With the month of Ramadan little over three days away, VOC will be embarking on a record 136 outside broadcasts (OB) during the month ahead. The number far outstrips that of previous years, with the station intensifying its efforts to integrate with the community, and listeners at a grassroots level.

The number incorporates over 120 prayer broadcasts, including 30 Salatul Layl, Tahajud, Fajr and Taraweeh OB’s each, as well as 4 Jumuah OB’s. It also includes 28 commercials OB’s, and 4 broadcasts of the stations renowned Ahlan Wa Sahlan outreach project.

The Ahlan Wa Sahlan initiative, which is in its 15th year, will see VOC’s OB team visit mosques in four underprivileged communities across the city. Here a collective khatam al-Quran will be facilitated, as well as relief distributed to the destitute.

The broadcasts will take place at the Masjid us-Saabiereen in Macassar on July 29th, followed by the Masjid ul-Irshaad in Woodlands on the 6th. On the 13th the team will be at Masjied ul Nasriellah in Belhar, before concluding the following week at Masjied Almarkaz al-Islam, in Kalksteenfontein. The programme will take place every Sunday, between Asr and Maghrib.

VOC will also be embarking on an intense Taraweegh OB programme, with the station scheduled to visit over 29 different masajid across the region over the next month. The Taraweeh programme will start off at the Paarl masjid, and will visit mosques in areas like Mitchells Plain, Athlone, Belville, Cravenby and Landsdowne, to name but a few. They will also be visiting the Auwal masjid for consecutive days on the 21st and 22nd, and Masjid ur-Rawbie on the 23rd and 24th. The broadcasts will conclude with an Eid Salah OB at the Goodwood Mosque.

Jumuah broadcasts for the month will take place at Mosques in Diep River, Ottery, Brooklyn amongst others.

VOC Programmes Manager Mishka Darries, called on the community to come out in their numbers to the various events.

“Our aim is to bring Ramadaan to the community in which you live. We’re urging our listeners to join us for all OB’s especially the religious outside broadcasts and support our commercial clients as well. Two teams are working tirelessly to ensure all outside broadcasts are of the best quality and content insha-Allah,” she said.

Stay tuned to vocfm.co.za for a more comprehensive list of the various OB’s the station will be undertaking during the month ahead. VOC (Mubeen Banderker)