#PunishmentIsland

[deathbydyingpod]

Here are just some of the incredible fiction podcasts from creators of color, in the US and beyond. Listen, read, promote, learn from them, and support them in any way that you can ❤️ Check them out!!!

Flyest Fables:

A hopepunk anthology of fairytales about Black kids having fantastical adventures, written, produced, and acted by the infinitely talented Morgan Givens.

Twitter: @FlyestFables, @Optimus_Mo

Insta: @flyestfables

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FlyestFables

Harlem Queen:

Based on the life of "Numbers Queen" Madame Stephanie St. Clair, this historical audio drama is full of sharp writing, bold characters, and gangsters during the Harlem Renaissance.

Twitter: @AudioHarlem

Insta: @harlemqueenaudiodrama

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/harlemqueen

Punishment Island:

A curious girl explores the dark, paranormal phenomena that live in the shadows of Kampala, Uganda, with an absolutely incredible, haunting narration. Captivating, eerie, and beyond beautiful.

Twitter: @punishmntisland

Insta: @punishmentisland

Vega: A Sci-Fi Adventure Podcast:

A futuristic fantasy action adventure that is wickedly smart, grippingly funny, with a charismatic narrator who will have you hanging on every last word.

Twitter: @vegapodcast, @IvuomaOkoro

Insta: @vegapodcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ivuomaokoro

Centered:

A yoga-themed audio drama centered (😉) around a recent college grad who's supposed to take over her mother's business, but begins dreaming of new possibilities for her life.

Twitter: @CenteredPodcast, @beandreadotcom

Insta: @centeredpodcast

Creator's Website: julywrites.contently.com

CARAVAN:

I think my heart is still beating a million miles an hour because of this steamy supernatural western. The creator, Tau Zaman, is unflinching, hilarious, and masterful.

Twitter: @CARAVANradio, @TauZaman

Insta: @caravanradio

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/caravanradio

Janus Descending:

Jordan Cobb is a prolific and powerful force of nature. This sci-fi horror about a malevolent presence beneath an alien planet will leave you gasping for air. Make sure to keep an eye out for her upcoming Primordial Deep 👀

Twitter: @JanusDescending, @inkphemeral, @PrimordialDeep

Insta: @nosuchthingradio

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nosuchthingproductions

Null/Void:

Multi-talented creator Cole Burkhardt brings you a sci-fi audio drama about a sinister tech company and the bold friends who dare to foil their malicious plans.

Twitter: @NullandVoidPod, @KingColeMiner

Cole's insightful podcast reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEB6QeGc5uQOGqKjsbu7byw

Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/kingcole

Boom: A Serial Drama:

Riveting, intense – this drama about love lost will rock you to your core, with a dauntless story and stellar performances.

Twitter: @ObserverPix, @fbeemcee

Insta: @observerpix

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ObserverPix

NIGHTLIGHT: A Horror Fiction Podcast:

This horror anthology series is written by Black writers and performed by Black actors. The writing will creep deep into your soul – these stories are perfectly crafted and addicting to listen to.

Twitter: @NightlightPod

Insta: nightlightpod

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nightlightpod

This is, of course, only scratching the surface – I encourage everyone to add more in the comments! Keep following, supporting, and amplifying the powerful voices of Black creators and artists.

[fibertuganda]

More of life in Uganda

Both Rob & I’s parents came out together to visit us in Uganda in January.  They spent the first few days of their trip with us here in Kisiizi; it was lovely to share our Ugandan lives with them, & for them to meet all our new friends.  By coincidence a lot of the other volunteers’ parents were also visiting around the same time, they enjoyed meeting each other & discussing their shared experience of having children volunteering in Uganda.  One evening during our parents time in Kisiizi I invited all the Ahumuza staff round for a Scottish themed evening, it was nice to spend some time with my colleagues outside of work, & for them to meet my family, & to experience some of my culture; the haggis which my parents had smuggled in was a big hit with everyone.  We even took them to Kisiizi Hospital to show them where we work, which is something you would never be able to do at home.  They particularly enjoyed visiting the paediatrics ward & handing out balloons to the children, which brought big smiles to both their faces, & those of the children.  We then sent them off to go on safari whilst we went to work, before we all met up again at Lake Bunyoni at the end of their trip.  We enjoyed a relaxing few days, at Lake Bunyoni hearing our parents reflections on their trip; we were relieved to find that they had thoroughly enjoyed the trip we had planned for them ...& that there hadn’t been any disagreements.  We went on a boat tour of Lake Bunyoni which included visiting punishment island; this is where in the past unmarried, pregnant girls would be left to die.  Our tour guide was the grandson of one of the few survivors of punishment island, after she was saved by a passing fisherman who she went on to have a long & happy marriage with.  We were honoured to go & visit this extraordinary women, & hear about her experience on punishment island, as part of our tour.  She & her family gave us the most amazing welcome, with all the generations performing traditional songs & dances for us.  

We debuted the outdoor cinema for Home Alone on Christmas Eve, & since then it has become a regular occurrence; we have shown lots of blockbusters & had lots of satisfied customers.  All viewings come complete with fairy lights, bunting, campfire, snacks & mulled wine.  One showing had the added excitement of a heavy downpour partway through that we all had to make a mad dash indoors for.

Kisiizi Hospital faced some challenges while we were there.  It was found that some members of staff had been stealing from the hospital, leading to several people being charged, which was really sad.  Interestingly with it being such a small hospital all of this played out in full awareness of all the staff.  The hospital also faced some financial difficulties with reduced government funding, & decreased amount of donations from the UK, due to Brexit, which unfortunately led to some members of staff being made redundant, including some we had developed friendships with, which was really difficult.

[tryerofpods]

Man, if life could get a good 20% less crunchy RN, that would be dandy! Ahh well...let's talk about Punishment Island (@punishmentisland ). Punishment island is a Ugandan horror story podcast. Much like Otis Jiry's Scary Tales Told in the Dark or short form anthology podcasts, this isn't a single narrative, Masembe tells a different tale each episode. From a miserable boarding school to a strange island where unwed mothers are abandon, it's more creepy supernatural horror than jump scares or the like. Like the fingers of a scary story walking up your back. Sad days that there have only been 5 episodes since 2019, so probably a #ghostpod #abandoncast , but Masembe, if you're still checking this IG, please 🙏 feel free to prove me wrong. 🙂 Either way, if you've got about 2 hours, you'll get through those episodes. I think they're worth it! So, if you like creepy fireside story type horror, African podcasts, or dark magical realism vibes, then Punishment Island is for you!

[fibertuganda]

Lake Bunyoni

We took a trip to the beautiful Lake Bunyoni for the weekend, with some of the other volunteers at Kisiizi Hospital.  We finished work at 5pm on Friday, & then took the two hour drive to the lake.  Our accommodation was on one of the many islands on the lake.  We arrived at the shores of the lake after dark on a wonderfully clear night, & then took a magical boat ride to our accommodation, under an amazing display of stars; we were able to see the milky way clearly, & spotted several shooting stars.  We stayed in a ‘geodome’, at Byoona Amagara eco-resort, which was a dome structure that was open to the lake side, meaning we could lie in bed & hear the birds even more clearly than normal, & admire the stunning views of the lake.  

The first day we rented a canoe, that was made from a hollowed out tree trunk, & eventually managed to paddle in a zig-zag line across to one of the other islands (steering proved challenging).  The other island had a rope swing that involved swinging from a high platform into the lake.  There were some initial nerves when we first climbed up onto the platform & realised just how far we were from the lake, but we all gave it a go in the end, & despite some near catastrophic jumps, we all survived to tell the tale. We also made good use of our new GroPro, making some cool videos of jumps, & capturing some of the fails.  

The next day we took a wildlife boat tour on the lake, & saw lots of exotic birds, & zebra, that inhabit one of the islands.  We also saw the island which was a lepor colony in the past, & 'punishment island', where unmarried pregnant women were left to die.  This was all topped off with great company, lots of good food & drink, & some epic games of charades.