Hold These Letters Dear: A podcast born from the voices of Sound Waves alumni

Following an intensive week of collaboration and skill-building at the Sound Waves Podcast Training Lab in Johannesburg, six alumni from South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi came together to produce Hold These Letters Dear, a moving podcast born from shared learning, creative exchange, and a commitment to storytelling.

Contributors Claude Marie Bernard Kayitare (South Africa), Lameck Masina (Malawi), Jane Messina (South Africa), Nthabiseng Mohanela (Lesotho), Motlalepula Mokoena (South Africa), and Bongiwe Zihlangu (Lesotho) were tasked with a creative challenge: develop a podcast responding to the prompt, “Dear Future Listener.”

Inspired by Nthabiseng’s daughter, the group imagined a heartfelt letter written to her on her 21st birthday. This letter acts as a message sent into the future, sharing personal hopes, advice, and reflections while also addressing broader social issues affecting their communities. It connects intimate experiences with themes relevant to many across the region and became the emotional and narrative anchor of the podcast.

For many in the group, Hold These Letters Dear was their first experience with narrative podcasting, a format that requires structure, emotional pacing, and strong storytelling arcs. With fresh skills in hand, they planned the episode’s sonic landscape from the start, including field recordings to add texture and authenticity.

“It was fantastic working as a team, drawing on each other’s skills and enterprise and having the opportunity to use some of the knowledge we gained during the programme,” says contributor, Jane Messina.

Each team member brought a unique voice, perspective, and skillset to the project. They drew on the insights gained from workshops with podcasting professionals from South Africa, France, and Germany. Together, they developed the script, sound design, and thematic cohesion, transforming their collective vision into a compelling audio experience.

Press play to listen to Hold These Letters Dear below:

Sound Waves is an initiative of the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, in partnership with the SAPG. It is supported by Institut français in Paris and the German Federal Foreign Office through the French-German Cultural Fund, a joint initiative of the French and German governments promoting cultural cooperation in third countries.