"You need to have the courage to pursue stories"

I studied History at the University of Bristol before joining the joint master program at Sciences Po, where I specialised in Environmental Policy alongside Journalism. During my studies in Paris, I freelanced as a producer for CNN and filed pieces for various British and American newspapers such as The Guardian and The Christian Science Monitor. Since then, I have mostly worked in Africa as a freelance correspondent for both francophone and anglophone media.

Today I work mostly as a freelance correspondent for France 24 based in Dakar, Senegal. A typical day includes searching for and pitching important stories from across West Africa; delivering lives in the case of breaking news; and producing, editing and voicing video stories. Alongside regular work with France 24, I also write features and take photos for a number of anglophone outlets. In my free time, I kickbox three times a week with the Senegalese national team. I aim to take part in my first official fight in 2023. 

The degree was extremely useful in terms of skill development. Before joining Sciences Po, I had no idea how to put together a package for TV and had never worked as a photojournalist. Now I do both regularly. The most intellectually stimulating part of the course revolved around the ethics of journalism. 

This was a challenging degree and at times proved to be very stressful. I’m glad to have persisted with the course, which opened up many doors professionally. I remain close with a number of former classmates. There were a number of inspirational, stand-out teachers including: Annie Hylton, Pauline Ades-Mével and Stuart Norval.

My main advice is to be persistent and to act confidently. You need to have the courage to pursue stories and job opportunities even if you have doubts about your chances of success. If you don’t ask, you won’t get.