Her Media Diary

Amie Joof is a journalist, activist, and women’s rights advocate, with over 35 years of experience. Madame Joof discusses her passion for journalism, her commitment to gender equality, and the importance of mentorship in empowering the next generation of women leaders. She also shares insights into the challenges and triumphs of advocating for women's rights in the media landscape. She stresses th...

Gloria Edukere is a talented writer, advocacy specialist and corporate communications expert from Nigeria. She found her passion for writing at a young age, often retreating under the dining table to craft her stories. This early love for writing laid the foundation for her successful career in corporate communication. Gloria discusses her career path, sharing how she transitioned from writing poe...

Melkamsew Selomon is a journalist with over 15 years of experience and also a Board Member of the Ethiopian Media Women Association (EMWA).Melkam shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Addis Ababa to becoming a prominent journalist and advocate for gender equality in media. She discusses her early life challenges, her pursuit of education, and her transition into journalism. Melkam's path...

Mwape Kumwenda is an accomplished journalist and co-founder of Crown TV, Zambia with over 1o years of experience. She shares her experience growing up in Kabwe, Zambia where she witnessed firsthand the vulnerabilities faced by women and girls in her community. This early exposure to gender-based violence fueled her passion for justice, initially leading her to aspire to become a lawyer. However, c...

Sarah Mawerere is a senior broadcast journalist at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC). She shares her experience growing up in the rural Busoga Region of Uganda, where she faced numerous challenges, including the loss of both parents at a young age. Despite these hardships, she pursued her dream of becoming a journalist, inspired by the voices she heard on Radio Uganda as a child. The Kigali De...

Regine Akalikumutima is a remarkable teacher turned media owner and gender activist from Rwanda. She shares her personal experiences and involvement in the Kigali Declaration, a pivotal step in combating gender-based violence in media across AfricaHer journey into media was sparked by the challenges she observed as a teacher. Many of her students struggled with issues stemming from their home envi...

Pamella Makotsi is a prominent Kenyan journalist and media executive with a career spanning over two decades. Pamella shares her inspiring journey from a humble upbringing in Kenya to becoming a prominent figure in the journalism world. She discusses the impact of her large family on her confidence. She also talks about how her early experiences sparked her passion for journalism. Subscribe to Her...

Sophia Kudjordji is a Ghanaian Corporate Communications expert with a rich background that spans over two decades. In this episode, Sophia shares her journey, challenges, and the lessons learned along the way, from her dynamic childhood in Ghana to becoming one of the top ten most influential women who have risen to the top in journalism and public relations. Subscribe to Her Media Diary now on yo...

Asmaa James is a renowned journalist, activist, and philanthropist from Sierra Leone with over 20 years of experience in broadcast journalism, management and advocacy for women's rightsIn this episode, Asmaa shares her journey from being a volunteer in a local radio station to rising through the ranks to become a ​presenter, ​producer, ​editor ​of ​the ​day, ​and station ​manager and ultimately es...

Introducing Her Media Diary, a podcast where Dr Yemisi Akinbobola speaks to some of the most influential women leaders in media. From personal experiences of workplace dynamics to burning global issues like climate change, food security, and peacebuilding. Her Media Diary tackles these topics and more. Bringing you first-person accounts and solutions from across the world. Her Media Diary podcast...

Rosebell Kagumire is a trained journalist, rights advocate, digital strategist, public speaker and award-winning blogger, with expertise in human rights, gender, peace and conflict issues. In this episode, Rosebell recounts the challenges and dangers she faced as a young female journalist reporting from the front lines in South Sudan. These experiences exposed her to the harsh realities of war and...

Peace Hillary is an accomplished Rwandan journalist with over 20 years of experience in the media profession. She currently serves as the Managing Director of Family Magazine, which focuses on gender issues, family promotion, women’s empowerment, combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and family conflicts. Peace shares her journey from surviving the Rwandan genocide, to becoming a prominent voice...

Phathiswa Magopeni is a South African-born media personality, and former Head of News and Current Affairs at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for the SABC. Phathiswa recounts her journey from her early life in rural South Africa, through her university years, and into her impactful career at SABC. She opens up about the struggles she faced, t...

Her Media Diary Episode 24: "Honing the Craft" with Eugenia Abu Eugenia Abu is a distinguished broadcaster, author, media consultant, and one of Nigeria’s finest broadcasters and compères renowned for anchoring the 9:00 pm news on the Nigerian Television Authority for seventeen years. Eugenia’s advice to aspiring broadcasters is clear: focus on the craft, be patient, and always be prepared. These...

Kim Fox is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JRMC) at The American University in Cairo (AUC) Egypt. She primarily teaches Audio Production and other journalism courses, and her research interests include Podcasting, Audio, Radio, Media Representation, Teaching with Technology, and Social Media. Her story speaks to media professionals who have either tr...

Dr Sarah Macharia is a gender equality champion, women’s rights advocate, and the global coordinator of the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), which is the world’s longest-running initiative focused on researching and promoting gender equality in media. This episode unpacks the slow pace of change despite extensive efforts in advocacy and training, and the need to embrace incremental progress...

Professor Nancy Booker is an Associate Professor and the Dean at the Graduate School of Media and Communications, The Aga Khan University, Kenya. Her story speaks to women and media scholars who understand the need to show up regardless of how inconvenient it might be, just to ensure that they are seen and heard by people who might just need their presence as an assurance that it is actually possi...

Prof Lilian Atanga is an accomplished scholar and researcher in Gender and Discourse Studies. Her research interests lie at the intersection of language, gender, politics, and the media in African contexts. Prof Atanga’s story speaks to all media scholars and educators who have made their marks in the industry and to prospectives who wish to make a positive impact on their communities through gend...

Comfort Mussa is a prolific, multi-award-winning Cameroonian journalist with over 15 years of experience covering underreported stories, with a special focus on issues affecting women and girls. Comfort's story speaks to all women out there who experience any form of chastisement for speaking up for themselves and refusing to conform to social constructs. She strongly advocates the need for female...

Annonciata Byukusenge is a multimedia journalist with 12 years of experience. She holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Communication from the University of Rwanda and a certificate in Media Management from Women in News. She has worked with a number of media houses and NGOs including rwandanews24 and theforefrontmagazine. In this episode, Annonciata talks about her passion for environmental...

Annie Zulu is an accomplished freelance journalist with a remarkable career in the media industry spanning over 7 years. She has earned numerous awards for her outstanding contribution to Journalism. Her focus is on investigative stories that are often underreported, particularly those that address issues affecting women, children, climate change, and the environment. In this episode, Annie shares...

Marverine Cole is a multi-award-winning broadcaster and journalist with over 30 years of experience working as a reporter and news anchor for the UK’s leading media stations including the BBC She has produced several radio documentaries, including Black Girls Don’t Cry which earned her ‘Journalist of the Year’ at the Mind Media Awards in 2019. In this episode, Marverine shares her journey up the m...

Verah Okeyo is an award-winning journalist, communications manager, and media trainer with over ten years of experience covering global health with a focus on maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and underrepresented communities. In this episode, Verah shares her journey from her childhood to the newsroom while battling with clinical depression. She shares the strategies she developed t...

Adelle Onyango is a Kenyan media personality, podcaster and founder of the Adelle Onyango Initiative, an organisation that empowers youth and provides psycho-social support to African women survivors of rape. Through her podcast, Legally Clueless, she captures the raw human stories of everyday Africans. In this episode, Adelle shares the stories behind the many brave steps she has taken, from her...

Qaanitah Hunter is a multiple award-winning journalist and political editor at News24, South Africa. She is the author of 'Balance of Power: Ramaphosa and the future of South Africa' and recently co-authored a book called 'Eight Days in July: Inside the Zuma unrest that set South Africa alight'. In this episode, Qaanitah shares her journey from childhood through her rise to fame and finding a voic...