The first cohort of AUMF fellows

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As the first cohort of AUMF fellows, the 15 selected journalists from the continent benefited from direct access to various African Union institutions and had the opportunity for on-the-ground reporting on the AU's work around the Agenda 2063 strategic aspirations. The AUMF fellows received support from senior mentors and institutions to produce their final projects.

1. Séverin AlegaMbele–Cameroon

A skilled journalist, reporter, and audio-visual producer with a strong interest in development projects focusing on human capital and using ICT-based programmes to increase access to education and empower rural communities in Africa.

2. Jeanine Fankam-Cameroon

With 20 years of experience as a journalist, including five years in private and fifteen in the public press, this award-winning writer currently works for Africa Information at the Cameroun Tribune. Her writing covers various topics, including current affairs, culture, trade, and agriculture.

3. Aïssatou Fofana–Coted'ivoire

A media entrepreneur who has gained professional experience in various media formats, such as print media, online press and magazines, has worked with national companies and international organisations. A blogger since 2015 and a freelance journalist since 2016, creating content for numerous platforms and online media. Recently she joined a media website to amplify stories centred around gender and climate change.

4. Osei Kwame-Ghana

A freelance voiceover artist and filmmaker with a background in radio broadcasting. He is passionate about sharing powerful stories from Africa that showcase the true beauty of its people, history and culture. His goal is to educate and preserve these essential aspects of African heritage.

5. Yasser Machat-Tunisia

An Educational content creator who has amassed over 350,000 followers on various social media platforms. Additionally, with three years of experience as a Digital Communication Specialist working with media agencies and international NGOs. He is enthusiastic about digital transformation, data protection, and promoting internet inclusion.

6. Amira Sayed–Egypt

An award-winning journalist based in Cairo with expertise in environmental and foreign affairs. Since 2013, she has written high-quality articles on various topics, including politics, society, environment, and culture. She contributes to multiple international news organisations and has been a member of Press Syndicate since 2015. Her interests lie in climate change, climate adaptation, and agricultural innovation.

7. Sadou Alize Mouktar–Niger

A journalist based in Niger with over seven years of experience working with various media outlets to cover topics such as trade, politics, migration and sports across the continent.

8. Nila Yasmin Faisal–Uganda

An accomplished journalist, TV and documentary producer and co-founder of GLIM – a media company that empowers and celebrates women. She is also a producer at Media 256, which shoots and produces CNN Africa programs. Additionally, she freelances for EuroNews. Her outstanding work with GLIM earned her an African Women in Media award and a 2021 Digital Equality award nomination.

9. Cecilia Maundu–Kenya

A versatile expert in digital security. She is a broadcaster, holistic security trainer, researcher, and user experience (UX) specialist. She focuses on developing a comprehensive approach to digital security by leading training on feedback collection and evaluating the effectiveness of online security tools. Her expertise lies at the intersection of media, technology, and internet governance.

10. Johnson Kanamugire – Rwanda

A multimedia journalist who specialises in public interest reporting. Throughout his career, he has produced compelling stories on issues about the daily struggles of ordinary people in Rwanda and other parts of East Africa. Presently, he is working on content creation for the Rwanda Post, a newly established platform.

11. Esther Namuhisa – Tanzania

She is a media expert and strategist with over 10 years of experience working for Tanzania's national and international broadcasting organisations. She has contributed stories to BBC Africa's live page, Focus on Africa radio, and Newsday. Her skills include video and audio editing as well as camera operation. She is a Kiswahili journalist with a passion for writing about Agriculture.

12. Sally Nyakanyanga – Zimbabwe

A highly experienced journalist determined to uncover and deliver impactful stories. She has held various roles in academia and media, including Communications Officer, Project Coordinator, Lecturer, and Journalist. Her focus is on reporting about African development, particularly issues related to infrastructure, agriculture, politics, and health matters.

13. Areff Samir – South Africa

A highly acclaimed radio producer, comedian, and trailblazer in podcasting. His podcast showcases the inspiring stories of African individuals making a significant impact in their respective industries. It is widely popular throughout the African continent. Furthermore, he has also created People of Colour Podcasts (POC Podcasts), which assist in highlighting and amplifying the diverse voices of Africans.

14. Carien Du Plessis – South Africa

A journalist and author reporting on South African politics, foreign policy, and other related topics for over 20 years. She covers various events such as elections, regional and world summits and multilateral institutions. Her most recent accomplishment is authoring a book about Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, a South African politician.