Seats of Change

As a trainer, it was fulfilling to see fellows grasp the key concepts of solutions journalism, gender sensitive reporting, media ethics and field safety and translate them into compelling stories rooted in community perspectives. By integrating governance and policy issues into solutions-oriented narratives, the fellows brought the untold stories on the ground to life.

My name is Juliet Atellah. During the mentorship, I worked closely with community journalists as they began shifting from surface-level reporting to more evidence-based, data-driven storytelling, particularly in their approach to governance issues affecting women.

At the start, many relied heavily on interviews or AI-generated drafts, but through hands-on support, I guided them to use OSINT techniques to trace and verify information from public sources such as county budgets, land records, and policy documents. A powerful example emerged from Turkana, where a fellow reporting on women's access to land initially focused on personal testimonies, but together we explored available data and policy frameworks around land ownership and allocation, uncovering gaps between legal provisions and actual practice.

By the end of the mentorship, journalists were asking more critical questions, grounding their reporting in verified data, and confidently connecting governance decisions to their real impact on women's lives — reinforcing the importance of combining data, research, and community voices to produce solution, governance, and data-driven journalism.

It has been an absolute privilege to mentor the eight community journalists from Kilifi, Makueni, Turkana, and Nairobi through the Vice Versa Global mentorship program.

Throughout our sessions, these journalists demonstrated an incredible commitment to elevating local narratives. My focus was on equipping them with the tools of digital storytelling, specifically through the lens of data visualization. We explored how to take complex regional issues — from environmental shifts to local economic trends — and transform them into clear, compelling visual stories that resonate with their communities.

Seeing them bridge the gap between raw data and impactful journalism was inspiring. By mastering these digital techniques, they are now better positioned to combat misinformation and provide their audiences with the factual, data-driven clarity that modern reporting demands.

My name is Charity Kilei, a health and science journalist, and I am grateful to have participated in the fellowship program, which greatly enhanced my professional skills and knowledge.

Through the program, I gained valuable skills in gender reporting, data-driven journalism, and the use of artificial intelligence in research and storytelling. I learned how to apply gender analysis in health reporting to ensure inclusive and balanced coverage, how to interpret and use data to strengthen accuracy and credibility in my stories, and how AI tools can support research, analysis, and content development.

The fellowship has significantly strengthened my capacity as a health and science journalist and improved the quality and depth of my reporting.

I am Damaris Kiilu, a journalist who writes on health stories, with a focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and women's empowerment.

Through the Seats for Change Community Journalism Fellowship, I gained valuable skills in areas such as data visualization and solution journalism, among other reporting approaches. The training helped me improve how I research, interpret, and present stories in a more evidence-based and impactful way.

I applied these skills in developing two stories, where I used data to strengthen the reporting and adopted a solution journalism approach to highlight practical, community-driven responses to SRHR and women's empowerment challenges.

My name is Reginah Mwanza. A trained and accredited community journalist based in Turkana County, Kenya. I mostly report on governance and community issues, especially those affecting women.

Before the Seats of Change Project fellowship, I focused more on the problems in my stories. But now, I try to also highlight solutions and what is working. I have learned to use data better, and I ask more thoughtful questions — especially around women's role in leadership and governance.

While working in the community, I realized that many women are doing important work, but their stories are not often told. This experience helped me see governance stories differently, and I feel more confident when interviewing and telling these stories.

My name is Rey Bulambo, a media practitioner and refugee community journalist with a strong passion for amplifying the voices of refugees and vulnerable communities through written stories, audiovisual content, and documentaries.

I was privileged to participate in the Community Journalism Fellowship — an experience that greatly transformed the way I approach storytelling. I gained valuable skills in data journalism, data collection, and data visualization that strengthened the authenticity and impact of my work. I learned to organize complex data into clear, relatable narratives and gained practical training in story gathering, effective interviews, identifying strong angles, and focusing on issues that matter most to society.

One of the most important lessons was producing solution journalism stories — shifting from only highlighting problems to also reporting on responses, innovations, and successful initiatives that address community challenges. This approach has allowed me to tell balanced stories that inspire hope and encourage positive change.

My name is Victor Wanaswa, a human rights journalist based in Makueni County. The Seats of Change Journalism Fellowship has been a truly transformative experience for me.

Through the program, I gained valuable skills that have significantly improved my work, including the ability to produce impactful gender stories, break down complex data, and effectively incorporate data visualization into my reporting. These skills have strengthened my storytelling and enhanced the depth and credibility of my journalism.

I am sincerely grateful to Vice Versa Global for this opportunity, which has not only built my capacity but also empowered me to tell more compelling and meaningful stories.

My name is Beryl Beatrice Akinyi, a community journalist from Makueni County. I cover stories around women and governance.

I learnt a lot during the fellowship — from solution-based journalism, data visualization, and reporting for gender — and was able to incorporate these skills into the development of my stories. I was no longer highlighting problems but also solutions. I use statistics for data visualization to compare progress or challenges in a particular field, and I learned how to sensitively report about gender without causing alarm.

I am grateful for this fellowship from Vice Versa Global and I am looking forward to writing more stories using the knowledge I gained.

My name is Marion Kithi, a community journalist based in Kilifi County. I'm one of the fellows in the Community Journalism Fellowship program by Vice Versa Global and GIZ.

I participated in the 6-day training that provided knowledge of writing solution-oriented stories informed by accurate data — and more so about the leadership roles and achievements of women in governance and social change.

I utilized the new knowledge in developing my stories and telling them from data-driven angles and at a global perspective.

Hello, my name is Catherine Kamanga, and I come from Kilifi County. I am particularly passionate about producing human interest stories that highlight real-life experiences, challenges, and achievements within communities.

What stood out most for me during the Seats of Change training was the focus on data-driven storytelling, which opened my eyes to the power of using facts, statistics, and evidence to strengthen narratives and create more impactful stories. The training equipped me with valuable skills in data mining, especially in analysing leadership accountability among women leaders and assessing the outcomes of their contributions in society.

Through this experience, I gained a deeper understanding of how to combine human-centred storytelling with credible data to showcase the progress, challenges, and influence of women in leadership roles. I hope that with this newly acquired skill, I will be able to report more effectively on stories here in Kilifi and bring greater depth, accuracy, and impact to the issues affecting my community.