“Ooh! My God, I feel like I am just getting started,” Victoria says.
It has been 14 years since Victoria launched her journalism career, that has seen her traverse the world, covering and telling compelling stories of human interest.
The 2020 BBC World News Komla Dumor Award recipient is currently CNN International’s Connecting Africa correspondent, covering stories about decision-makers, opinion-shapers, and companies driving trade across the world.
"I think that’s what makes me stand out—my authenticity. I get that a lot from people. Ever since I started my career on the radio and TV, where I am now, people say, ‘we can feel and see you in your storytelling. You bring yourself, you are yourself, and I think people have been able to connect to that no matter which network I represent; they know they can get that same level of authenticity and trust from me."
“I have been in the media industry for about 14 years, but to be very honest, I still feel like I’m starting to learn new versions of myself and new things in my professional career, which makes me super excited to see where this journey takes me,” Victoria says.
Of these new versions, one she says is, “The scope of my reporting has widened beyond Kenya, and we are now looking at the continent, which is shifting and evolving. So I am at a point where I’m trying to figure out where I fit in in terms of telling those stories objectively,” she says.
Of her core values, Victoria will mention authenticity many times.
“I think that’s what makes me stand out—my authenticity. I get that a lot from people. Ever since I started my career on the radio and TV, where I am now, people say, ‘we can feel and see you in your storytelling. You bring yourself, you are yourself, and I think people have been able to connect to that no matter which network I represent; they know they can get that same level of authenticity and trust from me.”
A day in Victoria’s life starts with a gym workout session.
“It sets out the mood for me. I believe taking care of your physical body is very important because it kind of flows into your mind as well. When you have a clear mind, it sets you up for a fantastic flow of what you intend to achieve during the day. My advice to anyone would be to try and do something.”
In another life, Vicky moderates high-level discussions globally ranging from business to climate change, technology innovation, and gender issues.
Impacting society positively in any way is something she cherishes.
“Anything that makes the world a better place. In my case, my major contribution to society was what I did while at NTV, the Victoria’s Lounge show. At the time, very few people had seen a similar show on mainstream Kenyan television. We were tackling issues that were discussed in harsh tones, topics that had been considered taboo, and society began to open up and speak out more,” she says.
– By Sinda Matiko
