Call for Applications: The 2025 MSF Eastern Africa Media Fellowship Program
Closing Date: 19 September 2025
Call for Applications: The MSF Eastern Africa Media Fellowship Program
Overview
The Medecins Sans Frontieres / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Eastern Africa Media Fellowship Program aims to support and empower journalists to tell compelling and impactful stories about pressing humanitarian issues that MSF is responding to in Eastern Africa. Launched in 2024, the fellowship supports journalists with skills, resources and access to MSF projects that will enable them to produce high-quality, nuanced narratives that shine a light on critical health issues and humanitarian challenges across Eastern Africa.
The MSF Eastern Africa Media Fellowship Program is an initiative designed to empower and collaborate with journalists committed to covering critical humanitarian and health issues across the region. By providing fellows with financial support, specialised training, and unique access to MSF’s field operations and medical expertise, the program aims to deepen the quality and impact of reporting on underreported crises, from conflict and displacement to infectious disease outbreaks and malnutrition. This fellowship serves as a vital bridge between the humanitarian world and the media, fostering a network of informed journalists who can bring much-needed visibility to emergencies.
How does it work?
- Successful applicants will be invited to a full-day workshop facilitated by a respected media professional.
- After the workshop, participants will submit story pitches based on their interests.
- Journalists with selected pitches will receive support to report on humanitarian stories from the region.
Why Apply for the Fellowship?
The MSF Eastern Africa Media Fellowship Program provides journalists in East Africa with a chance to get a first-hand glimpse into various humanitarian and health interventions in the region. Fellows will receive:
- Training from media and communication professionals on covering humanitarian stories
- A reporting grant to cover the costs for the project visits
- Access to relevant experts and to MSF projects to support their coverage of the story
Thematic Focus Areas
- Maternal Health
- HIV Response
- Emergency Response
- Mental Health
- SGBV/Reproductive Health
- Vaccines/Access to drugs
- Refugee Health
- Health and Climate change
- Malnutrition
Fellowship Background
The MSF Eastern Africa Media Fellowship was initiated in 2024, aiming at journalists in Kenya. More than 400 journalists applied for this opportunity. The first edition included a full-day workshop led by Rachael Akidi, after which participants submitted their pitches. Ultimately, three successful journalists received reporting grants to cover humanitarian stories from Kenya and South Sudan.
General eligilibity criteria
- The fellowship is open to journalists based and publishing in the region (refer to specific country).
- All applicants must have a minimum of 3 years of work experience and provide a reference letter from an editor or a senior journalist/media expert.
- All applicants must send a letter demonstrating an interest in any of the thematic tracks, with links to three recently published stories.
- Applicants must be affiliated to a media organisation or, if working as a freelance, must be accredited by their relevant regulator with proof of accreditation/affiliation.
- Applicants must commit to travel for content collection and to publish within the fellowship timelines.
Click Here To Apply
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