Hard work pays off

Last week I had the privilege of attending the launch of the Mail and Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans. Never in my wildest dreams had the thought crossed my mind that I would one day find myself on the list.

Initially when I received the e-mail that I had made it to the shortlist for the Mail and Guardian’s shortlist of the Top 200 Young South Africans, I thought it to be spam and did not even bother to read the e-mail. It was only when the follow up e-mail was sent that I actually took note. I then knew that there was merit to the initial e-mail.

While the publication does their own research on the nominee, they also send through a questionnaire that needs to be filled in. It looks at the work you are currently doing, what you would change if you were President of South Africa and also looks at any accolades you may have received.

The accolade could not have come at a better time for me. If you are a community journalist you are acutely aware that you are not earning the same salary as journalists who work in main stream media or at commercial radio stations.

You are painfully aware that you are not able to afford a house of your own or a car -if you do own a car, which in today’s day and age, is no longer a luxury you will have to either find ways of supplementing your income or permanently live off 2 minutes noodles and peanut butter sandwiches.

And yes there are times when this can depress you -normally somewhere towards the middle of the month or just before you get paid. You then start questioning why you are working in community media and not main stream, or better yet, why you are not working for government as a spokesperson.

You work long hours because, at a community radio station, you often have to do the work of more than one person, which sometimes seems to go unnoticed. But it is accolades like the one from the Mail and Guardian that makes the meager salary, long hours and intense critique that one has to endure worthwhile.

It is in moments like these that you suddenly remember why you choose this profession and you realize that out there someone is taking note of the long hours you put in to produce a quality product.