FunDza is experimenting with its new WhatsApp group. We can’t publish in this space, but it is a great way to connect with our readers and send out broadcast notifications.
For #FunDzaFriday, on 17 April, we sent readers a short podcast of the first part of the latest story A Change of Heart, by Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho. The story is about Robert, who is angry after his father’s death. He’s rude, shuns his best friend and starts to smoke and drink with a new friend, a youth notorious in the village. His mother despairs of him and his sister warns him to change his ways before it is too late…
Listen here to the podcast via Soundcloud.
FunDza’s WhatsApp contacts received the audio file at 10am this morning and almost immediately we received more than 100 messages with hugely positive responses. Many said that it was ‘awesome’ and others said that they were ‘running off to FunDza’ to read the rest of the story! Others wanted to get the whole story in audio form while another reader said she’d love to see it in video format.
It’s so great to get such quick feedback and to know that there are many new ways to get people reading. We’ll be sharing our successes (and failures) with you as we go along.