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The Expert Mentorship Programme

A unique learning experience

The Rwanda Expert Mentorship Programme is a unique opportunity for both journalist volunteers and journalism students in Rwanda to share with each other, and learn more  about the practice of journalism. Fojo offers experienced journalists the opportunity to go to Rwanda to teach during 2-4 weeks and share their expertise with small groups of interested students. In Rwanda, participating students, from four different universities, have the chance to deepen their knowledge and get hands-on experience during intensive workshops.  

Become an expert mentor

Share your knowledge and expertise and become one of our volunteering journalists.  

What is it like to be an expert mentor?

Tomas Jennebo has already visited Rwanda three times in in order to work with students and share his knowledge about radio productions. In October 2022, Tomas taught the craft of podcasting. 
In his interview, he sheds some light on what it is like to be a volunteering journalist for Fojo. 

Annelie Frank shares her experience as a mentor

Annelie Frank is an experienced Expert Mentor on The Rwanda Media Programme. In October 2022, she spent two weeks in Rwanda. Here she tells us a bit more about what it is like to be a volunteering journalists for Fojo.

Frequently asked questions

To be an expert mentor comes with responsibilities, but of course also brings a lot of benefits. Naturally, what first comes to mind is the enriching experience of working with the four partner universities of the Rwanda Media Programme (RMP) and the journalist students that are enrolled in each university. You will not be a regular lecturer teaching in the classroom. Instead, you will work with a smaller group of students. They will have applied to be part of the training because they have a special interest in some aspect of journalism such as radio, TV, multimedia or writing – or a subject such as investigative or environmental journalism. You will train them together with the Rwanda Media Programme’s university coordinator and/or with a local journalist. This is to help overcome language and cultural barriers, at the same time as the students can get more hands on and personal coaching. Since you come as a volunteer, we want to tailor your mentorship to your strengths and what you feel comfortable and willing to teach. Using this as our starting point when planning your stay in Rwanda, we will put together groups of students that have a special interest in what you will teach.  

Although you will not receive a regular salary as an expert mentor, Fojo of course covers all surrounding costs, such as: 

  • Travel costs (Air fare to and from Rwanda)
  • Travel cost for transport to and from the airport in connection with flight departure/arrival 
  • Travel costs in Rwanda, if they constitute part of the mentorship (i.e. not travels that you do in your free time) 
  • Hotel accommodation 
  • Per diem based on Swedish Tax Agency regulations. The current per diem rate for Rwanda is 256 SEK per day minus eventual meals covered by the host organisation or Fojo Media Institute. (Breakfast, minus 15 percent, lunch, minus 35 percent, dinner, minus 35 per cent).  
  • The Volunteer can request two thirds of the per diem to be paid out in advance, as a travel allowance in SEK into their bank account, prior to the volunteering assignment. Per diem entitlements will be recalculated after completion of the volunteer assignment with any balances to be settled by Fojo, or the volunteer, depending on the situation
  • Visa expenses (against a receipt). It is the Volunteers’ responsibility to ensure that they have a valid passport (valid 6 months after arrival to Rwanda) and visas to gain access to Rwanda
  • Costs for necessary vaccinations, mandatory covid tests, including antimalarial medication (upon receipt).  
  • Equipment that might be required for your trainings (after discussions with Fojo).

Do you want to become one of our Expert Mentors? Send us your CV and a cover letter, mentioning your area of expertise and how you can contribute to the programme.

As mentioned earlier, the RMP has four partner universities. Two of these, East African University Rwanda and Mount Kenya University Rwanda, are located in Kigali. The other two, Institut Catholique and School of Journalism and Communication at University of Rwanda, are located in Muhanga and Huye respectively. Over the years, we have learnt  that often the pedagogy works better and students are more focused if we locate the training outside the outside of the universities’ hometowns. This means that you will have the chance to travel around the country a bit while there.  

Student productions

Discover what students have been producing during and after the courses.

Producing a professional TV-news bulletin

SJC NEWS is a TV-news bulletin made by 140 students at the School of Journalism and Communication (SJC), at the University of Rwanda in 2018. The bulletin was made by the 2nd year class at the end of their course “TV Production Skills”. It is produced partly in English and partly in Kinyarwanda. The Swedish journalists teaching them were Felix Larnö and Daniel Jonsson. 

Writing, recording and sharing podcasts

Podcasts were recorded during the recently concluded podcast training for MKUR and EAUR students.

Publishing news on their dedicated websites

The students have their own dedicated platforms to share their reportages, podcasts, videos and articles. You find more of their  journalistic work on the different students websites below. 

Get to know the students!

The latest news about the programme and student productions.