A SAHARA beyond xxx initiative | 2026Telling Africa's energy story. Shaping solutions
Prize of up to $5,000, including funding, immersive learning, mentorship, and strategic exposure to shape Africa’s energy narrative.
Africa’s energy story is not only written in policies and projects, but in the everyday realities they shape. While announcements and headlines tell part of that story, the most important questions often remain unanswered.
Why do power systems fail? Who carries the burden of energy transition? What changes for a community when a project arrives? What are the most pressing environmental challenges Africa must address? How do we ensure no one in Africa is left behind in the quest for energy access?
These stories are complex, resource-intensive, and often overlooked or under-reported.
Through the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship, journalists are supported to dig deeper, report rigorously, and bring these vital stories to light - spotlighting the challenges and solutions that can shape a more sustainable energy future for Africa.
FELLOWSHIP OBJECTIVESRooted in Sahara Group’s Beyond XXX vision, this Fellowship is not about looking back - it is about building forward. It is an investment in the thinking, talent, and systems that will shape how Africa understands and advances its energy future.
Because the future of energy will be shaped by the clarity of its stories and those who tell them. In that ecosystem, journalists are not just storytellers - they are essential infrastructure.
Strengthen Energy Reporting
Strengthen journalistic capacity to report Africa’s energy systems with depth, balance, and accuracy
Build a long‑term community of journalists equipped to engage energy issues critically and responsibly
Build Journalist Community
Surface Underreported Stories
Give more visibility energy stories that illuminate trade‑offs, constraints, and real‑world impact
Drive Evidence-Led Storytelling
Support field‑based, evidence‑led storytelling that goes beyond announcements and policy soundbites
Support Africa’s transition by strengthening the quality of stories that inform policy, investment, and public trust in energy systems
Inform Transition Narratives
SUBMIT YOUR STORYJournalists are invited to submit original story aligned with the Fellowship theme.
Grounded in field reporting with credible outcomes
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Demonstrate clear public‑interest relevance
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Avoid promotional or advertorial framing
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Clearly articulate why the story matters now
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To participate, submit a well-researched and properly referenced energy-focused story on Africa or any African country, exploring key thematic issues such as energy access, power, and energy transition, written between January and June 2026.
Investigative, unbiased reporting that goes beyond the surface
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Translating complex data into accessible public understanding
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Evidence‑based stories; what is working, what is not, and why
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