African Environmental Journalism Expands as Mongabay Builds Local-Language Coverage
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: David Akana leads Mongabay Africa with a mission to expand inclusive environmental journalism across the continent, building a diverse 17-person team and launching coverage in local languages to deepen community engagement.
📈 One key stat: A 17-person multilingual team now covers environmental issues across Africa, enabling Mongabay to reach previously underserved audiences and amplify local voices in conservation.
💬 One key quote: “Reporting in local languages is how Mongabay can succeed in Africa over the long term.”
1️⃣ The big picture: David Akana, Director of Programs at Mongabay Africa, is transforming environmental journalism across the continent with a vision grounded in local engagement and long-term impact. Starting his career as a sports journalist in Cameroon, Akana made an unexpected shift to environmental reporting in 2002, eventually building Mongabay Africa into a diverse, multilingual newsroom with 17 full-time staff. His leadership focuses on reporting that amplifies marginalized voices, exposes environmental injustices, and connects complex ecological issues to local communities. Under his direction, Mongabay Africa now produces investigations that have influenced corporate behavior, international policy decisions, and public discourse.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: African environmental stories are finally being told by Africans themselves through Mongabay’s growing network of local reporters. This approach brings authentic, nuanced perspectives to complex environmental issues that might otherwise remain invisible to global audiences. The team’s work has already created tangible impacts, from influencing corporate accountability at mining operations to informing global investment decisions about resource extraction in sensitive areas. By expanding into local languages like Swahili, with plans for Hausa, Pidgin, and Amharic, Mongabay Africa connects environmental information with communities most affected by ecological changes. Their reporting challenges misconceptions about African conservation while highlighting indigenous knowledge and practices that offer sustainable solutions.
3️⃣ What’s next: Mongabay Africa plans to launch a Swahili-language platform to reach over 180 million East Africans, making environmental reporting accessible beyond elite English and French speakers. The team aims to expand into additional widely-spoken African languages to deepen community engagement. Akana envisions Mongabay becoming the most influential media platform shaping conservation discourse across Africa by 2050.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – From sports desk to nature’s frontlines: David Akana’s unlikely path to lead Mongabay Africa
