Kenyan Journalism Initiative
Local voices.
Independent journalism.
Lasting impact.
About KJI
What began as a conversation at a local school quickly grew into an international collaboration focused on building opportunities for young reporters.
The Kenyan Journalism Initiative was founded by journalist Angelina Livigni after a trip to northern Kenya in 2025. While traveling with a team of scientists to document the impacts of climate change on local communities, Livigni visited Ileret High School, located near Lake Turkana.
During her visit, she introduced herself as a journalist and spoke with teachers and students about reporting. A teacher at the school expressed interest in creating a program that would teach students the skills of journalism. Recognizing the potential of the idea, and the need for a larger team to make it possible, Livigni began assembling journalists and collaborators to help bring the project to life.
Our Mission
The Kenyan Journalism Initiative (KJI) brings together journalists from around the world with a shared goal: empowering youth in Kenya with media literacy and the skills needed to run an independent newsroom.
KJI works alongside local communities rather than directing them. The program does not dictate what stories should be covered or how a newsroom should operate. Instead, KJI provides mentorship, resources and exposure to support the journalism already emerging within these communities.
Our main mission is to help young reporters develop the tools to tell their own stories and strengthen local journalism from the ground up.
What stage is the project at now?
The KJI team will return to Ileret in the summer of 2026 to begin the first phase of the journalism program in partnership with Ileret High School.
Rather than implementing a rigid curriculum, the program focuses on workshops, collaborative reporting exercises and hands-on newsroom experience. KJI believes the most effective way to learn journalism is through practice—reporting stories, interviewing sources and producing real media.
Fundraising for this phase of the initiative is ongoing.
Contributions will support travel, equipment and resources for student journalists. Any additional funds will be reinvested into expanding the program and supporting future journalism initiatives in the region.
Take Action with the Initiative
We invite you to join our network of reporters and educators as we work together to foster youth-led journalism across the globe.
Send us a message and one of our team members will make sure to get back to you as soon as possible.