Theme: “Telling Northern Uganda’s Stories in the Digital Age”
Application Deadline: 16 August 2026
Fellowship Duration: 3 Months (12 Weeks)
Location: Gulu City and Virtual Learning Platforms
Number of Fellows: 20
About the Fellowship
The Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC) is pleased to announce the 2026 Digital Journalism
and Content Innovation Fellowship, a three-month professional development programme designed
to equip journalists and digital storytellers with practical skills for reporting and storytelling in
today’s rapidly evolving media environment.
The fellowship responds to the growing need for journalists to produce engaging, evidence-
based, and audience-centered content across multiple platforms. It combines intensive in-person
training, virtual learning, mentorship, story grants, and publication support to strengthen
participants’ ability to tell impactful stories using multimedia and digital tools.
The programme will support journalists to develop skills in digital journalism, multimedia
storytelling, photography, videography, podcasting, data journalism, open-source investigations
(OSINT), audience engagement, media innovation, and content monetization.
Fellowship Objectives
The fellowship aims to:
- Strengthen journalists’ skills in digital journalism, multimedia storytelling, and content
production across text, audio, video, photography, and podcasting formats. - Enhance the use of investigative, data-driven, and technology-enabled reporting
approaches, including OSINT, data journalism, mapping, digital verification, and AI-
assisted journalism. - Build journalists’ capacity to grow and engage audiences, leverage digital platforms
effectively, and explore sustainable approaches to journalism and media
entrepreneurship. - Support journalists to produce, publish, and distribute impactful public-interest
journalism through mentorship, reporting grants, and editorial support.
What Fellows Will Learn
Participants will receive practical training in:
- Digital Journalism and Storytelling.
- Mobile Journalism (MoJo).
- Photography and photo storytelling.
- Videography and video editing.
- Audio journalism and podcasting.
- Fact-checking and digital verification.
- Open Source Intelligence (OSINT).
- Data journalism and visualization.
- Mapping tools for journalism.
- Social media storytelling.
- Audience engagement and analytics.
- SEO and digital publishing.
- AI tools for journalists.
- Content monetization and media entrepreneurship.
- Personal branding and freelancing.
Fellowship Structure
Phase 1: Residential Bootcamp I (5 Days)
Topics include:
- Introduction to Digital Journalism
- Mobile Journalism.
- Photography.
- Video Storytelling.
- Audio Journalism and Podcasting.
- Story Development and Pitching.
Phase 2: Virtual Learning and Mentorship
Weekly online sessions covering:
- Data Journalism
- OSINT
- Audience Engagement.
- Verification Techniques.
- AI for Journalists.
- Media Entrepreneurship.
Phase 3: Story Grants
Selected fellows will receive reporting grants to produce high-quality public-interest stories.
Phase 4: Mentorship
Each fellow will be paired with mentors providing the following:
- Editorial guidance.
- Technical support.
- Audience development support.
Phase 5: Residential Bootcamp II (5 Days)
Topics include:
- Editing Clinics.
- Investigative Story Development.
- Data Visualization.
- Multimedia Packaging.
- Digital Distribution.
- Publishing Strategies.
Phase 6: Fellowship Showcase
Fellows will present their work during a public showcase and graduation event attended by
editors, media leaders, development partners, and stakeholders.
Expected Outputs
By the end of the fellowship, each participant will produce:
- One multimedia feature story.
- One photo essay.
- One podcast episode.
- One video story.
- One data-driven story.
- One OSINT-based reporting assignment.
- One audience engagement product.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be fully subscribed members of the Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC).
- Be actively practicing journalists, community reporters, podcasters, digital storytellers, or public interest content creators.
- Be based in Northern Uganda or demonstrate a strong commitment to reporting on issues affecting the region.
- Be available to participate in all fellowship activities, including in-person workshops, virtual sessions, mentorship, and story production.
- Have access to a smartphone, laptop, or digital device capable of supporting multimedia production.
- Demonstrate a commitment to ethical and public-interest journalism.
Selection Criteria
Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:
- Professional experience in journalism, storytelling, or content creation.
- Motivation and alignment with fellowship objectives.
- Storytelling potential and creativity.
- Commitment to public-interest journalism.
- Digital readiness and willingness to learn.
- Potential for impact in newsroom or community.
- Diversity, inclusion and representation.
Priority will be given to:
- Journalists from community media.
- Early-career journalists.
- Underrepresented districts in Northern Uganda.
- Journalists demonstrating strong commitment to digital transformation.
Fellowship Benefits
Selected fellows will receive:
- Fully sponsored training.
- Mentorship from experienced journalists and media professionals.
- Reporting grants.
- Publication and editorial support.
- Access to professional networks.
- Fellowship certification upon successful completion.
- Membership in the NUMEC Digital Journalism Alumni Network.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit:
- A completed application form.
- A motivation statement (maximum 500 words) explaining why they wish to join the
fellowship. - One story idea they would like to develop during the fellowship.
- Two examples of previously published or produced work (articles, audio stories, videos,
podcasts, photo stories, or digital content). - A letter of support from an editor, station manager, or media organisation (where
applicable).
How to Apply
Applications shall be received via a dedicated Google Form. Click HERE to access the form.
To subscribe/renew your NUMEC membership, click HERE.
Deadline: 16 August 2026
Late applications will not be considered.
About NUMEC
The Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC) is an independent non-partisan media development
organisation committed to strengthening journalism, promoting access to information,
amplifying community voices, and supporting digital innovation within Uganda’s media
ecosystem.
