CESVI’s podcast on Ethiopia triumphs at the Italian Podcast Awards 2025, the only NGO among the finalists in audio journalism
Giving voice to the voiceless: the triumph of “Borena”
The podcast “Borena: the land without rain”, produced by Fondazione CESVI, narrated by journalist Valerio Nicolosi, and co-created with LifeGate, has captured the attention of both jury and public at the Italian Podcast Awards 2025, winning two prestigious accolades: Podcast of the Year and Best News Podcast.
This marks a historic milestone, as CESVI was the only humanitarian organization among the finalists, competing against some of the best Italian podcast productions. Nicolosi and Roberto Vignola, CESVI’s Deputy Director General, accepted the awards in Piacenza.
A story of drought told from the ground
“Borena” transports the listener to the Oromia region of Ethiopia, one of the areas hardest hit by the climate crisis in the Horn of Africa. With six consecutive failed rainy seasons, the region has suffered the collapse of traditional agropastoral communities.
Across six gripping episodes, Nicolosi gives a voice to those suffering in silence. A community of 9,000 people has lost all livestock and fled their homes in search of aid. The podcast is part of the HUDEPE project, supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
A warning about climate change
“This victory shows that audiences are increasingly sensitive to global events,” said Vignola, emphasizing that climate change is not a distant emergency, but a present-day threat.
For Nicolosi, “Winning with this kind of podcast matters because it lets us talk about the root causes of migration, often overlooked.” Droughts and floods, he added, can devastate communities just as much as wars.
“Inside Gaza” also recognized
CESVI also reached the finals with another impactful project: “Inside Gaza – what the world doesn’t see”, created with Factanza Media. Featuring real-time reports from humanitarian workers Giulio Cocchini and Marcelo Garcia Dalla Costa, the podcast shines a raw light on the crisis in Gaza Strip.
It’s further proof of CESVI’s commitment to using audio storytelling as a powerful tool to raise awareness and promote social justice.
CESVI’s mission continues
Since 2021, CESVI has been active in Borena, working to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis and strengthen local communities’ ability to adapt. This podcast is more than an award-winning project: it’s a vehicle for activism, solidarity, and truth.
Thanks to its success at the Italian Podcast Awards, CESVI reaffirms its commitment to amplifying the voices of those facing the great emergencies of our time.
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