Farai Samhungu

Farai Samhungu has worked in development communications and media for 20 years. The trajectory of her career has involved developing successful communications strategies, communications programme and projects; as well as mobilising resources for their effective implementation. As communications lead, Farai supported institutions and programmes to document their project processes and advising on advocacy strategies to feed into various policy making processes. As Advocacy Adviser for UNFPA in Zimbabwe, she guided advocacy work in the areas of population, HIV/AIDS, gender and sexual and reproductive rights.

Farai is also an editor and writer. She is adept at transforming complicated information into easy-to-understand packages for communities and for policy and advocacy. As Consultant Editor for UNIFEM, she edited mapping studies on Gender and Aid Effectiveness and prepared case studies and advocacy messages for the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, held in Ghana, September 2008. She has wide-ranging experience in production and packaging of a diverse range of information and communication products. Farai has extensive knowledge of media and the challenges of media development in Africa. As Africa Regional Director at Inter Press Service (IPS) – an international development news agency, she advised editorial teams on story ideas and media packages based on trends emerging in Africa and globally. She also developed capacity building and mentorship programmes for journalists across Africa.

As a senior member of staff at both IPS and Intermediate Technology Development Group (now Practical Action), she gained extensive knowledge and skills in management and organisational development through her contributions to the vision and strategic direction of both organisations, as well as management of operations.