Building partnerships, sharing knowledge, and strengthening digital media ecosystems across East Africa
Last week, RNW Media’s team was in Nairobi, Kenya, for a week filled with collaboration, research, and innovation. The visit brought together partners, experts, and media-makers to advance gender equality, wellbeing, and digital safety in Kenya’s online spaces.
* From the left: Surabhi Srivastava, Director of Media Innovation – Wouter van Tongeren, RNW Media’s CEO – Moseti Nyamwange – Partnerships and Programmes Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa
Day 1: Examining Anti-Gender Narratives in Digital Media
Together with our research partners, Meza Yetu Collective, we expanded on the findings from our ongoing research on anti-gender narratives in Kenya’s digital media space. The discussions helped identify actors, topics, and trends dominating online discourse and explored ways to build counter and alternative narratives that promote gender equality and rights online in Kenya (and beyond).
Day 2: Spotlight on Mental Health of Media-Makers
We hosted a consultation workshop on the mental health and wellbeing of journalists and digital media makers in Kenya — the first-of-its-kind study in East Africa.
Bringing together 40 experts from the media and mental health sectors, the workshop offered evidence-informed insights and practical strategies to strengthen mental health support for media professionals, both online and offline.
Days 3–5: Fellowship on Reporting Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)
RNW Media co-hosted a five-day fellowship where journalists, content creators, and advocates explored how to report on TFGBV through a rights-based, gender-sensitive, and survivor-centred lens. Participants produced impactful content from personal stories and radio features to poetry, amplifying voices and driving awareness of this growing issue.
Media Council Kenya and RNTC Partner to Create a Regional Media Skills Development & Innovation Hub
The Media Council of Kenya and RNTC (Radio Netherlands Training Centre) have signed a pact to establish a Regional Media Skills Development and Innovation Hub in Kenya. The Hub will provide high-quality, inclusive, and forward-looking training programs for journalists, digital content creators, media practitioners, and communications professionals across East Africa.
“We believe that media is a cornerstone of healthy, informed societies. Together with the council, we are investing in the journalists, storytellers, and media leaders, whose work shapes public dialogue and strengthens democracy across the region”, he said.
– Wouter van Tongeren, the CEO of RNW Media,
Read the press release here.
Strengthening Partnerships
Throughout the week, we also met with key partners and allies including:
Media Council of Kenya, Baraza Media Lab, Open Society Foundations, UNESCO, Africa Uncensored, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kenya.
Together, we’re working to build safer, more reliable, and inclusive digital media spaces.
A Week of Impact and Inspiration
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this impactful week of knowledge-sharing, innovation, and partnership building, and special appreciation to our team members Wouter van Tongeren, Surabhi Srivastava, and Sam Moseti Nyamwange for leading these efforts.
Would you like to know more about each activity? Our social media team has created a beautiful LinkedIn carousel that takes you through what we did, along with our insights and reflections from the week.