The Star’s feature editor Tom Jalio is the winner from a pool of 16 who had contended for the inaugural Kenya Editors’ Guild-Chinese Embassy editorial fellow.
Announcement by the guild’s chief executive Rosalia Omungo said the selection process was rigorous and competitive but Jalio stood out to be the first editor to start the programme.
“Tom Jalio was selected from a pool of 16 applicants from the Guild membership,” the announcement said.
The softspoken and calm journalist serves in the Innovation Committee of the Guild. The fellowship lasts for two weeks.
He is pursuing a Masters degree in Digital Journalism at the Aga Khan University.
The inaugural fellowship was launched this month in a partnership between the editors’ guild and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya.
In China, Jalio will be required to be available to travel to other cities as part of the learning.
Also, he will send stories regarding his trip and about the China-Kenyan relations. The Guild will also require him to do a report about his trip when he is back.
“The fellow will travel to China for two weeks and will file reports on Sino-Kenyan co-operation. The fellowship will entail attending field trips to other destinations other than Beijing, visits to Chinese Media houses and companies,” the statement reads.
He will also attend seminars and select Chinese Political events.
Regarding the selection process, the body says it all started with a call to Kenya editors’ guild members on September 4, 2023, asking them to express interest in the fellowship.
The winning candidate, Jalio, was able to convince a panel of KEG trustees that he was an ardent and fully paid-upsupporter of Kenya Editors’ Guild. He also regularly participates in the Guild events
"He commits to publishing articles in their publication while on the trip to China. Commits to delivering a fellowship report at the end of the fellowship.”