Africa Uncensored is an independent media house based in Kenya, dedicated to investigative journalism across the African continent. Through fearless reporting and in-depth analysis, it uncovers corruption, human rights abuses and societal issues that are often overlooked. Its mission is to empower citizens and hold people accountable for their actions.

Africa Uncensored, in partnership with Meru University of Science and Technology, hosted a two-day mentorship program for the Journalism and Communication students, from 4^th to 5^th April, 2024 at the Main Campus. The aim was clear: empower the students through insight into investigative journalism and storytelling that matters to society.

The event kicked off with an overview of Africa Uncensored’s vision, mission and objectives. Each team member, from Fact Checkers to Reporters, Project Managers to Digital Managers, Video Producers to Podcasters, Human Resource (HR) Officer to the Finance Manager, shared their role in crafting impactful stories. The key takeaway was the importance of teamwork, effective communication and dedication in achieving shared goals. It was a valuable lesson in building strong teams to drive meaningful change through journalism.

Throughout the mentorship journey from pre-production to post-production, students absorbed a wealth of skills. Fact-checking became a cornerstone, ensuring accuracy in news and articles. They further looked deeper into idea generation for investigative reporting and sharpened interviewing techniques, emphasizing on source protection. Cinematography skills empowered them to visually captivate audiences with creative stories. Podcasting, the creation and sharing of digital audio files, emerged as a powerful storytelling tool for everyone in the digital era.

Interacting with industry veterans behind notable investigative stories provided vital experience, motivating our students to strive smarter for future career aspirations.

Above all, Africa Uncensored’s mentorship program guided our students wholly towards their career path.