Africa must lead ambitious storytelling campaign to tackle climate change - Wemakor

Lead Convener of the TN Africa Digital Journalism Summit, Senanu Damilola Wemakor, has unveiled an ambitious continental storytelling campaign aimed at producing over 1,000 climate stories and reaching at least 20 million people across Africa.

Speaking at the summit in Limuru, Kenya, Wemakor said the initiative, dubbed “Story the Change,” seeks to mobilize journalists, digital creators, and students to amplify Africa’s climate and food security narratives.

“We aim to produce over a thousand online stories on climate change across the continent within six months and reach at least 20 million people,” he said.

Wemakor added that the campaign intends to move beyond discussions and deliver tangible storytelling outcomes.

“The summit is not the end. It’s a means to an end. That’s why we call it a movement,” he said.

The summit, themed “Telling Africa’s Climate Change and Food Story in the Digital Age,” brought together academics, journalists, climate advocates, and digital creators to explore the role of online storytelling in climate communication.

Panel One featured Dr. Winnie Ndeta Otsiulah, Joyce Koech, and Bonnke Museeve Mulaama. Dr. Ndeta emphasized the role of communicators in reshaping Africa’s climate narrative.

“As digital creators, we are gatekeepers of communication. Yet, Africa is often portrayed as a victim, a backdrop for global grief,” she said.

“We need to bring solutions to the people—these solutions should not remain confined to papers on library shelves,” she added.

Panel Two featured broadcast journalist Miranda Gathecha and Senanu Wemakor. They discussed how digital platforms are transforming journalism and enabling African storytellers to reach wider audiences with localized climate content.

Wemakor stressed the responsibility of creators and journalists to use their platforms for climate awareness.

“When you go online, you see creators with millions of followers. The question is, what are they using these numbers for? That same audience can help project the message of climate change,” he said.

Organizers say the #StorytheChange campaign will continue beyond the summit, inviting open submissions from journalists and digital creators across Africa.