Kima’s message for Ntaria youth
Kima Forbes wants to be a role model for all the young women in her community of Ntaria (Hermannsburg) in central Australia. She believes she has found the perfect way to do it – through her weekly radio program on the local Remote Indigenous Broadcasting Service (RIBS) radio station.
Kima Forbes wants to be a role model for all the young women in her community of Ntaria (Hermannsburg) in central Australia. She believes she has found the perfect way to do it – through her weekly radio program on the local Remote Indigenous Broadcasting Service (RIBS) radio station.
Twenty eight year old Kima who works at the Western Aranda Health Aboriginal Corporation has always loved music and had thought of working in media but had no idea how to go about making it a career option.
An opportunity to do a basic course in radio production with the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) just over six months ago, has since led to Kima fronting her own show.
The show is called Keima-Karzie’s Express and is broadcast every Thursday from 4pm till 6pm, featuring a mix of hip hop and R&B music as well as local news and information.
An important part of Kima being a role model is encouraging the young girls to keep going to school and contribute to the Ntaria community
"It’s for all the young girls here, I want to help them. We have issues like young girls having babies and getting married early. So I want to give them something to strive for and I figure if I do a radio show I can set the foundation for them to take it over," Kima said.
“I am trying to get some of the year 9, year 10 girls to come over and work with me and I can train them up to panel for me and do their own show, and they can eventually take over my show.”
“They need to be attending school and going to every class and behaving around the community,” Kima said
“If we can work on that, we can change the community and start getting these young kids involved and active, with goals for the future around the community.”
Kima said her radio show is also a great way to let listeners know what’s happening in the community.
With Kima’s work at the health corporation she is aware of information that the community may need to know about, like upcoming medical clinics, sorry business as well as music and sporting events.
She also receives a weekly update from the local Government Engagement Coordinator about government services in Ntaria.
“It’s a good way of spreading a message that you want to be in the focus of everybody. If I have anything to say, I save it up till Thursday and I can let it rip on the radio and it can go all around Ntaria and everyone can hear and know it.
“Radio is the way to go out here, if you want to get your voice heard, get on the radio."
CAAMA, (The Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) provided the opportunity for Kima to attend the recent National Remote Indigenous Media Festival in Ntaria.
Find out more
The Australian Government supports capacity development in Indigenous media, recently supporting the National Remote Indigenous Media Festival in Ntaria (Hermannsburg) and providing 10 scholarships for remote community broadcasters to attend the Festival, learn new skills and gaining experience in the broader industry.
The National Remote Indigenous Media Festival was organised by the Indigenous Remote Communications Association (IRCA), the peak body representing the media and communications interests of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Australia.