African Union (AU) 2022 Media Fellowship for African Journalists & Content Creators (Fully Funded to Germany)

Published: 20 Apr 2022 2,195 views

Are you an African journalist, blogger, vlogger, content creator, or podcaster living and working in Africa or the diaspora? Are you passionate about promoting development-focused stories using emerging technologies, and through visual, written, oral and digital media? Apply for the inaugural African Union Media Fellowship.

As Africa moves into the 4th industrial revolution, with emerging technologies, African storytellers are now challenged to think of how to deploy new media technologies for citizen engagement to address the changing communications landscape. To ensure Africa remains in the race with the rest of the world, and benefit from digital transformation, the African Union (AU) Information and Communication Directorate has joined forces with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) AU office to create the AU Media Fellowship. The Fellowship brings together innovation and creativity to present under-reported stories that break-down stereotypes and create new narratives for the Africa We Want.

AU Media Fellowship

Benefits of AU Media Fellowship

• International Study Trips and exposure
• Certified workshops and webinars with renowned international partners such as Deutsche Welle, BBC Media Action, Hass-Plattner-Institute, the AU, and international media houses
• Access to AU leadership and policy makers and network with other Fellows
• Support from Senior Mentors and Institutions
• Fellows awarded grants to enable them to produce detailed stories

Requirements for AU Media Fellowship

• The AU Media Fellowship is open to journalists, bloggers, vloggers, content creators, and podcasters living on the continent or the diaspora.
• Fellows must be actively involved in innovative media either as a journalist or related field of work for at least three years with a demonstrable impact-driven track record.
• All applicants for the AU Media Fellowship must be working journalists with at least three years of full-time, professional journalism experience or in a related field. Internships and journalism-related work completed as a university student do not count as professional experience.
• Applicants may be affiliated or freelance journalists. However, all applicants must provide a reference letter or endorsement from a senior editor.
• Applicants must speak, read, and write English fluently in order to fully participate in and benefit from the Fellowship.
• With their application, the Fellows confirm willingness to report on African Union events and themes, as well as availability to be interviewed about the fellowship by international partners.
• The Fellows confirm willingness to participate in events and workshops for duration of the fellowship.
• Fellows must be able to travel to Berlin June 2022 and meet all criteria for eligibility for a Schengen Visa in their country, including but not limited to:
  • Having a valid passport at least until December 2022
  • Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 ( Find out more details on the website of the German Embassy in your country.)
  • We will provide you with the necessary documents needed for your visa application. You will be responsible for acquiring the visa.
  • All travel costs will be reimbursed and covered by us.

Selection Process

June 2022 in-person training

Fellows meet in Germany, for a 2 week-long intensive media and advocacy camp. 

June – September – Online Trainings and Networking

Fellows complete remote work with a mentor. Fellows and mentors focus on the Fellow’s outputs goals, and working towards tangible advocacy and policy objectives.

October 2022

Fellows meet in-person or virtually for an intensive training and to present the results of the work period June – September.

October – December 2022

Remote work continues as Fellows receive support to write, pitch, and publish, complete media appearances, advocate for their work and broader policy change, and share their stories with targeted audiences. 

December 2022

Fellows meet in Addis Ababa to be introduced to the AU and to present the outcomes of the trainings.

January 2023 – April 2023 

Fellows receive continued support from their mentor until the next class is announced.

April 2023 – Final Event and Certificates of Recognition

A closing event in Addis Abeba will formally close the fellowship. Fellows graduate to become Senior Fellows and become mentors for the next cohort of AU Media Fellows.

Application Documents

• Resume: Please use a standard format (no picture, religion or marital status).
• Coverletter: A one-page document outlining your motivation, qualifications, and experience.
• Proposal: Please include the following three sections:
  • Story proposals: Please include a short description of the stories you plan to cover (about 200 words each), and whom you plan to contact for interviews.
  • Publication plan: Specify your plan for publication (language and target publication).
  • Social media: Briefly explain how you plan to engage with the African Union Commission in the course of the fellowship.
  • Work samples: Please submit two work samples. If your work samples are in other forms of media (e.g. video) please email us and we will accommodate these requests

Application Deadline

How to Apply