A former sponsored child becomes a top broadcast journalist - Lloyd's story

Turn on the radio in the city of Blantyre—the major commercial center of the southern African country of Malawi—and you may hear the melodious voice of Lloyd Phiri reading the news. But Lloyd is not merely an announcer for MIJ Radio; he is the controller of news and current affairs. In addition to reading the bulletin, he will have assigned journalists to gather the stories, edited their reports, picked the lead story, and determined which stories should be spiked and which should be followed up.

MIJ stands for the Malawi Institute of Journalism, and MIJ Radio is a nongovernment station that hones the skills of the countryʼs best up-and-coming journalists.

Lloyd joined MIJ Radio after serving as head of news and current affairs at Capital FM—one of Malawiʼs top music stations. Itʼs an impressive resumé for a man who has yet to turn 30.

Lloydʼs rise is even more stunning, considering the humble circumstances in which he grew up. He was born to a single mother in Senzani, an impoverished village in central Malawi. His mother supported Lloyd and his younger brother, Dalitso, through small-scale farming. But times were tough. Lloyd remembers growing up in a tiny hut thatched with grass that would leak during the rainy season.

The trio chiefly survived by eating nsima—a paste-like porridge made from maize flour. The family could seldom afford the traditional meat or fish accompaniment for the meal. “Hard memories that stand out include sleeping on an empty stomach because of lack of food,” Lloyd says. “I was determined to work extra hard so that I attained a good life in the future.”
There wasnʼt a great deal of entertainment in Senzani, but Lloyd loved listening to the radio. He hoped one day to emulate some of his favorite Malawian presenters, and later he acquired a taste for news and current affairs after long hours of listening to the BBC World Service.

Lloydʼs ambitions were helped enormously after World Vision built several schools in the Senzani area and he became a sponsored child. Even so, Lloyd still had to walk more than four miles to get to primary school. He refused to let this hold him back, especially as World Vision was giving further support through the provision of school supplies and a school uniform.

He says he was also sustained by his Christian faith. “Being raised in a Christian family helped me to attain faith in Christ. It is Godʼs grace that has enabled me to pass through all the challenges,” he says. Lloyd took full advantage of the opportunities he got, worked hard, and excelled in geography, agriculture, and English. “I always remember the time I passed my primary school final exams,” he says. “This is one of my joyful moments.”

In addition to making schooling possible, child-sponsor-funded programs assisted his community in many other ways, such as building bridges and drilling boreholes, so villagers could access clean water. Lloyd says the boreholes helped reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases in his community. But itʼs the support for his education for which he is most thankful. World Vision helped pay school fees during his four years of secondary education at boarding school.

After finishing high school, Lloyd was accepted into Malawi Polytechnic—one of the best colleges in the country. He eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in journalism.

Although Lloyd does not remember getting letters from his sponsor, he remains deeply grateful for the financial support. “Without sponsorship I could not have gone to secondary school,” he says, “and this enabled me to pursue a degree in journalism. It is because of this degree that I am able to acquire employment.”

Itʼs led to more than just a promising career. About two years ago, Lloyd worked briefly at a Seventh Day Adventist radio station where he met and fell in love with announcer Grace Phiri. The two  got married in October 2011.