Field Stories
The media is considered a critical partner in disseminating data. Therefore, through our dissemination and sustainability Core, we have carried out trainings to equip journalists with skills to aid in data storytelling, by
- Empowering journalists to think critically and deeply about data and how it affects storytelling, specific around health data
- Enabling journalists to use data sets with ease. Interrogate data, ask questions, explore various angles and be introduced to sources, people they can reference in their stories and invite to their shows. angles and be introduced to sources, people they can reference in their stories and invite to their shows
- Building local journalists’ capacity to report on complex health issues effectively using data.
The participants also learnt how to use excel and scrap data from reports, ethics in health and data storytelling and how to pinpoint a Google tool for visualization. One of the trainings took place in April 2023, focusing on journalists from Kenya’s coast. The training was facilitated by Chris Orwa, a seasoned data scientist and journalist, Ken Kiunga from Google, Maureen Mudi from the Media Council of Kenya and Prof Nancy Booker, the DSC lead. After the training, the 38 journalists were required to submit story ideas on mental health and maternal, newborn and child health. From the ideas, 23 journalists were picked to receive funding to enable them to go to the field and actualise on their story ideas. The 23 feature stories, (in audio, video and written format), highlighted in this section, are as a result of that training and funding for the Hub.
Traditional Kilifi Midwives now Become Chief Advocates of Hospital Deliveries
Story by: Mishi Gongo, For 25 years, Mize Juba, a 62-year-old traditional midwife from Mpirani Kilifi County, has been a cornerstone of maternal care in her community. However, her role is shifting as the county increasingly emphasises hospital deliveries over traditional practices. Mize, a small, energetic woman with a piercing gaze, began her midwifery career […]
Kilifi Seeks to End Risky Abdominal Massage on Pregnant Women
Story by: Mercy Kahenda, Kilifi County estimates that there are more than 10,000 people with epilepsy – many do delay to seek treatment at health centres. According to Doctor Hassan Leli, the Acting Health Director in Kilifi County, majority of those affected are found in rural areas and that families may have someone with epilepsy […]
Lack of Focus on Sanitation and Hygiene Interventions puts Children at Risk of Death due to Bacterial Infections Causing Diarrhea in Kilifi County
Story by: Caroline Katana, Lack of sanitation and hygiene interventions focus by Kilifi Ministry of Health ,promotes post morbidity and mortality due to diarrhea. Diarrhea is a leading killer of children ,accounting for approximately of 9 percent of all deaths among children under age 5 worldwide since 2021. This translates to over 1,200 young children […]
Why Women and Girls Turn to Unsafe Abortions in Kenya’s Kilifi County
Story by: Halima Gongo, In Kilifi County, Kenya, the issue of unsafe abortions is not just a medical concern but a societal challenge. Many women and girls face struggles due to fear of hospitals and stigma from their communities. Despite efforts by local activists to educate and empower women, the impact of unsafe abortions remains […]
Kilifi Mothers Combat Malnutrition in Infants through Exclusive Breastfeeding
Story by: Farhiya Hussein, On a Tuesday morning at the maternity unit of Kilifi County Referral Hospital, mothers, some cradling their infants and others with toddlers at their feet, were seated in a semicircle, their attention on the nurse standing before them. The room, filled with the soft murmur of mothers exchanging whispers and the […]
Mental Health Facilities in Kilifi’s Rural Areas Boost Patient Participation
Story by Ruth Keah, “The pain of a child is known to the parent.” This saying resonates deeply with Regina Mwendo, a 76-year-old mother of nine from Vibao Viwili Village in Tana River County, Kenya. For over ten years, Regina has embarked on a grueling journey from Tana River County to Malindi Sub-County Hospital in […]