Forus announces the selection of ten journalists — including dynamic pairs from Africa and Latin America — for the inaugural Forus Journalism Fellowship, a new initiative under the #PositiveNarratives campaign.

These storytellers, representing diverse regions, languages, and formats, will work together to amplify the voices of civil society, explore the links between media and activism, and unpack issues ranging from an enabling environment for civil society, the future and present of protests, sustainable development, gender justice, social protection and more.

Fellows: Florence Inyabuntu & Innocent Buchu (Benin and DRC), Hawa Ibrahima (Mali), Innocent Kiiza (Uganda), Nchanji Hanson Nfor (Global), Tina Charisma (USA), Natali Carvalho (Brazil), Borso Tall (West Africa), Stefanny Paola Peña Sevilla &  Ruth Lara Castillo (Venezuela), Sanjog Manandhar (Nepal), Maggie Morret & Paul Antoine Matos (Mexico).

A Global Cohort of Storytellers

The 2025 cohort brings together multimedia reporters, bloggers, podcasters, and photojournalists from across Africa, Latin America, Asia, and North America — each with a strong commitment to advancing social justice, human rights, gender equality, and climate action through their storytelling.

• In Africa, fellows include experienced reporters, bloggers, and media pairs working in English and French who are tackling issues from climate justice and human rights to misinformation and digital resilience. Their work explores the intersections between environmental crises, civic space, and social innovation on the continent.

• Across Latin America, journalists and podcasters are producing stories on indigenous communities, women’s rights, and environmental justice, using digital and audio storytelling to connect grassroots realities with global audiences.

• In Asia, fellows are exploring gender equality, civic space, and community resilience, using photojournalism and video to capture the human impact of advocacy and activism.

• From North America, fellows bring an international development and communications perspective, focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and social justice, connecting global policies with local action.

Part of the #PositiveNarratives Campaign

The Forus Journalism Fellowship is part of Forus’ #PositiveNarratives campaign, which brings to the forefront stories of human rights defenders, innovative initiatives, and community-led efforts to decolonise language, build bridges across sectors, and support empathy and understanding.

Narratives matter. Forus and its members believe that changing the story around civil society — from one of crisis to one of contribution — is key to rebuilding public trust and the enabling environment for civil society organisations. Through storytelling, Forus seeks to highlight the public value of civil society work and inspire greater engagement and solidarity.

What the Fellowship Aims to Achieve

Through mentorship, collaboration, and joint storytelling opportunities, the programme seeks to:

1. Increase media coverage of civil society issues, ensuring that more stories reach a global audience and drive awareness and change.

2. Enhance journalistic capacity, equipping fellows with the tools and connections to report on civil society in innovative, safe, ethical, and impactful ways.

3. Strengthen relationships between journalists and civil society organisations to build trust, understanding, shared advocacy, and sustained visibility for civic action.

Over the coming months, the fellows will participate in workshops, collaborate with Forus members and partners, and publish stories that reflect the diversity and strength of civil society around the world. Find their profiles, projects, and stories on Forus’ digital platforms and in the Hub. Stay tuned to learn more about their work and follow their journey as they bring #PositiveNarratives to life.

Join our upcoming workshop on November 10 to meet them and learn more about the programme.

We would like to thank Forus members Unitas in Bolivia, la Convention de la Société Civile Ivoirienne (CSCI) in Côte d'Ivoire and the Bulgarian Platform for International Development (BPID) for their support in designing the fellowship, its methodology and selection criteria.