KCA, EU-Backed Project to Train 60 Young Kenyan Journalists in Investigative Reporting
Dubbed SAFIRI—short for Supporting African Future Investigative and Responsible Journalism—the project seeks to empower young journalists, especially from marginalized and underserved regions.
Kenya Correspondents Association National Chairperson Hudson Araka Matara. Photo/KCA.
By Robert Assad
The Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) has launched an ambitious three-year initiative aimed at revolutionizing investigative journalism in Kenya. Dubbed SAFIRI—short for Supporting African Future Investigative and Responsible Journalism—the project seeks to empower young journalists, especially from marginalized and underserved regions.
Backed by the European Union and delivered in partnership with ASPEN and Free Press Unlimited, SAFIRI officially kicked off in February 2025 and will run until February 2028. The first training workshop took place in Kisumu from July 9–11, drawing 20 young journalists from the Nyanza/Lake region. Two more sessions are planned for Nairobi and Mombasa later this year.
The project targets 60 young journalists—20 each from Nyanza, Nairobi, and the Coast—and will pair them with seasoned journalists for mentorship. These budding reporters will not only undergo hands-on investigative journalism training but also receive safety manuals, legal aid, and psychological support where needed.
But the project goes beyond training. It incorporates media dialogue forums—to be held in Kisumu, Nairobi, and Mombasa—bringing together journalists, civil society groups, women, youth, and marginalized voices. These sessions aim to boost community engagement, promote inclusion, and improve the relevance and credibility of media content.
At its core, SAFIRI is a response to pressing challenges facing Kenya’s media sector, including rampant misinformation, youth disengagement, financial strain in newsrooms, and limited access to quality information in rural areas.
With 15 investigative grants to be awarded under the program, KCA hopes to inspire a new generation of bold, ethical, and community-focused journalists.
The initiative is rooted in Afri-ethics, a framework grounded in African values that emphasize social justice, diversity, and community voice.
The next leg of SAFIRI rolls into Nairobi in August, with high expectations of fostering a more informed and engaged Kenyan public.
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