Eastern Africa

I am a 40-year-old Kenyan human rights, peace journalist and illustrator. I am currently working as a free-lance journalist and market researcher and translator with IPSOS Synovate. I am also carrying out some investigation journalism on illegal immigrants from Africa to China. I have fluency in oral and written English, Kiswahili, Gīkūyū and Mandarin Chinese. I have strong writing skills, evidenced in the publication of several stories in the Features and Commentary genres.

Some highlights of my career include:

• Heading the English Department at the Kid Castle Academy in Dongguan – Guangdong, China.
• Generating hourly news updates for conferences organized by the European Union Development Days through the Swedish Embassy in conjunction with Society for International Development and FAHAMU on citizenship, human rights and democracy.
• Generating draft commentaries, for commissioners of the Kenya Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBC) on enhancing democratic electoral processes, which were subsequently published in the Kenya Print Media.
• Editorial support for various publications undertaken on behalf of several clients through breaking down complex human rights and democracy information into usable stories for the media, assessing the best opportunities to place this information in the public domain and the most effective cost.
• Media planning and buying for the Sh40 million Public Information Campaign launched by the Kenya Interim Independent boundaries Review Commission (IIBC) ahead of its countrywide tour to collect views on delimitation of electoral units.
• Associate Producer for the documentary, Champions of Change, which showcased the stories of individuals who had been instrumental in transforming human rights and democracy in their areas of work and society in general. The project entailed planning filming logistics, conducting interviews and post-production work. The documentary was a post conference production for the European Union Development Days through the Swedish Embassy in conjunction with Society for International Development and FAHAMU.
• Media liaison, planning and buying advertisement spots for the Office of the Chief Justice, Kenya Judiciary. Generating press releases, organizing press conferences and sentinel training for court reporters in Kenya. Content generation for the Judiciary website and the Judiciary magazine. Working closely with the Directorate of Public Affairs and Communication to form a Communication Unit within the Office of the Chief Justice.
• Conducting interviews and transcribing Global Pluralism Award winner Peacemaker Alice Wairimu Nderitu’s book on Kenyan freedom fighter Mūkami Kīmathi. Drawing illustrations for her other book, The Companion for Women Mediating Armed Conflict.
• Doing Chinese-English translation for various tour and construction companies in Kenya.