Beyond the Problem: Solutions Journalism for Impactful Media

A fraymedia Foundation Webinar for Journalists, Editors and Media Owners

Date: Thursday, 19 February 2026

Time: 10h00 – 11h30 am SAST 

Location: Online Zoom Webinar

Register: Register HERE by Wednesday, 18 February 2026, 17h00 SAST to participate

Across Africa and globally, journalism has played a vital role in exposing injustice, corruption, and systemic failure. While there is an appreciation for this objective, audiences are increasingly experiencing news fatigue, mistrust, and disengagement due to reporting that highlights problems without exploring credible responses and solutions.

Join us in this Webinar to explore how Solutions Journalism (SoJo) offers a powerful, ethical framework that complements investigative and accountability reporting by rigorously examining how people and institutions are responding to social problems, what is working, what isn’t, and why.

Journalists, Editors, and Media owners, are invited to this training Webinar, to unpack how Solutions Journalism:

• Strengthens public trust

• Increases audience engagement and loyalty

• Supports sustainability of media outlets

• Encourages informed civic participation

This Beyond the Problem: Solutions Journalism for Impactful Media Webinar responds directly to the need for practical, skills-based training that enables media professionals to integrate solutions journalism into daily newsroom practice without compromising editorial independence or critical rigor.

By the end of the training Webinar, participants will be able to:

• Understand the core principles and ethics of solutions journalism

• Identify solution-focused angles within everyday beats such as health, climate, education, and governance

• Apply investigative rigor to reporting on responses and interventions

• Avoid common pitfalls such as PR framing, or "good news" storytelling

• Use solutions journalism to build stronger audience trust and engagement

• Develop editorial strategies for integrating solutions journalism into newsroom workflows

Webinar Facilitators

      

• Mary Mwendwa, Editor, Talk Africa

• Churchill Otieno, President, The African Editors Forum

• Bongiwe Tutu, Chief Operations Officer, fraymedia Foundation

  
  

Mary Mwendwa is an award-winning investigative science journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya, with a focus on health, environment, agriculture, gender, and technology. She serves as an editor for TalkAfrica, the digital publication of the Association of Freelance Journalists in Kenya (AFJ-K). Her reporting has been featured internationally in outlets such as Al Jazeera and The New Humanitarian, as well as leading Kenyan publications including The Standard and The Star. Mary holds a Board Member position at the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK). She is also an active member of the Association of Freelance Journalists in Kenya (AFJ-K) and the Kenya Editors’ Guild.

Connect with Mary: LinkedIn| Twitter| Facebook

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Churchill Otieno is the President at The Africa Editors Forum (TAEF). His 23-year career in digital media includes involvement in projects focused on enabling new media business models to support public interest journalism. In addition to his role at TAEF, he serves as the Executive Director of the Eastern Africa Editors Society (EAES) and chairs the Steering Committee of the Africa Media Convention. His previous roles include President of the Kenya Editors’ Guild and Managing Editor for Digital at Nation Media Group. His areas of specialization are newsroom leadership, digital transformation, and media regulation. 

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Bongiwe Tutu is Chief Operations Officer (COO) to the fraymedia Foundation. In 2025, she completed the Solutions Journalism Network Training-of-Trainers (ToT) Fellowship.  Bongiwe has over seven years’ experience in project management, program development, impact evaluation and communications, grant making, capacity building, donor liaison and fundraising.  Bongiwe is also a creative output peer-reviewer of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) South Africa, under the National Research Foundation (NRF).  Previously, she served as Project Coordinator to the Wits Centre for Journalism, University of the Witwatersrand.  In addition, she has worked as a journalist for media organisations including Kaya FM, The New Age, SA Breaking News and The Daily Vox.  She continues to contribute thought leadership articles to Africa.com, Dialogue Earth and Mail & Guardian Thought Leader.  See full bio of Bongiwe Tutu here.

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The Webinar will be held following an interactive and engaging format, to allow participants to engage with facilitators and each other as far as possible, to share cases, experiences, challenges and objectives in adopting Solutions Journalism.

Attendees are therein expected to be able to switch on their audio during the interactive discussion session of the Webinar.

At the end of the Webinar, participants will be required to complete a survey outlining their learning experience and expectations of Solutions Journalism.

Register HERE by Wednesday, 18 February 2026, 17h00 SAST to participate.