Nakuru Journalists Venture into Potato Farming in Bid to Empower Themselves Financially
- Nakuru journalists have ventured into farming as part of their effort to ensure they are economically empowered
- The journalists have already leased a piece of land for the project, which is expected to earn them at least KSh 100,000 in profit
- Nakuru Journalists Association chairperson Joseph Openda explained the reason behind their investment in farming
A group of Nakuru journalists has embarked on an ambitious program to support their dreams of empowering themselves amidst tough times in the media sector.
Source: Original
Over 70 journalists under the Nakuru Journalists Association (NJA) have invested in potato farming in the county using KSh 120,000 raised from members’ contributions.
The association has already planted potatoes on a one-acre farm as they kickstart alternative empowerment initiatives for their members.
Why Nakuru journalists are investing in farming
In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, the association’s chairman, Joseph Openda, said that they thought of investing their little resources in such ventures that can yield better returns to help grow their fortune and help their members secure a better future after penning their stories for years.
“We have seen how the environment around our practice is becoming challenging, and most of the journalists are facing a bleak future. We formed this association to advance the best interests of members and ensure that progressively, we support their dreams to have a better future,” Openda said.
He also noted that owing to the high number of entry-level journalists who are yearning for better investment ideas towards achieving their dreams, they decided to bring them together to advance that goal.
According to Openda, the association is contemplating many of the investment programs that will, in the long term, help journalists achieve personal goals and investments.
“Our dream is to see members grow to have their investments, own properties and even become homeowners as a security to their future,” he said.
How Nakuru journalists are managing their farming venture
The investment committee members, together with association executive officials, have been taking turns to visit the farm once a week to supervise the project from its first day of ploughing, chemical application, and report back to the members on the progress.
Source: Original
They expect to make a profit of between KSh 70,000 and KSH 100,000 after the harvest.
“Redundancy has become a yearly routine in the Kenyan Media industry, so journalists need to think beyond this. As the Nakuru Journalist Association, we decided to come together, pull our resources to boost our activities like farming, being a flagship project at the moment,” said the association’s vice chairman, Gilbert Ng’eno.
Ng’eno challenged journalists in other regions to undertake self-empowerment to shield themselves from the ripple effects of the changing tides in the media industry.
Over the past few years, mainstream media organisations have been declaring redundancies in their newsrooms, throwing most of the journalists into limbo over the security of their jobs.
Why Kilunda ditched acting for farming
Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that former Tahidi High actor Ted Kitana, popularly known as Kilunda, had embraced a quiet life in Kangundo, Machakos county.
Kilunda was a household name in the popular TV show, but admitted that acting was not as lucrative as many might think.
He is now focusing on farming with his mother.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Joshua Cheloti (Editorial assistant) Joshua Cheloti is a multi-skilled journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication at Mount Kenya University. At TUKO, he's an editorial assistant. Before TUKO, he worked at Nairobi Review as an editorial writer, at Hope Media (Hope TV and Hope FM) as a correspondent in Eldoret, Hivisasa.com digital content editor and online writer, at Biblia Husema Broadcasting (BHB), Eldoret as Radio Presenter. Email: Joshua.cheloti@tuko.co.ke
Elijah Cherutich A trained Kenyan journalist with over 10 years of experience in radio and digital media. I am currently based in Nakuru city in the Rift Valley region working as a TUKO.co.ke correspondent.
