$4,000 Up For Grabs: Africa No Filter Wants Journalists To Expose How Climate Debt Hurts Africa
By Passman Akpos
Africa No Filter has opened applications for its Voices for Climate Justice initiative, offering African journalists, content creators, podcasters, vloggers, muralists and data visualizers the opportunity to receive grants of up to US$4,000 to develop stories that reshape conversations around climate justice across the continent.
The 12-month programme, delivered in partnership with Comic Relief, is designed to support between 15 and 20 storytellers from Nigeria, Mozambique, Uganda, Angola, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Tanzania, South Sudan, Malawi and Zambia.
According to Africa No Filter, the initiative seeks to draw attention to the growing concern that climate finance reaching African countries is increasingly structured as loans rather than grants, potentially worsening debt burdens in countries that have contributed relatively little to global climate change.
The organisation said the programme will focus particularly on the intersection of climate change, gender, debt and fossil fuels, while encouraging storytellers to use lived experiences and creative narratives to challenge stereotypes about Africa.
Selected participants will receive training, mentorship, content amplification and grants of up to $4,000. They will also receive training in climate justice, data storytelling and narrative framing before collaborating with researchers and partners to develop accurate and engaging stories.
Africa No Filter said it is seeking original storytelling ideas capable of stimulating public conversation and inspiring action. Eligible applicants can tell their stories through articles, videos, podcasts, murals, data visualisations and other creative formats.
Who Can Apply
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and based in one of the 10 eligible African countries.
They must also have an active and engaged platform—including a publication, podcast, YouTube channel, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or data visualisation portfolio—that has been operational and highly engaged for more than one year.
Content creators and data visualizers are required to have a combined audience of at least 5,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter/X and Snapchat. Journalists may demonstrate their reach through publication circulation
Applicants must be willing to produce at least four pieces of content addressing gender, debt and fossil fuels over a period of not less than six months.
Freelance journalists and content creators can apply, while content creators must be unsigned and not represented by an agent. Journalists may remain affiliated with a media organisation, provided they retain ownership of the submitted work and content rights.
Only individuals—not organisations or agencies—are eligible to apply.
Application Requirements
Applicants are required to prepare either a pitch deck of no more than five slides or a video of no more than 60 seconds outlining a storytelling idea connecting gender, debt and fossil fuels in Africa.
They must then complete the online application and provide links to their platforms, alongside a short description of the audience or community they intend to reach.
Applications and proposed content must be submitted in English or French.
Africa No Filter said applications will be assessed on the originality of the proposed idea, relevance to its mission of storytelling beyond stereotypes, alignment with the gender-debt-fossil fuel focus and the applicant’s reach or standing within their community.
The organisation also stressed its commitment to ethical and survivor-centred storytelling, particularly when addressing gender-related impacts.
Deadline Set For September 25
Applications opened on August 11, 2026, and will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 25, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. GMT.
The screening process is scheduled for October 5, while virtual interviews are expected to take place on October 9. The announcement of successful grantees is scheduled for October 15, 2026.
Africa No Filter warned that incomplete applications will not be considered and said submissions containing material that is vulgar, racist, sexist, homophobic or reinforces harmful stereotypes about Africa will be rejected.
The organisation also said accounts or posts whose engagement has been artificially boosted through paid promotion will not qualify.
For African storytellers interested in using journalism and creative communication to examine how climate policies, debt, fossil fuel dependence and gender affect communities, the programme represents an opportunity to combine storytelling with research, advocacy and public engagement.
Applications close September 25, 2026.
“Africa No Filter — Official Website” (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/0)
