chiyao output has really started to engage with people in the community, and it is this which has led to the station becoming so popular so quickly,” said Paul Kranzler, Project Manager for Radio Lilanguka.1
In 2018, Reach Beyond sent 600 solar powered fix-tuned SonSet® radios to the station to be distributed among the local people. Many of these radios were given out to listener clubs; however, there is still a need for more radios.
Recently, Paul shared that Pastor Daniel comes frequently with the request for radios. People tell him, “We can’t listen to Lilanguka because we don’t have a radio. If you brought us some radios, we could listen every day and not only when you come for Bible study to our village.”
Radio Lilanguka is committed to maintaining their ministry in the Chiyao language. Paul says, “It makes no difference whether it is a Muslim Yao or a Christian Yao who tunes in, it is the content in Chiyao that makes this station stand out from the crowd. The fact that most of the content in Chiyao is evangelically Bible-based means that a mainly unreached people group is now being reached with the gospel over the radio waves.”1
SonSet Solutions is excited about our partnership with this ministry and the ability to make a lasting impact for the gospel by sending more SonSet radios to Malawi.
1SIM Malawi; Reaching the unreached over the airwaves; www.simmalawi.org
Written by Ruth Weber