Programme details
- Nairobi Workshop: 15–17 July 2026
- Kisumu Workshop: 21–23 July 2026
- Online Masterclasses: 27, 29 July and 3, 5 August 2026 (TBC)
- Application Deadline: 25 June 2026
- Location: Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya
About the programme
Kenya’s civic information ecosystem is changing rapidly. Audiences are increasingly turning to both journalists and digital creators for news, civic education, accountability content, and political commentary. At the same time, storytellers face growing risks: misinformation, AI-generated content, online harassment, legal threats, political pressure, burnout, and shrinking resources.
The Preparing Kenya’s Storytellers for 2027 Elections and Beyond programme will bring together journalists and digital content creators — including influencers, podcasters, bloggers, community media practitioners, and civic storytellers — to strengthen information integrity, digital safety, election preparedness, and collaborative civic storytelling ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
Through practical training, peer learning, mentorship, and collaborative production, the programme will support participants to produce accurate, ethical, engaging, and trusted civic content for Kenyan audiences, while protecting their mental wellbeing and legal and digital safety.
Central to the programme are two Creator–Journalist Labs — in Nairobi and Kisumu — designed to explore new forms of collaboration between these two vital groups of information actors.
Each three-day Lab will culminate in a Community Salon, where members of the wider media ecosystem and public come together for an evening of live discussion, content feedback, and debate.
Programme structure
| Component | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Three-day Workshop and Community Salon | 15-17 July | Nairobi |
| Three-day Workshop and Community Salon | 21-23 July | Kisumu |
| Four Online Masterclasses and Peer Networking (90 mins each) | 27, 29 July; 3, 5 August (TBC) | Online |
Story Production Grants: Two grants of £500 each will be awarded on a competitive pitch basis to one Creator–Journalist pair from Nairobi and one from Kisumu. Grants will be split equally between the journalist and creator in each pair.
Inner-city transport subsidies will be provided, along with refreshments and meals throughout the in-person workshops.
What you will gain
Selected participants will take part in a practical, collaborative learning programme and gain access to a networking/networked space for enhancing partnerships, peer learning and support.
Topics will include:
- Election reporting and civic storytelling
- Verification and factchecking
- AI-generated misinformation and deepfakes
- Digital safety and account protection
- Legal risks, defamation, and regulatory awareness
- Ethical storytelling and editorial standards
- Audience engagement and trust-building
- Collaborative production and co-created explainers
- Mental health, burnout, and psychosocial safety
- Monetisation, sustainability, and professional credibility
Participants will also have access to:
- Online Masterclasses on selected topics
- Peer-learning sessions
- Opportunities to co-produce civic content
- A competitive story production grant of £500 (awarded to one Creator–Journalist pair per city)
Who should apply?
This call is open to journalists and digital content creators based in Nairobi or Kisumu, including:
- Journalists
- Digital creators and influencers
- Podcasters and bloggers
- Community media practitioners
- Civic storytellers and advocates
- Fact-checkers and verification-focused storytellers
- Youth and community organisers producing civic content
Applicants may be working independently as freelancers, within newsrooms, in community media, or across digital platforms.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be based in Nairobi or Kisumu
- Maintain editorial independence and have no affiliation with any political party or political interest
- Have an experimental mindset and be willing to explore new partnerships, content formats, and platforms
- Be able to commit to attending all in-person workshop days and all online masterclasses
- Come prepared with a story or content idea to develop collaboratively with a journalist or creator partner
How to apply
Complete the application form before Thursday, 25 June 2026.
If you have any difficulties applying, please contact Light Juma at [email protected]
When applying, you will be asked to provide:
- Links to recent work samples (social media handles, articles, videos, podcasts, or other content)
- A brief description of your work and the audiences you serve
- A civic or election-related story idea you would like to develop
We will not share your story ideas with anyone outside the selection team.
Details
Apply by 25 June 2026
15 July-5 August
Countries
Kenya