Category Archives: News

Local, Timely, Proven: How to make your story work for media across Africa

June 24, 2026 twgrouprachel

Many organisations have stories they believe are worth telling, but what makes it newsworthy to local media? You may be building new technologies, creating jobs, solving infrastructure challenges, improving access to essential services or bringing fresh thinking to long-standing social issues. Yet even strong stories can fail to land with your target broadcast, print or online local and regional media channels.

Why? Because media coverage is not secured by reaching a business milestone or having something to say. It depends on whether that story feels relevant to the publication’s readership and target audience, arrives at the right moment (why is it relevant at this particular time? What is the news hook?) and is supported by evidence journalists can trust.

For innovators, entrepreneurs and impact-led organisations working across African markets, effective media relations require more than a polished press release. It means understanding what journalists need, how newsrooms work and what makes a story useful to the readers they serve.

1. MAKE IT LOCAL, NOT JUST INTERESTING

A story may be important to your organisation, but that does not automatically make it important to an outlet’s audience. They are looking for stories that connect with the conversations and concerns shaping their local context.

As Fabrice, an experienced local media consultant we work with in Senegal, notes, “media is about now”. Reporters are looking for stories that feel timely and close to their readers, geographically and culturally. A regional announcement, for example, is much stronger when it is made relevant to a specific market: what it means for local businesses, communities, policymakers, consumers or investors.

The more clearly you can answer “why does this matter here?”, the more useful your story becomes.

2. LEAD WITH THE NEWS, NOT THE MARKETING MESSAGE

One of the most common reasons good stories fail to secure coverage is that they sound too much like a sales pitch. Journalists are not there to amplify a brand message. They are there to inform, explain, to educate their readers/listeners/viewers and, of course, scrutinise.

That does not mean organisations should avoid talking about their work. It means the story needs to be framed around a wider issue or shift in the market. What problem are you helping to solve? What trend does your work reveal? What new evidence, insight or perspective can you bring?

Fabrice puts it simply: if you want a story to be interesting, it should not look like marketing or sound too sales-led. The strongest media stories give journalists something their audience will find genuinely useful, not just something the organisation wants to promote.

3. BRING PROOF, NOT JUST HOPE OR AMBITION

Journalists need confidence that the information they are using is accurate. Claims about innovation, growth, impact or market leadership should be backed by clear evidence and credible sources.

This is especially important for organisations working in technical or fast-moving sectors, where complex ideas can easily be overstated or misunderstood. Good media pitching requires discipline: check the facts, simplify the message and make sure every claim can be supported.

Nike, a media expert in Nigeria, reminds us of the importance of originality and careful factchecking when speaking to journalists. In Nigerian media, reporters specialise in particular sectors, from finance and technology to energy, health, education or agriculture. These journalists understand the landscape and will quickly recognise whether a story has substance.

Strong evidence helps them do their job well. It also protects your organisation’s credibility.

4. CUT THE JARGON

Complex work does not need complex language. In fact, jargon is often what prevents a strong story from travelling beyond a specialist audience.

Journalists are sometimes generalists, not specialising in one specific sector, and the public are not always experts in your field, nor should they need to be. Clear, concise language makes it easier for reporters to understand the significance of your work and explain it accurately to their readers.

This does not mean oversimplifying the substance. It means translating technical or organisational language into human terms and clear, plain English. Replace abstract claims with concrete examples. Explain what has changed, who is affected and why it matters now.

5. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE YOU NEED COVERAGE

Working well with the media is about pitching stories and building trust over time.

Nike’s advice to innovators is to “make friends with journalists” over time, not in a transactional sense, but by being responsive and accurate. When journalists know you can provide timely information and reliable context, they are more likely to come to you for your own announcements and for expert perspective on a wider issue.

Arnold, a seasoned PR and local media consultant in Tanzania, makes a similar point. The media is hungry for accurate and informed content. Organisations that position themselves as authoritative sources can become valuable, trusted sounding boards for journalists, helping to improve the quality and accuracy of coverage.

And that strong relationship can make all the difference for successful reputation management in more challenging moments. If you have invested in trust before a crisis, you will be better placed to communicate quickly and clearly when scrutiny is higher.

6. SHOW WHAT IS NEW, AND WHY IT MATTERS NOW

Novelty is rarely enough on its own. A new product, service or initiative becomes media-worthy when there is context. it connects to an urgent need, a live debate or a visible shift in the market.

Before approaching the media, ask: what is genuinely new here? Why should a journalist cover it today? What wider conversation does it contribute to? What evidence shows that this is more than an internal milestone?

The stories that land are usually those that combine innovation with relevance. They help audiences understand a problem, a solution or a change that is already shaping their world.

MAKING MEDIA RELATIONS WORK

Good media relations in Africa, as in any market, is not about chasing coverage for its own sake. It is about helping journalists tell accurate, timely and relevant stories. Be local. Be current. Be useful. Bring proof. Build relationships. And above all, remember that the strongest stories are not always the ones that say the most about an organisation. They are the ones that connect human interest with impact, showing why its work matters in the wider world and giving audiences a reason to care.

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PR vs Newsroom: What Journalists Wish You Knew

June 22, 2026 twgrouprachel

By Ceciliah Kimuyu, Communications Expert

You send a well-crafted press release, yet the anticipated coverage never comes. No calls. No responses. No story.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

In Kenya’s fast-moving media environment, journalists work to tight deadlines, juggle multiple assignments, and sift through dozens of pitches every day. Even a strong story can miss the mark if it reaches the wrong person, arrives at the wrong time, or lacks a compelling editorial angle.

To understand how PR professionals can improve their chances of success, I spoke to Kenyan journalists about what they wish communicators understood about today’s newsroom.

FIND THE STORY BEFORE YOU PITCH IT

The biggest mistake many organisations make is leading with their own agenda rather than the story itself.

As Peter, a veteran travel journalist, puts it: “If you don’t know what’s unique about your story, then it’s not for me.”

Too often, the genuinely newsworthy angle is buried beneath corporate messaging. Journalists are looking for relevance, impact, and human interest, not marketing copy.

This is especially true as Kenyan newsrooms increasingly favour people-centred storytelling. Partnerships, funding announcements, and project launches may matter to organisations, but journalists want to understand how those developments affect real people and communities.

Before pitching, ask yourself: What is genuinely new here? Why should audiences care? What makes this different from similar stories?

If you can’t answer those questions clearly, a journalist probably can’t either.

KNOW WHO YOU’RE PITCHING TO

A strong story can still fail if it lands with the wrong journalist.

Kenyan reporters increasingly specialise in sectors such as business, health, technology, agriculture, climate, or education. Understanding a journalist’s beat, recent work, and interests significantly improves the chances of coverage.

As business reporter Boniface says: “Pitching a story to the wrong journalist is a recipe for an early death.”

Research matters. Read recent articles, understand the journalist’s focus areas, and tailor your pitch accordingly.

It’s also important to know when to approach a reporter and when to engage an editor. Reporters are often the best contacts for routine announcements, while editors may be more appropriate for exclusive interviews, opinion pieces, or major campaigns.

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE YOU NEED THEM

Successful media engagement rarely starts with a press release.

Journalists consistently emphasised the value of early engagement. Informal briefings, coffee meetings, or background conversations help reporters understand complex issues and build familiarity with organisations long before a major announcement.

As lifestyle journalist Elvis notes: “Don’t wait until 1st December to invite me to the World AIDS Day event and expect me to attend and get the story covered.”

Giving journalists time to absorb context, ask questions, and identify potential story angles often leads to stronger coverage than a last-minute invitation.

THINK BEYOND NAIROBI

Many organisations default to pitching Nairobi-based media, even when the story is happening elsewhere.

But regional correspondents often provide deeper, more nuanced coverage because they understand local contexts, communities, and issues.

If your story is centred in Kisumu, Mombasa, Eldoret, Garissa, Kakamega, or Turkana, local journalists may be better positioned to tell it authentically.

For national campaigns, combining regional and national media can deliver the strongest results.

TIMING MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK

A good story pitched at the wrong time can easily be overlooked.

Journalists are balancing deadlines, assignments, and breaking news throughout the day. Reaching out when they are rushing to file stories is unlikely to generate much engagement.

Many reporters recommend sending pitches and making calls during the morning, when there is more time to consider potential stories.

The same principle applies to events. Press conferences scheduled late on a Friday afternoon, for example, often struggle to attract attendance regardless of how important the announcement may be.

Increasingly, journalists prefer concise releases, supporting materials, and access to knowledgeable spokespeople over lengthy events that offer little additional value.

BROADCAST NEEDS MORE THAN A PRESS RELEASE

Television and radio operate differently from print and online media.

Television journalists need compelling visuals. A row of executives seated behind a table may satisfy stakeholders, but it rarely makes engaging television.

Radio journalists, meanwhile, need articulate spokespeople who can explain complex topics clearly and confidently.

When planning media outreach, think beyond the announcement itself. Consider what audiences will see, hear, and connect with.

TRUST IS EVERYTHING

One lesson emerged repeatedly from journalists: credibility matters.

If you promise an exclusive, honour it. If you commit to providing information, deliver it promptly. If a journalist reaches out for clarification, respond quickly.

Media relationships are built on trust, and trust takes time to earn but can be lost very quickly.

The same principle applies to follow-ups. Journalists understand that communicators need results, but persistent calls and repeated emails rarely improve the odds of coverage.

A polite follow-up after a few days is reasonable. Beyond that, it may be time to reconsider the angle rather than continue chasing a response.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Kenya’s media landscape has evolved significantly. Leaner newsrooms, tighter deadlines, digital publishing, and greater specialisation mean that traditional media relations approaches are no longer enough.

The fundamentals, however, remain unchanged.

Lead with a genuine story. Understand your audience. Respect journalists’ time. Build relationships before you need them. And above all, focus on creating value rather than pushing messages.

The most successful PR professionals are not simply pitching stories, they are becoming trusted sources.

And in today’s newsroom, trust remains the most valuable currency of all.

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What It Takes to Deliver Pan-African Photography and Video Projects

May 6, 2026

In a world where attention spans have dropped to just over eight seconds, and where most information is forgotten within 24 hours, the role of strong visual storytelling in modern communications has never been more important. Stories are significantly more memorable than facts alone, and images dramatically improve retention.

Whether profiling entrepreneurs, documenting community projects, or capturing the people behind innovation, great photography and video bring stories to life in ways written content often cannot. But what happens when your subjects are spread across multiple countries, or living and working in remote rural areas?

Coordinating shoots across multiple locations, particularly across Africa, comes with its own set of challenges. Time zones, language differences, logistics, payment systems and file delivery all require careful planning. Flexibility is essential.

At Gong, we often work internationally to capture stories where innovation and impact are happening. Over time, we’ve learned that successful multi-country shoots rely less on complex systems and more on good preparation, strong local partnerships, and clear, consistent communication.

A combination of video calls, email and WhatsApp is essential because connectivity can be unreliable, and photographers are often on location, so quick, direct communication is key.

Most recently, for the Royal Academy of Engineering, we coordinated photography and video shoots across 11 countries to tell the stories of 16 entrepreneurs shortlisted for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation (2025 and 2026).

Here is some of what we’ve learned.

ALWAYS START WITH A CLEAR BRIEF

Clear creative direction is critical, particularly when content from multiple countries needs to be edited together seamlessly.

We’ve found that combining an initial briefing call with a detailed written brief works best because the call allows you to introduce the project, align on objectives, and answer questions upfront. It also helps establish a rapport, and build a shared understanding across different countries, languages and cultural contexts.

The written brief then reinforces this, outlining the project background, key story themes, shot lists, technical requirements, visual references and deadlines. Providing examples of desired outputs helps ensure consistency.

Simple details matter. For example, we always remind photographers to avoid shooting outdoors at midday, when harsh sunlight can make images difficult to match with indoor content.

WORK WITH A STRONG LOCAL LEAD

One of the most effective ways to manage a multi-country project is to appoint a locally based senior photographer or videographer as a central coordinator.

In our case, our Kenya-based photography partner acts as an extension of our team, coordinating photographers, advising on technical issues, and managing quality control. He receives all raw footage, refines shot lists, and oversees editing, ensuring consistency across markets.

A strong local lead also helps navigate on-the-ground challenges. These might include access issues, local regulations, or unexpected logistical barriers. Creating a space for photographers to share experiences and solutions can be invaluable.

Just as importantly, local leads often have strong regional networks. Rather than sourcing photographers individually in each country, they can recommend trusted professionals — saving time and improving reliability.

SELECT PHOTOGRAPHERS CAREFULLY

Consistency across locations depends heavily on choosing the right photographers, so always review portfolios with your lead photographer before confirming assignments. Look for experience in documentary or editorial storytelling, especially when working on people profiles or including interviews.

Even when shooting in very different environments, selecting photographers with a similar visual style helps maintain a coherent overall output.

PLAN FOR LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES

Language is a key consideration in any international project. Across Africa, projects may involve English, French and Portuguese-speaking countries, or local tribal languages

While many photographers and participants are comfortable working in English, briefing documents or contracts may still need translation to avoid misunderstandings.

It’s also important to specify clearly what language video interviews should be conducted in. Some projects require English for international audiences, while others benefit from local language interviews with subtitles.

Clarifying this early (and reminding photographers before the shoot) helps avoid confusion and costly reshoots.

AGREE DELIVERABLES AND FILE SHARING EARLY

Photography and video files are large, so agreeing upfront how content will be delivered is essential. And to help avoid delays and ensure smoother post-production, your brief should also clearly define the number of outputs required, file formats, resolution, and deadlines.

Platforms such as Dropbox, Google Drive or WeTransfer are commonly used but it can still be problematic getting raw footage transferred with local power cuts and internet outages, so it is important to factor in sufficient time.

STRUCTURE PAYMENTS REALISTICALLY

Payment systems vary widely across countries. Photographers may request payment via mobile money, Western Union or local transfer systems rather than traditional bank accounts, so this is another point that needs to be agreed early on. A common structure is 50% upfront and 50% on delivery, and prompt payment is often expected, so internal finance processes should be set up accordingly.

It’s also important to clarify responsibility for local taxes or bank fees in advance and, where possible, agree fees in USD, GBP or EUR to avoid exchange rate fluctuations.

FACTOR IN TRAVEL AND LOGISTICS

When shoots take place outside major cities, we typically ask for estimated expenses in advance e.g. for transport and accommodation, separate from the photographer’s fee, and require receipts for reimbursement.

CONNECT PHOTOGRAPHERS AND SUBJECTS DIRECTLY

Once a shoot is confirmed, ensure photographers and subjects have each other’s contact details.

Direct communication makes it easier to coordinate timing, locations and any last-minute changes. It’s a simple step that can make a significant difference on the day.

CLARIFY RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS

Before work begins, ensure all legal and administrative requirements are in place, including NDAs for photographers where needed, and image release forms for all participants. These should be shared in advance and signed on the day of the shoot.

It’s also important to confirm ownership of the final content. In some cases, photographers may charge additional fees for full usage rights, so this should be agreed early.

MAKING INTERNATIONAL SHOOTS WORK

Coordinating photography and videography across multiple countries can seem complex, but the fundamentals are straightforward: clear briefs, strong relationships, and consistent communication.

Expect the unexpected, stay flexible, and ensure your team is always accessible to support photographers on the ground.

With the right approach, pan-African projects can deliver powerful visual storytelling, connecting audiences with the people and ideas driving change across the continent.

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Celebrating Kenya’s Climate Justice Heroes on Mashujaa Day

October 20, 2023

Here at Gong, our clients span a wide range of sectors from fintech to sustainability and climate, from green building to agribusiness, to e-mobility, to private equity and international development, so our team does a lot of online reading and research to keep up to date with what’s being talked about, what’s new and original and what’s coming next.

For Mashujaa Day this year, we wanted to tell you a bit about three of the recent (green) local heroes who have popped up on our radar, so we asked one of our new guest bloggers, Andrew Juma, to go and meet them. This is what he found out.

FROM STREET PROTESTS TO REAL ACTION

It’s a watershed moment in Kenya and across East Africa. Young people are devising pragmatic solutions to the problem of climate change. They are building new technology solutions, inventing sustainable products and producing strategic content to combat the pressing issue of climate change.

GREEN BUILDING

TIMAO GROUP is a startup revolutionizing housing in Kenya and Africa through long-term sustainable solutions. They make building materials from plastic waste and are committed to improving accessibility to affordable, dignified, eco-friendly living.

“Our desire is to revolutionize housing in Africa by providing affordable, quality homes,” says Ishmael Hezekiah, the Chief Product Officer at TIMAO Group.

“Currently in Kenya, we generate 2600 tons of plastic waste but only 8% of this is recycled. In addition, Kenya has an annual deficit of 85,000 housing units annually. Our focus is to change this narrative by transforming waste plastic into building materials thus addressing the challenges of home ownership and climate change.”

TIMAO builds four housing units per month using plastic waste. In so doing, they have reduced the carbon footprint of construction processes, improved access to shelter and eliminated post-consumer plastic waste from the streets.

“In the past 16 months, we have churned out over 4,000 plastic posts, lumber planks and constructive material (our plastic construction system),” says Ishmael.

“From this, we have offset at least 320 tons of GHG emissions from the environment. A 40 SQM unit offsets 10 tons of plastic waste from the environment.”

GREEN TECH

Michelle Muchillwa is a Kenyan teenager with big dreams aligned towards sustainability. Her brainchild, the Ziwa Safi App, is now the X factor in comprehensive data collection for plastic pollution prevention in the Lake Victoria region.

Michelle’s app has significantly powered strategies, action plans and progress tracking in efforts to clean Lake Victoria, which is inundated with plastics and microplastics that frustrate natural flora and fauna.

In 2021, Ziwa Safi scooped the top spot (second only to a Malaysian gender violence prevention app) in the World Technovation Challenge. The app is now available on the Google Play store for global use.

Francis Maina, a young climate activist and architect with the Solar Cooling Project, helps design and construct Net zero cold rooms, emphasizing local and sustainable materials.

“The construction sector alone contributes to 44% of the total greenhouse gas emissions, even more than the transport and industry sector, which made me take this sustainability path,” says Francis. “We always try to work with materials that sequester carbon during their growth and life cycle.

Francis has launched his startup, Franchise Green Design, and looks forward to making a greater positive impact through quality sustainable solutions.

“I think certifications like IFC EDGE help provide a valuable framework for building companies to align their operation with ESG goals and for project owners to assess the most cost-effective ways to achieve sustainability in their projects.”

CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY

“The most pressing climate risk confronting Kenya and the global community today is the increasing unpredictability of weather patterns and extreme weather conditions,” says Winnie Cheche, a celebrated eco-blogger and climate activist in Kenya.

“My professional focus centres on the convergence of environmental communication and climate activism, and over the past eight years, I have committed myself to instigating positive change in the face of our planet’s most formidable challenge, the climate crisis.”

Winnie’s efforts have garnered recognition from esteemed publications such as Nation Media, Greenpeace International, Greenpeace Africa, Greenpeace UK, La Stampa Newspaper, Greiner Talks, Global Citizen, and Pass the Mic.

Winnie found her voice on social media after an incident where elephants were portrayed as ‘confused’ in local press when they invaded farms belonging to the neighbouring local communities. With her background in Wildlife Management, she knew that this portrayal was misleading and wanted to highlight that in fact climate change was the root cause of erratic wildlife behaviour.

She says there is a need to have climate solutions tailored to local contexts and that responses to climate change must resonate with African communities.

“While advocating on the streets remains crucial, a more vigilant and strategic approach is needed to secure a genuine seat at the table where tangible actions transpire. Current participatory mechanisms often exclude the public, resulting in suboptimal policies.”

These people on the frontline of the climate battle understand the most significant and severe impacts of the crisis from personal experience. They sacrifice and stretch their livelihoods every day, fighting to secure a destruction-free future.

So, while things might have cooled off on the streets of Nairobi, the fight for climate change continues on, and in celebration of Mashujaa day here at Gong, we salute all the heroes and change-makers!

But this is just the start. Over the coming months we will be exploring where innovation is blossoming across different sectors and want to profile as many brilliant people as we can who are helping to fight the good fight in supporting and driving positive change.

We are calling on you – yes, that means you – to send us your suggestions of who you think fits the bill of being a future green legend. We want to hear about all the amazing venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, corporate advocates, activists, influencers, academics, policy experts and youth leaders you rate as leading the charge in the green economy.

We’ll then publish a list of our favourite change-makers and look to share it far and wide, to help spread their message and influence across our precious planet. So don’t be shy: we’re ready to hear about your Kenyan (or African – because we’re not going to put a limit on where these come from) suggestions at GongKenya@gongcommunications.com!

[Thank you to Andrew Juma for submitting this blog].

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Reflections on the B Lab Africa Summit 2023: A journey towards sustainable impact

September 14, 2023

By Janet Ndugire, Senior Account Manager, Gong Communications

Last week, hot on the tail of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit the week before, I had the privilege of attending the B Lab Africa Summit 2023, hosted by B Lab Africa at Strathmore University in Nairobi. The event was themed, ‘Innovating a Sustainable Future for Africa: Business for Climate Impact and Growth’, and brought together an inspiring group of visionary leaders, passionate advocates, and experts dedicated to sustainable business practices. Among the attendees were sustainable business leaders, investors, climate experts, youth entrepreneurs, government officials, and change-makers from various corners of Africa. The diversity of perspectives and backgrounds represented at the summit underlined the gravity of the challenges we face and the importance of collective action to address them.

Giovanna Valverde Stark, the Ambassador of Costa Rica and Permanent Representative of UNEP and UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme), delivered the keynote address. She shared invaluable insights from Costa Rica, a nation that has achieved an impressive milestone of 100% renewable energy among other noteworthy accomplishments in combating climate change, by integrating climate change considerations across all public policies and budgetary decisions.

One of the standout features of the B Lab Africa Summit was its remarkable lineup of speakers, including, Vincent Ogutu, Vice-Chancellor of Strathmore University, Joachim Westerveld, CEO, Bio Foods Products, Joseph Mucheru, Former Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, Kenya, Patrick McSharry, Chief Data Analytics Officer, World Data Lab, Sonia Orwa, Country CEO, Kenya, Mr.Green Africa, Amandine de Rosnay, Head of Sustainability and Inclusive Growth Business Mauritius and Head of SUNREF technical assistance. The workshop sessions offered deep dives into critical sustainability topics, and here are just some of the sessions that left a lasting impression:

Sistema.bio and Eco2Librium (both B Corps) hosted a workshop centered on carbon markets and the value these markets offer to sustainable businesses. The speakers noted that carbon offsetting is a valuable tool for mitigating climate change and demonstrating environmental responsibility, and projects can take various forms, such as reforestation efforts, renewable energy installations, methane capture from landfills, or energy-efficient initiatives. Anton Espira, CEO/Founder of Eco2Librium ended the session by saying, “Carbon markets are the bridge between business success and environmental stewardship. By harnessing the potential of carbon markets, we empower businesses in Africa to not only thrive economically but also become champions of sustainability for our planet.”

One of Eco2Librium’s carbon offset projects in Kakamega, Kenya, is not only eco-friendly but socially impactful. Their Stoves for Life initiative not only reduces emissions but also generates employment for over 500 individuals. By sourcing stoves locally and distributing them to independent contractors, this circular project addresses environmental and social challenges, saving 250 acres of forest each year, and enhancing the lives of 400,000 rural Kenyans, promoting better health and economic well-being.

Another session, Integrating Business Sustainability and Smart Finance spanned topics such as the green economy, sustainable financing, and the transition from extractive to regenerative economic systems. Edward Matsiko, Managing Partner at Pearl Capital Partners commented, “Awareness of sustainable business practices in African local communities must be done differently and messages must be localised.” He talked about Africa’s incredible diversity, from bustling urban centres to remote villages, demanding tailored solutions for its unique sustainability challenges and opportunities. Many African economies depend on natural resources and agriculture, making resilience crucial. Sustainable practices not only benefit the environment but also enhance economic stability, reducing vulnerability to shocks.

Edward added that smart finance tools like impact investing and green bonds channel funds into sustainable sectors, driving economic growth while mitigating environmental impact.

A recurring theme throughout the Summit was the importance of customisation when it comes to sustainability in Africa, and we were reminded that Africa’s unique landscape presents a mosaic of challenges and opportunities. Cultural nuances, developmental disparities, and localised economic conditions all influence how businesses approach social and environmental impact. Consequently, adopting a standardised international B Corp selection process may not fully capture the intricate realities that African businesses face.

“For local communities to address climate change, we must meet them at their point of need. Our youth exhibit remarkable innovation. Kenyans in low-income areas are exemplifying a lot of climate resilience and pioneering innovative solutions.” Sonia Orwa, CEO, Kenya, Mr. Green Africa.

With over 55 B Corps and an impressive 4500+ companies utilising B Lab’s impact measurement tools across the continent, the B Lab Africa Summit 2023 by B Lab Africa represents Africa’s commitment to integrating social and environmental responsibility into business practices. It reaffirms that sustainability is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor but a collaborative journey of customisation, adaptation, and collective action, and that the continent is on the right track.

As a sustainability-driven communications agency in Kenya, our commitment to contributing to the community’s efforts in reshaping how organisations operate and make a meaningful impact remains unwavering. In 2020, in collaboration with Danone and B Lab, we teamed up with our sister company, Gong Communications, and developed a valuable e-learning tool designed to enhance awareness and understanding of B Corp principles among employees in B Corp certified companies. This tool is applicable to both certified B Corps and those in the process of becoming certified.

For international communications support in East Africa and beyond, please do get in touch with our sustainability team at: gongkenya@gongcommunications.com. From its Nairobi base, Gong Kenya has delivered communications assignments for clients in over 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is part of a network of agencies operating globally.

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Gong wins at 2023 Sabre awards for third consecutive year

May 22, 2023

Gong Communications was delighted to win two Certificates of Excellence at the 2023 Africa SABRE Awards, which recognise superior achievement in branding, reputation, and engagement.

This year, Gong’s corporate communications team, which operates out of its London and Nairobi offices, was recognised for its work across Africa with two international clients, the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) and Aon, the multinational financial services firm.

Gong’s international development communications team has worked as GLIDE’s PR partner since 2021 and received recognition within the SABRE award’s Central Africa category for its media relations support, naming and launching its inaugural Falcon Awards, as well as developing and managing the content for GLIDE’s Webisodes Campaign, “Building Awareness to End Diseases of Poverty”.

As D&I communications experts, the Gong Communications’ Aon team was commended once again this year, alongside its local partners Phyllion & Partners Limited, within the Superior Achievement in Research and Planning category for their work on Dive In Nigeria. The 2022 event was Gong’s third year in a row supporting the insurance giant’s Nigeria event, which is part of the global Dive In Festival – originally developed with Gong and the largest diversity and inclusion employee engagement brand platform of its type in the world. This year’s Dive In Festival will be held between 26^th-28^th September 2023 and will include branded events across the globe.

In 2021 the Aon team won a Certificate of Excellence in the Financial and Professional Services category within the Research and Planning and Public Education categories, and in 2022 the corporate communications team won both the Central Africa and Media Relations categories for its work with African private equity firm, Birimian Ventures.

The campaigns were evaluated by a jury of industry leaders, with this year’s winners announced at the Africa SABRE award ceremony on 18th May, as part of the 2023 African Public Relations Conference in Lusaka, Zambia.

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East Africa’s climate tech innovators

November 21, 2022

By Janet Ndugire & Sarah Horsley

Just as COP27 began in Egypt, the UN reported that the past eight years have been the warmest on record. Nowhere is this more evident than here in Africa. Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are entering their fifth year of successive droughts. Across the Horn of Africa, 36 million people are affected by drought and that will rise to 80 million people by the end of the year if the rains are insufficient, according to the UN. At the same time, flooding in South Sudan, Uganda and Burundi have destroyed homes and crops and displaced millions.

Climate disasters are having a dire effect on the continent’s ability to produce food. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that $30 billion was lost in sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa from 2008 to 2018 due to declines in crop and livestock production in the aftermath of drought, floods and storms.

Research from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shows that sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s most food insecure region. Climate-resilient infrastructure, such as solar power to run irrigation systems, is the key to protecting food production and distribution in Africa, according to the IMF. Digitalisation is also important, allowing farmers access to early warning weather systems, mobile banking and platforms to buy seeds, fertilisers and connect them with wholesale buyers.

Innovation hub

East Africa is fast being recognised as a hub for such agriculture and climate tech innovation. Research from Fitch Solutions this year identified Kenya as Africa’s top destination for agri-tech investment. Agricultural insurance and technology company Pula helps smallholder farmers insure their crops and livestock against a wide range of climate risks, including drought, excessive rainfall, pests and disease. Pula’s partner, Apollo Agriculture, uses satellite imagery of farms and machine learning to guide with credit decision making. It also helps farmers diversify to high-yielding crops, providing access to wholesale orders on its checkout app.

While start-up Neruva Technologies has come up with a particularly innovative product: the ecocapsule. Powered by solar energy, this pop-up pod allows farmers to rear 2,000 fish every five months and 1,000 heads of crops every four months. There are no harmful by-products as plant roots absorb the fish waste, avoiding the need for fertilisers and ensuring all yields are organic.

In Tanzania, EEP Africa funded ENdep is reducing post-harvest losses through the provision of solar-powered cold storage for fish traders around Lake Victoria. These shared cold storage rooms will also be used to store meat, dairy and crops, with women and youth prioritised on rental space to encourage them into this sector and boost livelihoods. According to ENdep’s projections, the system will generate 105 MWh of clean energy per year.

Rwandan-based Shambapro, founded in 2018, is a next generation agtech start up which helps small scale farmers to develop their farms into sustainable businesses. The company has created a platform, accessible via an App, with simple-to-use farm management tools that enable them to maintain financial and production records, manage inventories and obtain access to financing.

Where is the support?

Early-stage climate-focused start-ups in East African countries face distinct challenges and barriers such as poor internet connectivity, an unreliable power supply, and a lack of access to funding making it challenging for climate tech start-ups to achieve scale.

Initiatives such as the EU funded Uganda Green Enterprise Accelerator provide some much needed support. SMEs, drawn from a broad range of sectors including eco-tourism, clean energy, sustainable transport, waste management, green manufacturing, and agro-processing are assisted through the early growth stage of their business via the sharing of skills and partnering with financial institutions to facilitate access to loans. One such enterprise is Nampya Farmers Market a food sourcing and distribution company aiming to improve transparency and protect precious food resources by reducing waste. It has developed a digital platform for a formal agri-food marketplace connecting stakeholders throughout the supply chain thereby increasing affordable, quality, fresh and safe food access to urban populations in Uganda whilst improving smallholder farmers’ livelihoods.

The Kenya Climate Innovation Center backs local entrepreneurs looking to tackle climate change through technology, acting as an incubator and supporting with skills development and financing. The organisation, which has mobilised USD 44 million in financing for climate change and has incubated around 300 SMEs to date, is on a mission to deliver innovative climate change solutions through an empowered private sector.

Africa only accounts for two to three per cent of global emissions, according to the UNFCCC, but it is the most vulnerable region in the world to climate change. With COP27 now behind us, alongside the broad agreement on the climate and loss fund, another key takeaway from the talks is potential changes coming to the mandates of multilateral lenders so that financing flows more easily to energy-transition and climate adaptation projects. But for now, and for the foreseeable future, east Africa’s innovators will continue to play a crucial role in helping the region to withstand some of the worst impacts of climate change.

For international communications support in East Africa and beyond, please do get in touch with our sustainability team at: gongkenya@gongcommunications.com. From its Nairobi base, Gong Kenya has delivered communications assignments for clients in 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and is part of a network of agencies operating globally.

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Gong wins Sabre awards Africa for second year

May 26, 2022

We are thrilled to announce that we have won the Central Africa geographic category of the SABRE Awards Africa 2022, our second SABRE trophy in two years recognising ‘Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation, and Engagement’ for our client Birimian Ventures‘ Launch & Accelerator Programme.

Last year, Gong won the Superior Achievement in Research and Planning category and received a certificate of excellence in the Financial and Professional Services category for our work in delivering the Dive In Festival in Nigeria, the international festival for diversity and inclusion, which we have delivered for three years in a row, working alongside Aon and Lloyd’s and our Nigerian partners Phyllion & Partners Limited.

We are grateful to our clients for trusting us to tell their stories and connect with their audiences, and we look forward to delivering more award-winning comms work for our clients in the future.

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Gong appointed as media relations partner to support Grundfos SafeWater

May 26, 2022

Gong has been chosen to support Grundfos SafeWater with a media relations brief aimed at increasing visibility of its water projects in sub Saharan Africa, including an innovative smart tech clean water pilot project in rural Ghana, an ambitious solar-powered handpump initiative in Zambia, and new irrigation projects in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania working with local partners to improve climate adaptation for smallholder farmers.

SafeWater is a strategic business unit in Grundfos, a leading global pump and water solutions company, creating a lasting impact by transforming underserved communities through commercially viable and sustainable smart water solutions. Collaborating with some of the world’s leading humanitarian and development aid organisations, SafeWater is working towards Grundfos’ ambition of reaching 300 million people by 2030 with access to drinking water.

To learn more, visit https://www.grundfos.com/ke

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Innovate UK KTN appoints Gong to support flagship innovation projects in Kenya

January 20, 2022

Gong has been appointed to provide local PR and communications support for the KTN Global Alliance Africa project from Innovate UK KTN, designed to support small business and local and regional innovation across a range of sectors and to promote long-lasting strategic partnerships between Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and the UK.

The KTN Global Alliance Africa project partners with local groups, including innovation hubs and local governments, to develop wider networks, connecting ideas, people and communities and nurturing local innovation ecosystems through a series of targeted programmes. By helping to scale homegrown solutions to meet local problems, the KTN Global Alliance Africa project aims to accelerate local, homegrown innovation for inclusive economic growth, to create jobs and to reduce poverty. Gong’s role will be to amplify Innovate UK KTN’s work in Kenya, now partnering with the Kenya National Innovation Agency, to increase awareness amongst its key stakeholders including the private sector, government, investors, the innovation community and civil society.

KTN Global Alliance Africa project is a six-year project funded by UK Aid through Innovate UK (GCRF) and FCDO. To learn more, please visit: https://ktn-uk.org/programme/afri ca/