I have learned to be a multimedia and analytical journalist. 

My name is Fatuma Amiry Hussein. Six months ago, I began a new chapter in my career by joining Nukta Africa as a journalist. Here I produce digital news content for Nukta Habari, Nukta TV and Jiko Point. Prior to this new job, I worked in one of the religious radio stations in Tanzania.

Joining Nukta Africa was a fresh start for me. A complete reset from what I thought was the best practice in the media industry. 

From the very first day in July 2024, I was struck by the fact that you have to master communication skills and English was the primary language of communication and meetings. 

While the company policy recommends Swahili and English as the official languages, the latter is emphasised because it is one of the pain points to many journalists and communication professionals in the country. This helps team members to learn and practice English and become fluent communicators. 

Prepared for greatness

Esau Ngumbi, our editorial coordinator. Here, he was guiding journalists through a prioritising what to fact-Check. Images /Nukta Africa/X.

This is because once you join Nukta Africa you are spreading your wings to engage with different local and international customers and stakeholders where the majority speaks English. 

This was a big adjustment for me since it was very different from what I used to in my previous working station.

At Nukta, every Monday, we hold a weekly meeting internally known as Weekahead to discuss plans and track progress according to the strategic and annual plans. 

Additionally, we have regular editorial meetings to plan and assign stories. These meetings have been instrumental in enhancing my organizational skills, building accountability behaviour and understanding of journalistic workflows.

One of things I quickly learned about Nukta Africa is that it operates differently. Here, tasks are not simply handed to you, instead you are expected to take initiative and responsibility for your work.

Be creative, be independent

This is a group of journalists from various media outlets, including myself, being taught by Esau Ngumbi, our editorial coordinator. Here, he was guiding journalists through a step-by-step process on how to fact-check information. Images / Nukta Africa/X.

This environment has encouraged me to be more active and independent in my approach and looking forward to stories, ideas and other assignments. The team here is there to support me by training and mentorship. You are encouraged to innovate ways or methods to deliver your assignments quickly and effectively so long they don’t compromise with policies and laws.

During my time here, I have attended valuable training sessions on fact-checking and investigative journalism. I have also learned how to effectively gather and use data in my stories, which has significantly improved the quality and accuracy of my reporting.

Before the fact-checking training, I had little knowledge of how to verify the authenticity of stories. However, the training enhanced me with numerous techniques, to confirm the accuracy of information and it became an essential part of my work.

What I appreciate most about Nukta Africa is the freedom it gives you to share and develop your ideas. The organization fosters creativity and provides support to refine your thoughts into something even better.

Commit to the company values

I have witnessed the way the team lives the company’s values. I have witnessed different departments collaborate to achieve common goals. This has given me a deeper understanding of how a modern digital media organization functions and how teamwork contributes to its success.

On every special occasions, even our finance team joins the editorial team to get the stories going so as to achieve the best result. Images / Nukta Africa / X.

Unlike other media organisations including those I have worked before, at Nukta Africa women have equal opportunities. You get opportunities according to merit and your efforts to deliver and not because of your know and gender. The first day in the office as a woman, you are informed to report any form of gender violence including sexual misconduct. 

Over the past six months, I have learned so much, sharpened my skills, and regained the confidence I was missing. I am excited about what the future holds and look forward to continuing my journey of growth and achievement at Nukta Africa.