Story by Fungai Jachi

Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting with the youngsters appreciative of the opportunity to have their voices heard.

This Sunday being the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting, children took over broadcasting with the youngsters appreciative of an opportunity to have their voices heard while enjoying the experience of being broadcasters.

“This is the day we get to have our voices heard. We discuss issues that affect us and this year’s theme has given us a chance to talk abuse this vice,” a child broadcaster said.

Another said, “Most times we do not get out stories heard but today is that day we get to be heard and we appreciate it.”

Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation chief executive officer Ms Adelaide Chikunguru says the day serves as an important tool in empowering children.

The ZBC, like other media partners involved in this initiative, beliefs that a day like today is extremely empowering for young people. It is an important tool in promoting equality and providing children with a means and language to understand why it is important to promote the rights of all children and young people, she said.

ZBC TV Children’s Programing Producer, Ms Adiola Chiyangwa says the national broadcaster has a number of childrens programmes.

”We have a variety of programmes for children, our afternoon programmes are solely dedicated to children. The programmes differ and now we are concentrating on programmes that are aligned to drug and substance abuse as it has become a national problem.”

The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting is celebrated annually with the aim to promote broadcasters around the world to pay more attention to children’s programmes and airing quality programming about and for children, while allowing children to be part of the programming process