The Africa Feature Network

11/09/2026

This is the story of Jipange Eco Champion Self Help Group, a community initiative that is using bamboo to address plastic waste while creating economic opportunities for young people and women

Inside, five young people—two women and three men—are immersed in their work. A young man in a red T-shirt takes measurements around a cut bamboo pole, while

11/09/2026

While much of the world is in 2026, Ethiopia begins a new year under the Ethiopian calendar, one of the country’s distinctive cultural traditions.

As the new year begins, The Africa Feature Network wishes the people of Ethiopia peace, progress, opportunity and renewed hope.

Happy New Year, Ethiopia!

From all of us at The Africa Feature Network.

10/09/2026

We cannot prevent su***de by speaking about it only when another life is lost.

In many parts of Africa, people experiencing severe psychological distress still face stigma, limited access to mental health care and social environments where asking for help is difficult. Behind the statistics are people dealing with pressures that are often much bigger than what they can carry alone.

This is why su***de prevention must go beyond telling people to “be strong” or “seek help.”

Mental health services need to be accessible and responsive. Schools and workplaces need to take psychological wellbeing seriously. Families and communities need to recognise distress before it becomes a crisis. Public policy must also confront some of the social and economic pressures that can leave people without hope.

The media has a responsibility too.

A su***de should never become a spectacle or simply another headline. Responsible journalism protects dignity, avoids harmful reporting practices and directs public attention towards prevention, available support and the circumstances in which people are struggling.

There is no single cause of su***de, and there is no single solution.

But silence has never been one of them.

This year's theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” asks us to move away from silence and stigma and towards open, informed conversations. The call to action is simple: Start the Conversation.

Today, The Africa Feature Network joins the call for stronger prevention, greater understanding and communities where people can speak about their struggles without shame or fear.

Sometimes, saving a life begins with taking someone seriously.

09/09/2026

Pupils at the library built by Mukasa Foundation at Kasyamba village. Photo: Mukasa Foundation.

08/09/2026

This year marks the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, celebrated under the theme “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity.” Six decades after the day was established, at least 739 million young people and adults worldwide still lack basic literacy skills. In Africa, only 10.8% of children achieve minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics by the end of primary school.

Across Africa, efforts to address the learning crisis are increasingly focused on what works in classrooms: structured teaching, better learning materials, practical support for teachers and stronger assessment of children's progress. Kenya's Tusome programme, for example, demonstrated significant gains in early-grade reading and offers lessons on how targeted interventions can improve foundational learning at scale.

The theme for this year's International Literacy Day recognises that literacy is closely connected to opportunity, livelihoods, inclusion and sustainable development. The Africa Feature Network calls for sustained investment in proven approaches and stronger efforts to take effective solutions to scale so that every child and adult has the opportunity to acquire the skills needed to learn, participate and thrive.

Literacy is a foundation for people, prosperity and a sustainable future.

31/08/2026

WE’RE LOOKING FOR A VOLUNTEER

VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS DESIGNER

We are looking for a Visual Communications Designer to lead the development of visual content for our journalism, campaigns, publications and digital platforms.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Design graphics for social media and digital platforms.

Develop visual materials for campaigns and advocacy initiatives.

Design and format publications, reports, journals and other communication materials.

Create infographics and other visual storytelling materials.

Produce creative materials for organisational programmes and initiatives.

REQUIREMENTS

Demonstrable skills and experience in graphic and visual communication design.

Proficiency in relevant design tools and software.

Strong creative and visual storytelling abilities.

Ability to work independently and meet agreed deadlines.

Good understanding of digital and social media content.

A portfolio demonstrating previous design work is required.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should send their CV and portfolio to:

[email protected]

On or before 10 September 2026

We welcome applications from talented creatives across Africa.

31/08/2026

More than 200 million people of African descent live in the Americas alone, with millions more across Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Across generations and continents, people of African descent have shaped politics, science, culture, business, sport and the arts, while carrying a history deeply connected to Africa.

The International Day for People of African Descent is a recognition of that history, identity and contribution — but also a reminder of the work that remains. Racism, discrimination and inequality continue to affect communities of African descent, making the pursuit of recognition, justice and equal opportunity as important as ever. The 2026 observance is centred on expanding the human rights of people of African descent and advancing meaningful change.

31/08/2026

Joining our network of journalists from across Africa is Jean de Dieu Ndikumasabo. He joins us as the Journalism Lead, Burundi Chapter.

Mr.Jean de Dieu is a multimedia and investigative journalist based in Burundi, bilingual in French and English. Since 2017, he has worked at the Burundi News Agency (ABP), where he serves as a reporter, webmaster, editor and fact-checker.

His main areas of focus include public health, rare diseases, mental health and the environment, alongside disinformation, digital transformation, Internet governance and artificial intelligence.

He has participated in several international journalism, health and digital technology programmes, including the Digital Media to Counter Disinformation and Hate Speech Scholarship at the Radio Netherlands Training Centre Worldwide (RNTC) in Haarlem, the National Press Foundation Fellowship on rare diseases, the African Disease Reporting Fellowship and the Digital Public Infrastructure Journalism Fellowship.

He has covered major international events, including the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar, in 2023, and the Internet Governance Forum in Lillestrøm, Norway, in 2025.

In 2024, he contributed to research and reporting on rare diseases through three published articles in Living with RARE Disease Worldwide, Volume 3. He is also a fact-checking trainer and, in 2024, designed and delivered a training programme for 15 journalists from community radio stations in Burundi.

Jean brings together experience in journalism, fact-checking, data and digital innovation, with a commitment to producing accurate, useful and public-interest journalism.

Join us in welcoming Jean Ndikumasabo to The Africa Feature Network

31/08/2026

It's happening this Friday. Don't miss out

Have you registered for our September Solutions Journalism Webinar?

We are bringing journalists together for a practical conversation on how to go beyond reporting that a response exists and examine whether it is actually working.

Our guest trainer, Dahlia Kholaif, is a seasoned Egyptian journalist and editor with extensive international media experience. She has worked with Bloomberg News, Al Jazeera English, The Wall Street Journal and Global Voices and is an experienced advocate and trainer in solutions journalism.

The webinar will take place on Friday, 4 September 2026, from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM EAT and will be held virtually.

Dahlia will explore how journalists can find and verify evidence, assess impact, identify limitations and report on solutions while maintaining journalistic independence and accountability.

The session will be led by Jemima Achivors, Journalism Lead, Ghana Chapter, The Africa Feature Network.

If you want to strengthen how you investigate and report responses to Africa’s pressing challenges, this conversation is for you.

Register here:

https://forms.gle/4UGrPMgxxbPDqffs7

31/08/2026

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Leocadia Bongben as Journalism Lead, Cameroon Chapter at The Africa Feature Network.

Leocadia is an award-winning freelance multimedia science and solutions journalist based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with 15 years of journalism experience and a strong focus on health and environmental reporting.

In 2024, she won the Grand Prize at the second edition of the Emerging Health Technologies (EHTs) Media Award of Excellence. She is also a 2025 Earth Journalism Network 30x30 Marine Conservation Target grantee and a 2026 marine resource exploitation grantee.

Leocadia has extensive experience in solutions journalism and data-driven reporting. She was a 2021 WanaData Fellow focusing on COVID-19 vaccination and was runner-up for the national COVID-19 reporting award. She was also a 2021 Solutions Journalism mentee, with her work featured on the Solutions Journalism Network’s Solutions Story Tracker.

A graduate of the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication, Leocadia is a former BBC Pidgin News reporter. Her bylines include SciDev.Net, Nigeria Health Watch, Global Voices, Mongabay and Orato.

She is also the coordinator of Cameroon Factfinder, an online media outlet, and founded Under the Kola Nut Tree, a solutions journalism club created to encourage journalism that explores responses to the challenges facing communities.

As Journalism Lead, Cameroon Chapter, Leocadia will lead The Africa Feature Network’s journalism activities in Cameroon, bringing her extensive experience in science, health, environmental and solutions journalism to the chapter.

Join us in welcoming Leocadia Bongben to The Africa Feature Network