ICFJ Fellows to Receive Funding, Support to Cover Health Innovations

By: ICFJ | 04/02/2024

The rapid pace of innovation in artificial intelligence, biotechnology and more is opening new doors for progress in global health – an exciting but complex and ever-changing landscape for journalists to navigate.

To drive high-quality coverage of global health innovation, 11 journalists and academics were selected to serve as ICFJ Health Innovation Journalism Fellows this year. The program, which is administered and managed by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, provides grant funding, training, mentorship and the opportunity to go on an international reporting trip.
 


The fellows hail from nine countries, including Brazil, Germany, South Africa and the United States. They bring extensive experience and have worked in a variety of roles, including as producers, writers, journalists, editors, lecturers and public advocacy representatives.

 

Learn More About the Fellows

 

They will report for global media outlets on a wide variety of topics, ranging from neurotechnology to drone technology to telemedicine to health disinformation. In supporting this coverage, the program also aims to reinvigorate interest in health reporting in the post-pandemic era. 

Learn more about the fellows and their projects here.

Latest News

Meeting Students Where They Are: Tips to Increase Media Literacy Among School Students in The Gambia

For three years, Mariama Danso and her organization, Fact Check Center - The Gambia, have promoted media literacy among young adults to combat mis- and disinformation in the Banjul region of The Gambia. Through ICFJ's media literacy training of trainers, she learned new strategies to reach diverse audiences.

Sri Lankan Youth Take On Media Literacy Ambassador Roles Following Workshops

As a peacebuilder in Sri Lanka, Arzath Areeff has witnessed an alarming rise in hate speech and conflict in his country’s digital space. He co-founded the platform digizen in 2017 to support digital peacebuilding and promote media literacy. With support and training from ICFJ, Areeff has continued his trainings in underserved communities in his country.

From Walking Barefoot to School to Founding a Radio Station — Meet Harriet Atyang

Harriet Atyang is helping build a stronghold against disinformation in western Kenya. As the founder of a local radio station called Dada Radio based in Siaya, Kenya, she believes in the power of information. Through the first 19-person cohort of Disarming Disinformation’s training of trainers, she learned how to use and teach media literacy skills. In the months since, she has passed on those skills through mentorship programs for journalism students and workshops for community members.