Ubah Media Lab

Ubah Media Lab Empowering youth & communities across the Horn of Africa
Media & tech for good.
💻 Digital Skills | 🌍 ICT4D | 🎯 SDG 8
✨ Innovators. Dreamers.

Doers.
đź“ŤMogadishu| ubahmedialab.org

📢 Ubah Media Lab 2026 Impact Report is Out!Dear friends, partners, academics, media colleagues, donors, and civil societ...
21/04/2026

📢 Ubah Media Lab 2026 Impact Report is Out!

Dear friends, partners, academics, media colleagues, donors, and civil society,
We are proud to announce the release of Ubah Media Lab’s 2026 Impact Report, capturing a year of innovation, growth, and transformative impact in media, technology, and youth development in Somalia.

What’s inside the report?
Our Media Accelerator Programme continues to grow:
🎓 The first cohort has successfully graduated
🚀 The second cohort has just begun their journey

This reflects our ongoing commitment to nurturing ethical, creative, and digitally skilled storytellers.

Over the past year, Ubah Media Lab has strengthened its role at the intersection of media, research, and strategic communication—empowering young people to:
* Create impactful content
* Address misinformation
* Contribute to more informed and inclusive societies

The report also shares key insights on Somalia’s evolving digital media landscape, highlighting the importance of:

Trust
Digital literacy
Responsible storytelling

🌍 As we look ahead, we remain committed to expanding our impact through partnerships, innovation, and sustainable approaches—positioning youth as leaders in media and socio-economic development.

đź“Ą Read the full report here: https://shorturl.at/3QHOm

20/04/2026

Warbixinteennnii ugu horreysay ee sanadlaha ah berri ayaan soo saarayna.

Today, we are welcoming our inaugural media fellows , a group of six individuals who have graduated from the Media Accel...
19/04/2026

Today, we are welcoming our inaugural media fellows , a group of six individuals who have graduated from the Media Accelerator Programme by Ubah Media Lab.

Over the next six months, this cohort will participate in collaborative media initiatives led by Ubah Media Lab. Their first project will focus on launching Ubah Growth Lab, a data-driven and results-oriented digital marketing initiative developed by Ubah Media Lab, alongside Miiska Podcast , both ideas born from the Media Accelerator Programme’s student media projects.

Op-Ed: Media helps shape how we understand it, especially in fragile contexts like Somalia.While critical media plays an...
15/04/2026

Op-Ed: Media helps shape how we understand it, especially in fragile contexts like Somalia.

While critical media plays an important role in accountability, it is also worth reflecting on how critique itself is shaped. At times, patterns of framing and a focus on elite actors can unintentionally reinforce dominant narratives and sideline other perspectives.

Recognising this can help strengthen more inclusive and reflective media practices.

Key questions to consider:
• Whose voices are most visible?
• Which perspectives are missing?
• How does power shape media narratives?

đź“– Read more: https://saidmisse.substack.com/p/when-critique-reinforces-power-how

10/04/2026

Ubah Media Lab’s team was featured at the LSE Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa 10th anniversary.

Our Policy Analyst, Mohamed Malin, spoke about the impact of the Centre and how he and the team behind the initiative benefited from the Programme for African Leadership, from which they recently graduated.

Watch as Mohamed shares his experience at Ubah Media Lab and how he is applying the skills gained through the Leadership Programme at the Institute for Africa.

10/04/2026

Today, Ubah Media Lab celebrates its anniversary.

Thank you to everyone who has supported and worked with us along the way.

We look forward to continuing this work together.

In fragile political contexts like Somalia, media doesn’t just report reality — it shapes it.Programs that position them...
09/04/2026

In fragile political contexts like Somalia, media doesn’t just report reality — it shapes it.

Programs that position themselves as “critical” of the state are often seen as tools of accountability and democratic participation. But there’s a deeper question we need to ask:

What if critique itself is shaped by power?

Even media that seeks to challenge political authority can end up reinforcing dominant narratives, not intentionally, but structurally. Through framing, repetition, and a focus on elite political actors, media can normalise marginalisation and deepen divisions.

Using Geed Fadhi as a case study — particularly its coverage of tensions between the Federal Government of Somalia and South West State — this pattern becomes visible.
Instead of disrupting power, media discourse can sometimes embed it more deeply.

If we want media to truly contribute to inclusion and social cohesion, we must go beyond surface-level critique and ask:

👉 Whose voices are amplified?
👉 Whose realities are ignored?
👉 And how is power operating within media itself?

đź“– Read more: https://saidmisse.substack.com/p/when-critique-reinforces-power-how

⚠️ Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Ubah Media Lab.

As we mark one year of Ubah Media Lab, we continue to take small steps in building platforms for young people. Today, w...
08/04/2026

As we mark one year of Ubah Media Lab, we continue to take small steps in building platforms for young people.

Today, we’re introducing a dedicated page for the Ubah Media Lab Media Accelerator Programme.

The page brings together key information about the programme — its structure, focus areas, and what participants can expect.

The accelerator is designed to support young people interested in media and digital storytelling through:
• Structured training
• Mentorship and guidance
• Practical, hands-on work
• A final project to apply learning

This reflects our broader approach over the past year: creating spaces where young people can develop skills, test ideas, and produce meaningful work.

You can explore the programme here:
https://ubahmedialab.org/accelerator-programme/

What started as a simple question — “How can media truly empower young people in the Horn of Africa?” — has now grown in...
07/04/2026

What started as a simple question — “How can media truly empower young people in the Horn of Africa?” — has now grown into something much bigger.

At Ubah Media Lab, we didn’t just build a platform. We built a space for voice, learning, and transformation.

🚀 From idea → to action → to impact

In a region where young people are deeply connected to digital spaces but not always empowered within them, Ubah Media Lab emerged to bridge that gap — turning consumers into creators and ideas into real platforms.

đź”— https://ubahmedialab.org/how-i-turned-an-idea-into-a-media-platform-at-ubah-media-lab/

Following the launch of the Media Accelerator Programme Cohort II today, we are pleased to be joined by a distinguished ...
05/04/2026

Following the launch of the Media Accelerator Programme Cohort II today, we are pleased to be joined by a distinguished group of guest lecturers who will contribute to the programme in the weeks ahead.

They will join the programme at various stages to engage with participants, delivering lectures and sharing practical insights from their respective fields:

1. Mekdim Hailu – Strategic Communications
2. Zainab Sanni – Disinformation Research
3. Asia Abdirisak – Advocacy and Digital Communications
4. Mohamed Malin – Research and Leadership
5. Fardawsa Mohamed – Health Communications Specialist

Their contributions will play a vital role in enriching the learning experience, offering participants valuable exposure to contemporary practices, critical perspectives, and professional expertise in media and communication, and critical communications research.

The Media Accelerator Programme remains committed to fostering excellence, critical engagement, and innovation among emerging media professionals.

02/04/2026

On 10th April, we mark one year of Ubah Media Lab.

One year ago, Ubah Media Lab did not exist.

As we reflect on this journey, we are reminded of where it all began:

Across the Horn of Africa, young people were increasingly connected through digital spaces—yet not always empowered within them.
That gap led to the birth of Ubah Media Lab.

Over the past year, we have grown from an idea into a platform for media, learning, and youth empowerment.
We have:

* Created spaces for dialogue, storytelling, and collaboration
* Supported young people to move from consumers to creators
* Delivered workshops on digital literacy, safety, and media awareness
* Engaged communities in conversations that challenge narratives and encourage critical thinking

Most importantly, we have seen young people willing to take control of their own stories.

This year has shown us that:

* Media is not just communication—it is power
* Voice matters
* And meaningful change begins with listening

As we celebrate this milestone, we also look ahead.

The next phase of Ubah Media Lab will focus on expanding our reach, strengthening our role in media and development, and launching new initiatives—including our Diploma in Media & Digital Innovation.

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