Online Radio aims to preserve Nama culture
18 Feb 2026
The community of Lokgwabe in Kgalagadi North have launched an online radio, the Nama Online Radio, with the aim of safeguarding their cultural heritage as well as to promote and revitalise the Nama language.
The Nama language is feared by residents to be steadily losing ground to other dominant languages in the village such as Sekgalagadi and Setswana.
The station broadcasts live from 9am to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with a second live session from 6pm to 9pm. A dedicated one-hour children’s programme airs on Sundays and focuses on teaching the Nama language through educational content. Evening programmes feature live interviews with relevant stakeholders on topical issues.
“ Many children cannot speak Nama, so we are deliberately using radio as a learning platform to reach them at an early age,” Nama Development Trust chairperson, Nicholas Cooper, said in an interview.
Years of cultural assimilation have resulted in many Nama people, particularly the younger generation, speaking less of their mother tongue in favour of more dominant local languages.
“Through the radio, we want to encourage our people to speak Nama again. Language carries identity, history and pride. When people begin to speak it more frequently, they revive the spirit of the community,” Cooper said.
The station’s programming also addresses youth development, human rights, climate change, gender issues and the preservation of cultural heritage. Content is carefully prepared to meet ethical journalism standards.
Cooper said listener feedback has been encouraging, noting that the project was still in its formative stages and that presenters would continue to receive training to enhance their professionalism and improve content quality.
He added that the project was in line with the call by government for preservation and broadcasting of indigenous languages through community radio stations.
Cooper explained that the online station was funded through the Cultural Survival Fund, an international non-governmental organisation based in the United States with a regional office in Cape Town, South Africa.
The fund had invited proposals for a 10-month indigenous radio establishment programme, for which the trust successfully applied. Now in its second month of operation, the station has already hosted a three-day intensive training workshop, facilitated by Kaisames Radio Station of Namibia, to equip the project team with essential skills in broadcasting, ethical journalism and content production.
“The initial plan was to train 10 presenters, but the project scope provided for four presenters, a coordinator and a project officer who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the station,” Cooper said.
The primary objective of the radio station is to create a platform through which the Nama people can discuss issues affecting them in their own language and from their own perspective, Cooper said.
“Indigenous communities across the world often remain unheard because they are minorities and most public discourse is dominated by majority groups. This radio station is meant to give us a voice and ensure that our concerns reach both our people and policy makers,” he said.
Although the station prioritises Nama, about 30 per cent of its programming is broadcast in Sekgalagadi, Setswana and English to accommodate the broader community and encourage inclusivity. Traditional leaders have already been engaged to discuss challenges such as stock theft and possible solutions for the district.
Looking ahead, the trust plans to engage the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority with the aim of transitioning from an online platform to a fully fledged frequency-based community radio station once the 10-month project period ends.
“Online radio limits listenership because it requires smartphones and reliable internet access. Our long-term goal is to operate a community radio station that can be accessed by everyone while still maintaining our online presence,” Cooper said.
He welcomed government’s commitment to community broadcasting and the dissemination of news in indigenous languages, describing the project as timely and aligned with national development priorities.
Beyond language preservation, the initiative is expected to create employment opportunities and open up a value chain that includes presenters, technicians, producers and administrative staff. It is also seen as a platform for nurturing local talent in music, poetry and storytelling, which Mr Cooper said remained largely untapped.
“We want this station to inspire our people, uncover hidden talent and attract qualified journalists from within the community so that it becomes a permanent institution that promotes our language and culture,” he said.
He said through this radio Nama language would not only preserved, but heard, celebrated and passed on to future generations. BOPA
Source : BOPA
Author : Thuso Kgakatsi
Location : Lokgwabe
Event : Interview
Date : 18 Feb 2026
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