AWE appoints its Regional Ambassadors

Four journalists, four regions, one shared ambition: to strengthen the visibility of African women experts in the media and to raise awareness among African media outlets on the importance of highlighting female expertise. In April 2026, Africa Women Experts (AWE) unveiled its regional ambassadors. Recognized for their strong commitment to women’s leadership, parity, and gender equality in the media, each ambassador will serve as relays for the platform within their respective regions (West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa).

LERATO Peggy Matheka, redefining media platforms a tool to elevate credible voices

LERATO Peggy Matheka is a media executive, journalist, and strategic communications leader driving the transformation of independent media in Lesotho and across the Southern African region. She is the Managing Editor and Co-Owner of Newsday Media, where she has spearheaded its evolution from a traditional print outlet into a modern, multi-platform media house.

She made history as the first woman to hold a senior editorial leadership position of this scale within the organisation, establishing a leadership style that blends editorial depth with innovation. Under her direction, Newsday Media has repositioned itself not only as a storytelling platform, but also as an actor in economic participation, policy engagement and social transformation.

One of her most significant achievements has been the strategic transformation of Newsday Media into a hybrid platform integrating print, digital publishing, and multimedia production. This shift expanded the organisation’s reach and strengthened its commercial sustainability, particularly during and after the COVID-19 period, when adaptability became essential for survival in the media sector.

Responding to gaps in specialised reporting, she also conceptualised and launched Lesotho’s first dedicated agricultural newspaper. The publication has since become a key resource for farmers, policymakers, and development stakeholders, elevating agriculture as a central pillar of economic development and public discourse.

Under her leadership, Newsday Media has further expanded into digital-first storytelling, including video production and social media-driven journalism, strengthening its engagement with younger and more digitally connected audiences.

Her contribution to media innovation has been recognised by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Lesotho), which awarded Newsday Media a Certificate of Excellence on World Press Freedom Day for its work in advancing digital media transformation.

Beyond institutional leadership, she is the host pf Public Opinion, an online current affairs platform that amplifies citizen voices and examines national issues. Through this platform, she consistently foregrounds underrepresented perspectives in public debate.

Her work sits at the intersection of media, development, and influence. Her broader vision is to build media platforms that go beyond information-sharing to unlock opportunity, elevate credible voices, and position African expertise at the centre of global conversations. In doing so, she continues to redefine the role of media : from passive observer to active contributor in shaping economic, social, and policy outcomes. She is AWE Ambassador for Southern Africa Region.

KOFFI Nadège, a journalist at the intersection of economics and women’s leadership empowerment

Managing Editor and journalist at the media outlet Afrique Économie, KOFFI N’Guesshand Aya Nadège is a leading figure in economic journalism in Côte d’Ivoire. She is particularly distinguished by her commitment to promoting economic, financial, and institutional dynamics across Africa.

Through her media platform, she deciphers key development issues on the African continent and contributes to public debate with insightful and accessible analysis. She regularly designs and hosts webinars that bring together experts, institutions, and economic stakeholders to discuss major African trends and perspectives.

Vice-President of the Association of Economic and Financial Journalists of Côte d’Ivoire and Head of Communication and Public Relations at the Pan-African Union of Journalists for South-South Cooperation, she actively works to strengthen media cooperation and promote high-quality economic journalism. In 2020, she was awarded « Best Web Journalist of the Year » by the Digital Press Platform of Côte d’Ivoire, a distinction that recognizes her influence in the digital journalism landscape.

Committed to international cooperation and media diplomacy, she also advocates for women’s leadership, women’s empowerment, and the visibility of high-impact initiatives across the continent. She is the National Coordinator of the NGO « Stand For Africa » in Côte d’Ivoire, an initiative dedicated to promoting African excellence, highlighting talent, and training the continent’s future elite. She is also an Ambassador of the « Digital Africa Cluster » a network of experts engaged in Africa’s digital transformation. She is AWE West Africa Ambassador.

MAURA AJAK, journalist committed to human rights and climate justice

Maura Ajak is a south sudanese multimedia and multi-award freelance journalist, media consultant and coach with over a decade of professional experience. She is dedicated to reporting on critical issues, including human rights, the environment, peace and governance and investigative journalism. Beyond traditional reporting, she also works as an experienced fixer for international journalists and maintains a strong presence as a social media advocate, using digital platforms to amplify underreported African narratives.

Her work extends beyond journalism into advocacy and capacity building, particularly in the empowerment of women. She has played a key role in documenting female climate entrepreneurs and producing climate education content aimed at raising awareness and inspiring action across communities.

In 2022, she was selected among 12 youth representatives to contribute to the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change (KDMECC). She further participated in the expanded Africa Climate Summit in Kenya in 2023, contributing to continental discussions on climate policy and youth engagement.

Her professional milestones include prestigious fellowships and training programs. She is an alumna of the Women in News Accelerator Leadership Programme and the International Visitor Leadership Program (2020). She is also a fellow of the International Women’s Media Foundation (2017) and the Pan-African women journalists’ networks, Les PanAfricaines (2018). In 2023, she was elected chairperson of the WAN-IFRA Women in News South Sudan Chapter. She was also appointed Peace Ambassador for East Africa for the IGAD Center for Excellence for preventing and countering violent extremism. She was part of the Journalists for human Rights South Sudan team which conducted training for senior officers in the organized forces and national security on human rights reporting (2018-2019).

Her contributions have been widely recognized through multiple awards. In 2025, she received the inaugural JHR Award. In 2024, she was honored as Climate Champion Human Rights Defender of the Year. She was also recognized in 2020 with the East Africa Climate Change Award and received the Peace & Governance Award from African Women in Media. In 2021, she was appointed Earth Champion for the East Africa region. Earlier in her career, she was named Human Rights Defender by CEPO in 2017.

In addition to reporting, she contributed to climate migration research in 2022, engaging in data collection on youth mobility and producing digital content as part of Climate Action Research initiatives.

Through her work, she continues to position journalism as a tool for accountability, climate justice, and peacebuilding across Africa, while amplifying the voices of women and young people often excluded from mainstream narratives. She is AWE Ambassador for East Africa.

MAKOUBAMA Samba Irène Nadège, a career dedicated to social and civic impact

A reporter journalist at the Congolese Information Agency (ACI) for over thirteen years, Makoubama Samba Irène Nadège specializes in covering societal issues that shape social realities: gender, public health, environment, education, and development. This commitment has enabled her to give a voice to communities often underrepresented in the media space, while contributing to a better understanding of social challenges.

She later expanded her scope of responsibility by taking on editorial leadership roles, notably as Head of Bureau within the Information Directorate of ACI and coordinator of the bulletin “Le Quotidien de l’ACI”.

Her career is also marked by experience in institutional communication within the Ministry of Special Economic Zones. This role allowed her to develop strategic expertise in designing messages tailored to public policies and development challenges.

She is further distinguished by her involvement in high-impact social projects in collaboration with national and international institutions. From awareness campaigns against breast cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (Octobre Rose), to public health initiatives such as REDISSE IV, as well as education programs (PRAASED), environmental projects (ProClimat), and initiatives promoting digital transformation and women’s entrepreneurship, she uses journalism as a lever for action and social transformation.

Her guiding principle remains consistent: reporting with accuracy, amplifying often invisible voices, and contributing to communication in the service of development. She is AWE Central Africa Ambassador.