Lewisham women pilot Vietnamese radio show

The team hope to reach the Vietnamese community

The team hope to reach the Vietnamese community Photo: IACmusic

A Lewisham women’s group are planning the first Vietnamese language radio programme produced in Britain, the East London Lines has learnt.

The Vietnamese Women and Families Association have been invited by Chinese London Huaya, a internet radio station serving the Chinese community in the capital, to produce  a pre-recorded show in Vietnamese, said Quyhn Nguyen, the group’s leader .

“The idea is not off the ground yet, but we have a training agreement with London Huaya.” she said.

Chinese London Huayu is helping the association train its members to make the programme and will allow them use of their facilities to broadcast it.

The Vietnamese community have been in Britian for over 30 years but have yet to set up their own radio station. Until now local people have relied on getting their  news from Vietnam from the internet and other international sources.

“I feel like we need a voice for the Vietnamese community here,” Nguyen said.

The womens association have also sought advice from  Adje Kouakou, a radio DJ, who set up a programme for French speakers called Amanien which airs live twice a week on Africa Radio an FM station.

Kouakou has offered help train staff how to use equipment and has invited the women’s association to come to his studio in Lewisham to see how his show is produced.

“The idea is good. It’s a good chance to promote Vietnamese culture and share what being Vietnamese in London is about,” he said.

There are at least 55,000 people of Vietnamese origin living in England and Wales – around 33,000 of whom are based in London. One third of London’s Vietnamese population live in Lewisham, Southwark and Hackney.

The Vietnamese Women and Families Association are based in Evelyn Community Centre in Deptford. They provide support services and organise events, meetings, exhibitions and training courses to build up capacity, promote the role of Vietnamese women and aid integration into wider community.

London Huayu is a charity radio station set up primarily for the Chinese communities of London. Programmes cover a wide variety of issues affecting Chinese people living in the UK , as well as reporting events in China and broadcasting Chinese music.

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