The Africa Feature Network

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

12 countries. One growing community of African journalists.

The Africa Feature Network now has a community of journalists in 🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇸🇸 South Sudan, 🇨🇲 Cameroon, 🇬🇭 Ghana, 🇲🇼 Malawi, 🇬🇲 The Gambia, 🇷🇼 Rwanda, 🇳🇬 Nigeria, 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso, 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone, 🇺🇬 Uganda and 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe.

When The AFN was founded, the ambition was never to build another platform where journalists simply follow an organisation and consume content. It was to build a community where a journalist in Nairobi can learn from a colleague in Accra, where a reporter in Juba can exchange ideas with one in Kigali, and where journalists working in different realities can find common ground, share what they are learning and help each other become better at the work.

That community is taking shape. The significance of 12 countries is not simply the number, but the people behind it: journalists who have chosen to connect, participate, learn and contribute to a growing African network. Across borders and different media environments, they are becoming part of a conversation about what journalism can contribute to the continent's progress.

We are still building, and there is much more to do. But the community is here, and it is growing.

12 countries and counting.

10/08/2026

Yesterday, the world marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. While the calendar day has passed, the conversation needs to keep going.

When you look at the data, the impact of indigenous communities is staggering. Over 476 million people, representing 5,000 distinct cultures, hold the keys to the vast majority of our planet's remaining biodiversity. They protect roughly 28% of the Earth's land surface—yet they make up less than 6% of the population, and face immense systemic and economic inequalities.

This year, the United Nations is spotlighting a beautiful, essential pillar of this resilience with the theme: “Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being.”

Indigenous midwives do far more than deliver babies. They are the actual guardians of culture. They preserve sacred traditional health systems, protect maternal well-being, and act as the literal bridge passing down language and identity to the next generation.

True sustainability and global progress can't just be corporate buzzwords. They require us to actively honor ancestral wisdom, protect land rights, and ensure indigenous voices are leading the conversations around climate and health.

As we look at our own goals this week, let’s make space to listen, learn, and amplify indigenous-led initiatives worldwide.

07/08/2026

On 7 August 1960, under the leadership of the country’s first President, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire gained independence from France, marking a defining moment in the nation’s history and its journey as a sovereign republic.

On this special day, we join the continent in wishing the people of Côte d’Ivoire a happy Independence Day.

Joyeuse Fête de l’Indépendance au peuple ivoirien. Que la paix, l’unité et le progrès continuent de guider la nation vers a brighter and more prosperous future. 🇨🇮

06/08/2026

The World Bank estimates that the world generates approximately 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, a figure projected to rise to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050 if current trends continue.

Behind these statistics are people and communities finding practical ways to respond.

In Nairobi's Njiru estate, Jacktech System Communication is turning discarded plastic into economic opportunities through recycling while creating jobs and promoting environmental sustainability.

Our correspondents in Kenya, Jacinta Atieno and Dahira Muhammed, spoke to Eunice Kapere and Jacob Ondere about their journey of building a recycling enterprise, the livelihoods it is creating, the lessons they have learned, and the challenges they continue to face as they work to expand their impact.

Watch the mini documentary: https://youtu.be/c0oyISEWQ7s?si=B4B7yrtbH5j5lM45

04/08/2026

How many strong story ideas have you shelved because you couldn't find the funding to report them?

For many journalists, the challenge isn't finding great stories. It's finding the resources to pursue them.

Grants, fellowships and editorial commissions have helped many reporters investigate complex issues, produce powerful documentaries and tell stories that might never have been published otherwise. The opportunities are there, but knowing where to find them and how to apply successfully makes all the difference.

Join us for the Africa Feature Network's August Solutions Journalism Webinar as we unpack what it takes to secure these opportunities.

Topic: How to Successfully Pitch and Secure Grants, Fellowships and Editorial Commissions

Our guest trainer is Ms. Cynthia Gichiri, Senior Reporter at Africa Uncensored and a Bertha Challenge Fellow 2025. Cynthia has built a distinguished career in investigative journalism, producing impactful investigations including The Seed Syndicate, Fertile Deception, and Poison PR. She will share practical lessons from her own experience securing fellowships and developing successful story pitches.

During the session, we will discuss:
• Where to find grants, fellowships and editorial commissions.
• What makes a story pitch stand out.
• How to prepare stronger applications.
• Common mistakes that weaken otherwise promising submissions.

The session will be moderated by Mr. Akere Maimo, Director, Central Africa, The Africa Feature Network.

Date: Friday, 7 August 2026
Time: 8:00 PM – 9:20 PM (EAT)

If you've been looking for practical guidance on funding your journalism, this conversation is for you.

Register here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2lnfyEGZgkrTiIrDRDTKCc0bl2vkiv1Whwt8r3KSTgkbUiA/viewform?usp=header

We look forward to having you with us.

31/07/2026

The robot is powered by solar energy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for farm automation, with a broader goal to address labour loss and low precision. The machine is equipped with an AI-driven computer system with soil and atmospheric sensors to analyse weather patterns, soil conditions and crop history to forecast yields or disease outbreaks. This will enable farmers to plan ahead of a crisis.

On his farm, in the scorching Ghanaian heat, Mr John Akaribo spends hours, bent in the field, swinging his cutlass in an all-too-familiar battle against tall

31/07/2026

For over 8 years now, Mary has been converting water hyacinth into charcoal briquettes, a practice which she says, apart from producing clean fuel, is aimed at providing an alternative to traditional wood charcoal, which largely contributes to deforestation across the country. Mary’s project, she says, apart from suppressing the deteriorating effects of climate change in the region, is aimed at fast-tracking the ambitious 10-year government plan of achieving 15 billion trees by 2032 and boosting Kenya’s forest cover by 30%

The shores of Lake Victoria, where fishermen once docked after a smooth sail in the deep waters, are no longer accessible. Water hyacinth, a fast-spreading