The Radio Workshop’s This Coal Life has won the International Documentary Association’s Award for Best Standalone Audio Documentary. The IDA Documentary Awards is the world’s most distinguished event dedicated exclusively to the documentary genre, celebrating, and honoring the year’s best nonfiction films and programs.

“This adds to a string of awards won earlier in the year,” says the team at Radio Workshop.

“We took home the Podcast & Radio Award at the One World Media Awards in London. We were finalists for both Best Documentary at the Ambies and Best Serialized Story at the Third Coast International Audio Festival. This Coal Life also aired on NPR’s daily news podcast Up First in September of this year,” the team adds.

This Coal Life follows the Skhosana family, which built their lives on coal. But South Africa is moving away from it in favour of greener, cleaner energy in what the government has called the ‘Just Transition’, says the podcast.

The world is watching to see how South Africa and families like the Skhosanas are going to pull it off. The episode tells the story of how the lives of coal families across the country are going to change drastically in the coming years, the team says.

“We’d like to thank the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group and the African Climate Foundations for their support in producing this story and congratulate the team on their incredible work — you’ve made us proud,” the podcast says.

“Thank you to the International Documentary Association for this recognition and for helping spotlight youth-reported stories from Africa,” the team concludes.

Individuals are encouraged to listen to the podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.