Impact Storytelling Opportunity Kenya 2025: Join Amref Health Africa as a County Storyteller

If you have a sharp pen, a good camera, and a soft spot for community stories, this is the kind of gig that could define your career.

Amref Health Africa is building a talent pool of County Storytellers across Kenya – not interns, not volunteers, but skilled communicators who’ll be called in on assignment to document real impact on the ground. Think frontline nurses in Turkana, youth advocates in Kisumu, or community health volunteers in Kilifi — and you turning their work into stories that travel far beyond the village meeting hall.

This is not a generic “communications role” buried in bureaucracy. It is very much field-facing, story-first work: interviewing people, capturing photos and short videos, drafting human-interest stories, and shaping digital content that shows what health programmes actually look like in real life.

And because this is Amref, the stakes are real. Your stories plug directly into their 2023–2030 Strategy, which means they are used to inform donors, shape policy conversations, rally communities, and sometimes decide whether a pilot project grows or dies.

You will not be sitting in Nairobi reposting graphics. You will be out in your home county, listening, observing, and turning lived experience into content that matters.

Opportunity at a Glance

What This Opportunity Actually Offers

This call is not for a single job; it is for a standing pool of trusted storytellers that Amref can call on whenever there is a programme, event, or success story that deserves documentation.

In practice, that means:

• You stay based in your county.
• When Amref has work in your area, they may bring you in for a short-term assignment.
• You then handle field visits, interviews, photo and video capture, and write-ups.
• Your work feeds directly into Amref’s communication, advocacy, and donor reporting.

It is ideal for people who value flexibility and like juggling multiple projects — freelancers, consultants, independent journalists, or communication officers who can take on assignments without breaching their contracts.

Because the announcement doesn’t specify the exact pay per assignment, expect it to vary depending on the scope: a one-day event vs a multi-site assignment with travel, interviews, and several deliverables. Typically, work of this kind is paid per assignment or per output (story, photo set, video package), and you should be ready to negotiate professionally once you’re in the pool.

What you gain, beyond the money:

• Access to serious, meaningful stories. You’re not inventing “impact” for a brand; you’re documenting work that actually affects health outcomes.
• A strong institutional brand on your CV. Being in an Amref storyteller pool carries weight with international NGOs, donors, and UN agencies.
• Practice in responsible storytelling. You’ll be expected to follow consent and safeguarding guidelines, which is exactly the standard global organisations now demand.
• Multi-format storytelling chops. If you’re currently “just a writer” or “just a photographer”, this role nudges you towards becoming a full-stack storyteller who can handle copy, visuals, and short-form video.

If you’re trying to build a sustainable career in development communication or health storytelling, this is the kind of opportunity that can move you from “promising” to “credible”.

Who Should Seriously Consider Applying

This call is tailored for people who sit at the intersection of communication skills and social impact. Amref is fairly clear on their expectations, but let’s unpack what that looks like in real life.

You’re a strong candidate if:

• You have a relevant degree – something like Communication Studies, Journalism, Media Studies, Public Relations, Digital Media, Multimedia Production, Development Studies (and you actually enjoy writing), or even Public/Community Health if you can translate technical information into simple, human stories.
• You have 2–3 years of experience in any of these areas: journalism, NGO communications, digital content creation, community storytelling, social research, or documenting projects.
• You’re comfortable moving between scripts, captions, and longer narratives. Writing a 900-word human interest story, then slicing it into three social media-ready posts does not scare you.
• You can work respectfully in communities. You understand that people are not “content”, they are people — and you treat their stories with care.

A few real-world examples:

• A radio journalist in Kisii who has reported on local health campaigns, already knows how to frame interviews, and wants to expand into digital and NGO storytelling.
• A communications officer at a county NGO in Mombasa who regularly documents field visits, writes success stories, and knows their way around a smartphone camera or DSLR.
• A public health graduate in Nakuru who has done research, written reports, and secretly loves taking photos and turning dry data into digestible threads.
• A freelance photographer in Turkana who has been documenting humanitarian work and is now ready to write more and create short video clips.

You may have an extra edge if you’ve already:

• Worked on health-related programmes (maternal health, immunisation, WASH, HIV, reproductive health, etc.).
• Edited photos and videos before (even with tools like Lightroom, VN, CapCut, or Adobe Premiere).

If you’re very early-stage (less than 2 years of experience), it’s still worth applying if your portfolio is strong. The “2–3 years” requirement is about capability, not how long your LinkedIn has existed.

What You’ll Be Expected to Produce

Amref is refreshingly clear about deliverables. If you join the County Storytellers pool, your assignments may involve producing:

• Written human-interest stories, typically 600–1,000 words. These are the “meet Esther, a community health volunteer in Kajiado” type pieces that bring programmes to life.
• High-quality photographs, both edited and raw. Think portraits, action shots, environmental context, not just stiff group photos with banners.
• Short videos, usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes. These could be quick interviews, day-in-the-life sequences, or event highlights.
• Social media-ready content – scripts, quotes, short blurbs that can be posted on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
• Field notes, captions, and metadata – the unglamorous but crucial bits: who is in each photo, how names are spelled, where and when content was captured, consent details, and any sensitive context.

This is not a role for people who like to “just shoot” and let someone else figure out the story. You’re doing both: creating and contextualising.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

You’ll be competing with journalists, NGO communicators, and creative freelancers from all over Kenya. A generic CV and three random attachments will not cut it. Here’s how to stand out.

1. Make Your Portfolio Do the Heavy Lifting

Your portfolio is the main event. The degree is a checkbox; your work is the proof.

• Include 3–6 of your strongest pieces, not 25 mediocre ones.
• If you have a mix of formats (articles, photo essays, short videos, social media threads), showcase that range.
• Prioritise stories that involve people and change – a community project that improved health services, a profile of a frontline worker, a case study of a programme outcome.

If you don’t have a polished portfolio yet, create one before you apply. Turn past work into PDFs, put links in a simple Google Doc, or build a basic site using tools like Notion, Canva, or a one-page WordPress template.

2. Write a Cover Letter That Sounds Like a Storyteller Wrote It

The cover letter must state your county of residence, but that’s just the beginning.

Use it to:

• Show that you understand what Amref does and why health storytelling matters.
• Briefly mention one or two relevant experiences that show you can handle field work, interviews, and sensitive subjects.
• Connect your county-specific knowledge: your familiarity with local languages, culture, or health issues.

If your cover letter reads like a copied template, you’re wasting precious space. Write like a communicator applying for a communication role — clear, specific, human.

3. Tailor Your CV for Storytelling, Not Just Positions Held

Keep your CV to three pages max and make it easy to skim.

• Under each role, describe concrete outputs: “Produced 15+ human-interest stories on maternal health”, “Filmed and edited 10 short videos on youth programmes”.
• Highlight any work involving health, development, or communities.
• Include languages you speak — local languages are a huge asset in county-based work.

4. Show You Understand Ethics, Consent, and Safeguarding

Amref emphasises consent and safeguarding for a reason. They work with vulnerable populations and sensitive topics.

Signal that you get this by:

• Briefly mentioning any prior experience working with children, survivors, patients, or other sensitive groups.
• Describing how you handle consent and privacy in your work: avoiding identifiable details where needed, not publishing without permission, etc.
• Avoiding “poverty porn” in your portfolio. If your photos or stories feel exploitative, that’s a red flag.

5. Demonstrate Basic Technical Competence

You don’t have to be an award-winning cinematographer, but:

• Your photos should be in focus, well-composed, and not brutally over-filtered.
• Your videos should have clear sound and steady framing.
• Your written stories should be clean and well-edited — if grammar is your enemy, fix that before you apply.

A reviewer should be able to glance at your work and think, “We could send this person to the field tomorrow.”

6. Use Your Referees Strategically

Pick two referees who can speak directly about your storytelling and professionalism:

• An editor who has worked with you on articles.
• A supervisor from an NGO or project you documented.
• A research lead who relied on you to translate technical findings into public-friendly outputs.

Prepare them: send your CV, the role description, and a short note on what you’re hoping they’ll highlight.

A Practical Timeline to Apply Before December 31, 2025

You technically have until the end of December 2025, but leaving this to the last week of the year is asking for trouble. Here’s a realistic approach.

3–4 months before the deadline (now is ideal):

• Read the call carefully.
• Gather your existing work: articles, reports, photo sets, videos.
• Identify gaps – for example, you have writing but no recent photos. Plan one or two small personal projects to fill those gaps (document a local clinic initiative, a health outreach, or a community meeting).

2 months before:

• Build or refine your portfolio. Organise it clearly:
  • Written work in one section.
  • Visual work in another.
  • Links clearly labeled with title, date, outlet, and your role.
• Draft your CV and trim it to three pages.

1 month before:

• Draft your cover letter, including:
  • County of residence.
  • Why you’re a fit for this county-based pool.
  • Two or three specific examples of relevant work.
• Reach out to referees, confirm they’re willing, and get their updated contacts.

2 weeks before:

• Final proofread of all documents.
• Double-check portfolio links and file access (no “request access” surprises).
• Submit your application at least a week before December 31 — end-of-year holidays are not kind to procrastinators or internet connections.

Required Materials and How to Prepare Them

You’ll need to submit four main things. Treat each as a curated piece of communication, not just a formality.

1. Cover Letter (with county of residence)
   Keep it to one page, but make every line count. Mention:

   • Your county and any sub-counties you can easily cover.
   • Your relevant experience and strongest skills.
   • Why health and community storytelling matter to you personally.

2. Portfolio of Written and Visual Work
   Aim for a compact but impressive selection:

   • 3–5 written pieces: success stories, case studies, narrative reports, or even strong blog posts.
   • 5–10 photos that show people, context, and events (not just posed groups).
   • 1–3 short video links if you have them (uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, or even unlisted Google Drive with proper permissions). Label everything clearly.

3. Short CV (max three pages)
   Prioritise experience that shows:

   • Field exposure (you’ve actually worked outside an office).
   • Storytelling skills (writing, photo, video, social).
   • Subject-matter exposure (health, development, activism, research).

4. Two Referees’ Contacts
   Include:

   • Full name
   • Position
   • Organisation
   • Email and phone Tell them you’re applying so they aren’t surprised if contacted.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

If you were on the selection panel, you’d be looking for three things: craft, context, and care.

1. Craft:
   Is this person actually good at telling stories?
   Reviewers will be scanning for:

   • Clear, engaging writing that a broad audience can follow.
   • Photos that say something — emotion, context, action — not just “people lined up holding a banner”.
   • Videos with a beginning, middle, and end, even if they’re only 45 seconds long.

2. Context:
   Does this person understand health and development work enough to not oversimplify it?

   • Are they able to translate technical terms (“community health strategy”, “integrated outreach”, “SRHR”) into normal language without distorting meaning?
   • Do their stories respect the complexity of poverty, gender, culture, and health access?

3. Care:
   Are they ethical and thoughtful?

   • Do they avoid dehumanising photos of people in distress?
   • Do they use real names and faces only when appropriate and safe?
   • Do they seem to see communities as partners, not props?

Applications that shine will show all three — through portfolio choices, the tone of the cover letter, and the way they describe their previous work.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A lot of decent applicants knock themselves out of the running with avoidable errors. Don’t be that person.

1. Throwing in every random thing you ever wrote

A bloated, unfocused portfolio says, “I didn’t bother curating.” Pick your best and most relevant work. Five strong pieces beat twenty weak ones.

2. Submitting a CV that hides your storytelling

If your CV reads like:

2021–2023: Assistant Programme Officer
Duties: Data collection, meeting coordination, reporting

…you’re not helping yourself. Spell out the communication aspects: report writing, story collection, photography for reports, social media content.

3. Weak, generic cover letters

If you could send the same letter to a bank, a tech startup, and an NGO, it’s useless. Speak directly to the Amref context: health, communities, county-level work, field documentation.

4. Ignoring consent and safeguarding in your portfolio

If your portfolio contains images of children with no context, or intimate moments shared carelessly, that signals trouble. Use material that respects dignity and aligns with responsible communication standards.

5. Missing the deadline (or cutting it too close)

December 31 is a hard date. Waiting until December 30 only to battle poor network or holiday shutdowns is a miserable way to end the year. Treat mid-December as your true deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a full-time job?
No. This is a talent pool for assignment-based work. You’ll be contacted when there’s a need in your county or nearby and engaged for specific tasks or periods. It suits freelancers, consultants, or people with flexible primary jobs.

Do I have to live in Nairobi to qualify?
No. In fact, the focus is on county-based storytellers. You should clearly state your county of residence and be deeply familiar with that local context. Being based in the county is a plus, not a minus.

Do I need professional camera gear?
The call doesn’t specify equipment, but you will be expected to capture high-quality photos and short videos. That usually means:

• Either a decent DSLR/mirrorless camera, or
• A high-quality smartphone plus strong composition and editing skills.

If you’re working mostly on phone, your portfolio should prove that your output still looks professional.

Is experience in health mandatory?
It’s not mandatory, but it’s an advantage. If you don’t have direct health storytelling experience, emphasise:

• Any work you’ve done on community issues (education, livelihoods, gender, governance).
• Your ability to research and understand technical topics, then explain them clearly.

Can students apply?
If you’re a final-year student or very recent graduate with a solid portfolio and some practical experience (internships, freelance assignments, campus media), you can still make a case. The official requirement is 2–3 years of experience, but strong evidence of capability can sometimes compensate.

How will I be paid?
The call doesn’t disclose pay structure. Typically, such pools pay per assignment or per deliverable. If you’re shortlisted, be prepared to discuss rates and clarify payment terms before accepting work.

Will Amref provide training?
There’s no promise of formal training in the call, but large organisations often orient new content creators on style guides, consent protocols, and safeguarding. Regardless, you should not treat this as a training programme — they are primarily looking for people who can already deliver.

How to Apply

When you’re ready, you’ll submit your materials through the official portal. Here’s how to approach it strategically.

1. Read the call again with a highlighter (mental or real).
   Pull out exact requirements: degree, experience, portfolio expectations, county residence, submission components.

2. Prepare your four core components:

   • Cover letter (with county of residence clearly stated in the first paragraph).
   • Portfolio (links and/or attached samples of writing, photos, and optionally videos).
   • CV (max three pages, tailored to storytelling and health/development exposure).
   • Two referees’ contacts.

3. Double-check everything against the call.
   Are you clearly showing:

   • Your storytelling craft?
   • Your comfort with communities and field work?
   • Any health or development experience?

4. Submit through the official Amref page well before December 31, 2025.

Ready to go?

Visit the official opportunity page for full details and to submit your application:
Apply via Amref Health Africa SmartRecruiters portal

If you care about communities, like being on the ground, and enjoy turning lived experience into words and images that move people, this is the kind of role you’ll look back on and say, “That’s where things got serious.”