Abuja: The Africa Initiative Manager of Solutions Journalism Network, Caroline Karobia, has highlighted the transformative impact of integrating Solutions Journalism (SoJo) in newsrooms and educational institutions for African youths. This was discussed during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Solutions Africa Summit in Abuja, which aimed to evaluate the adoption and influence of SoJo across Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Karobia shared that approximately 70 newsrooms in Nigeria and East Africa have been supported to adopt solutions-oriented storytelling. Beyond newsroom integration, thousands of journalists in the region have been trained in crafting solutions stories, with efforts extending to mentorship and coaching. Recognizing the need for deeper integration, initiatives have expanded to educational institutions, where lecturers are being trained to develop and implement SoJo courses. Notably, several universities in these regions, including two in Kenya, have embraced SoJo within their curricula, with students now undertaking examinations based on this model.
Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, reflected on Nigeria’s five-year journey (2020-2025) with SoJo, noting significant uptake in schools. Collaborations with institutions like Pan-Atlantic University are paving the way for future journalists to view news through a solutions-oriented perspective. Efforts are also being made to reshape storytelling in secondary schools, with partnerships such as that with Marie Stopes International focusing on sustainable reporting in areas like family planning.
Ihekweazu acknowledged the challenges faced in Nigeria, particularly in generating and documenting evidence-based data. She emphasized the need for rights-based data to enhance the SoJo model’s impact across various sectors.