They say tough times often bring out the best in people but not so with BW local musicians.
Speaking to Voice Entertainment this week, Duma FM Sales and Marketing Manager, Georginah Koboto-Sakarea revealed they sent a proposal to Spar management in March when the industry initially shut down.
“We work with Spar every year, but this time around we suggested to them that we should look into the plight of local musicians who were not making any money due to the Covid-19 regulations,” explained Koboto-Sakarea.
She said the selection of who should receive a voucher has been left to the public, through a call-in programme.
“It’s open and transparent. Our listeners live with these artists and they know their struggles, so they call in and suggest names until there’s a consensus on one name. We give away a P1, 000 Spar voucher to a single artist every day, from Monday to Friday. So far in nine weeks, we have given away P45, 000 worth of vouchers,” she said, adding the initiative is left with two weeks to run.
Ultimately, 55 artists will benefit from the scheme at a total cost of P55, 000.
“One thing that we also picked during the selection process by our listeners is that they forget some of the old stars and music pioneers. This is probably because they’re no longer in the limelight! But we’ve found a way of ensuring that they also don’t miss out on these vouchers,” she said.
The Duma FM Sales and Marketing Manager further said she was pleased that even some of the more prominent artists have embraced the gesture whenever they’re called to receive their vouchers.
“All artists have been affected regardless of their status and there’s no need to be shy. At the end of the day we all need food!” she stressed.
However, Koboto-Sakarea admitted she was slightly disappointed by the lack of hype being generated on social media, noting none of the artists had publically acknowledged the initiative.
“Sometimes a little thank you goes a long way. We don’t know how long this Covid-19 thing will take, and we may have to go back to Spar to ask for some more assistance. So it’d be nice to see people talking about this good initiative by Spar and Duma FM,” she concluded.
