What we're building.
A community-centred social newsroom and movement.
Why you should care: Africa's future is young. By 2025, 25% of the global population will be African and mostly youth. The news and media must reflect and prioritise the future.
Switch Africa is a community-centred social newsroom and movement, packaging African stories on digital platforms by young journalists for fellow young people globally.
How the Switch Newsroom Apprenticeship works
Phase 1 — Capacity Building (first 6 months): Fellows build foundational skills while contributing to live content production for Switch Africa and Solutions Now Africa platforms. Practical workshops and self-discovery sessions are facilitated by story mentors.
Phase 2 — Content Production (next 6 months): The second half shifts to aggressive content production in a fast-paced, professional newsroom environment. Fellows create content for Switch Africa's social platforms.
Phase 3 — Newsroom Agency (post-apprenticeship): After the year-long fellowship, fellows are RETAINED at the MCI Newsroom managing platforms or social content for external media houses, PLACED in partner newsrooms, or INCUBATED — running their own media startups at the MCI Media Hub with mentorship, cash, and startup resources.
Newsroom sustainability — disruptive community-driven advertising and business model
Our bold business model is built around one simple truth: journalism belongs to the people. Switch Africa combines storytelling, journalism, and guerrilla marketing — LED backpack screens, PodTuk moving studios, and community activations — to redefine journalism as an immersive experience.
- Media Van — "The Story Market on Wheels": a mobile studio hosting live conversations, screenings and product activations.
- PodTuk Tricycles — "Moving Stories, Moving Brands": mobile storytelling studios.
- Backpack Screens & Reporters — "Stories You See, Ads You Feel".
- Switch Africa Digital Platforms — "Stories That Go Viral", reaching audiences on social media, our website, and YouTube.
