Besana Mail – Advancing Human and Community Development

In this episode, Onita Sibanda (OS) speaks to Calvin Manika (CM) – Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Besana Media.

OS: Good evening! Welcome to tonight’s Weekly Guest @Besana. We are truly excited to have you here as we host a very special guest, our CEO, Calvin Manika.

Tonight, we take a look inside The Besana Mail to explore the heart, vision and journey behind our work.

Calvin, congratulations on your recent journalism impact award in advancing human and community development in Africa. What does this recognition personally mean to you and to The Besana Mail?

CM: Thank you, Onita, and all of our friends here!

The excitement began when we were nominated for the award (List Identities Awards). A special mention to Matabeleland Pulse, who nominated me. When I say me, it’s just the face of the organisation.

I want to thank the List Identities Media company for recognising the unsung heroes in our communities. I would like to take this opportunity to personally and on behalf of The Besana Mail thank everyone who voted for me and make the award come home.

This award shows that we come from the people and people appreciate the work we are doing. To me the recognition means we are doing well by providing platforms, reporting from the underserved communities and creating hope for our communities. It is a reminder to keep creating more opportunities, especially for young people.

OS: This is such a powerful and heartfelt message, Calvin. Your words reflect what The Besana Mail stands for community, impact and giving a voice to the unheard. The recognition is well deserved, and it’s inspiring to see the work being celebrated.

For our audience who may be new to our work, can you briefly explain what The Besana Mail is, and what inspired you to start it?

CM: The Besana Mail is a media outlet founded in January 2022. So, in two months’ time, we are turning 4. Our mission is to provide a platform in news deserts or underserved communities, where mainstream media does not seem to cover much. But, if you look closely, there is a deliberate bias against children and young people. This was to close a gap in reporting and provide a platform to such marginalised groups.

We are interested in community, developmental and investigative journalism. Initially, we started in Hwange, expanded our coverage to include the whole Mat North province. With time, we were able to report from all over Zimbabwe.

OS: That’s an inspiring journey! From humble beginnings in Hwange to reaching across Zimbabwe. The Besana Mail is a true example of what focused community-rooted journalism can achieve. Your focus on children, youth and underserved communities fills a critical gap in our media landscape.

Congratulations on the upcoming 4-year milestone. Here’s to continued growth, impact and storytelling that truly matters.

Can you share a story or investigation from The Besana Mail that you feel had the most meaningful impact on the community?

CM: Oh, yes! That’s a great question, Onita. We have more than a dozen or more stories, both news, features and investigative reporting that we can point. We had a series of articles on the lack of transparency and accountability at Lupane Kusile Rural District Council and how it was failing to protect people from climate change effects e.g. human/wildlife conflict. We saw officials acting, even at the ministerial level. The impact of the story stretched from Hwange National Park to Lupane villages.

We have also investigated Hwange Colliery Company operations, the effects of coal mining and exposed some of its contractors. We saw some response from contractors; some went further, even to donate furniture and goods to local schools. Others stopped activities temporarily or changed plans, of course through the support of other stakeholders like GWRT.

There are many to mention. You can share with our friends here later.

OS: Wow, that’s powerful and inspiring work, Calvin. It’s clear that The Besana Mail isn’t just reporting; you are driving real change. From holding authorities accountable to amplifying community voices, that impact is undeniable. Thank you for sharing.

Running an independent outlet is not easy, especially in Zimbabwe’s media landscape. What challenges have you faced, and how have you navigated them?

CM: This is an important question. Running an independent outlet like The Besana Mail in Zimbabwe comes with a unique set of challenges. The first is financial sustainability. Independent media without much sphere of influence or coverage rarely attract major advertisers, and funding is always uncertain. We’ve had to rely on small grants, individuals’ donations, and community support just to keep the newsroom functioning.

The second challenge is access to information. In some spaces in our own country, journalists from independent media houses are still viewed with suspicion, and obtaining basic data or interviews can be difficult. We have been building trust slowly over time and broadening our engagement efforts.

There are also digital challenges. Many rural areas have limited internet access, which affects both our reporting and our audience reach. To navigate this, we use a hybrid model, publishing online while also engaging communities directly through WhatsApp groups, in-person dialogues, and local networks.

Despite all this, what keeps us going is the impact. When a story leads to a policy shift, when a community finally gets attention, or when someone writes to say, ‘Your reporting helped us,’ that becomes our motivation. We navigate the challenges by staying committed to people-centred journalism and by working creatively with the limited resources we have.

OS: Thank you for that honest and powerful insight, Calvin. Running an independent outlet like The Besana Mail takes resilience, creativity and deep commitment. 

Many people may not know that your work also extends beyond The Besana Mail. What other journalism or community initiatives are you currently involved in?

CM: Besides our newsroom at The Besana Mail. We have this platform – the community roundtable or Weekly Guest @ Besana. It’s a powerful platform for interfacing, networking and discussions. We call it ‘Onita’s platform.’ You have been at the forefront of this project since day one.

We also have the Ubuntu Circle Initiative led by Tinashe Muchuri. This initiative is working on creating an Ubuntu ecosystem across the globe, from Hwange, Zimbabwe, to Flint, United States. The initiative is combining academic research and development efforts hinged on Ubuntu. Last year, we hosted the inaugural Ubuntu Listen 2 Understand retreat in Victoria Falls and Hwange. Academics from the U.S, South Africa, Ghana and Chinhoyi University of Technology were part of the program.

OS: Thank you for highlighting these amazing platforms! I’m truly honoured to be part of the Weekly Guest @ Besana journey, it’s been such a meaningful space for conversation, connection and community growth. It’s also inspiring to see how the Ubuntu Circle Initiative is bridging global communities through shared values and learning. These efforts show how storytelling, dialogue and research can come together to build something impactful. Proud to walk this journey with you all.

Your award highlights ‘community impact.’ How do you measure impact in your reporting, and what does meaningful impact look like to you?

CM: At The Besana Mail, community impact isn’t measured by clicks or analytics; it’s measured by change. I look at whether a story has shifted something tangible in people’s lives. Sometimes it’s small – a family receives assistance after we share/write about their situation, or a local leader finally responds to a long-ignored issue. Other times, it’s structural, a policy is revised, an investigation is launched, or a dialogue begins where there was once silence.

We also measure impact through community feedback, like the one shared earlier by one of our community members here, which tells me the journalism is working.

Meaningful impact, to me, is when reporting becomes a catalyst, empowering communities, holding power accountable, and restoring dignity to those who are often unheard. That’s the standard we try to uphold at The Besana Mail.

OS: That’s such a powerful and grounded approach to journalism. Measuring impact by real change, not just metrics, shows the heart behind The Besana Mail’s work. It’s also inspiring to see how storytelling can lead to action, healing, and accountability. Thank you for reminding us what journalism is truly about, people, dignity and transformation.

Digital storytelling is becoming essential. How is The Besana Mail adapting to technology, in terms of platforms, audience engagement, or multimedia journalism?

CM: I am happy to ask this question. You can see that everyone, even our traditional media houses, is moving from newspapers and investing more in digital platforms.

Digital storytelling is central to how The Besana Mail operates, especially because our audience is spread across different regions (urban, peri-urban and rural) and often accesses news differently.

We have adapted in three key ways.

First, we have embraced multi-platform publishing. Besides our website, we use WhatsApp, because many Zimbabweans prefer these platforms for quick, affordable access to information. WhatsApp, in particular, allows community members to share stories easily and stay informed even in low-bandwidth areas.

Second, we involve the audience directly. People send tips, videos, and community updates, and we verify and build stories from those contributions. This has strengthened trust because our readers feel they are part of the newsroom, not just consumers.

Thirdly, most of our stories are multimedia; there is text, video, audio and infographics.

Lastly, we are integrating more multimedia. Starting in January 2026, we are launching Besana TV on YouTube, coming with various programs.

OS: Thank you, Calvin, this is people people-centred approach to journalism. I love how The Besana Mail is not only embracing digital tools but doing so in a way that keeps communities at the heart of it all. And the launch of Besana TV is exciting

Looking ahead, what are your plans for The Besana Mail? Are there new projects, collaborations, or expansions on the horizon?

CM: Yes, for the past two years, we have invested heavily in fact-checking and AI integration into our investigations. In April we announced the launch of Zim Truth Radar – our fact-checking arm. We have piloted the project, and the results are amazing. This will be a standalone project or newsroom from January 2026.

We are also working on Mashala Earth – a climate science and environment news project. We are still working on the details. It’s a promising project which will relieve The Besana Mail from reporting such stories, and make it concentrate more on other issues.

OS: That’s inspiring! Investing in fact-checking and launching Zim Truth Radar is a big step in strengthening public trust and accountability. Well done. The upcoming Mashala Earth project also sounds promising, especially with climate issues becoming more urgent.

I can’t wait to see how these projects shape the future of storytelling in Zimbabwe and beyond!

Any last words?

CM: Community is at the heart of everything we do. Journalism is not just about telling stories; it’s about restoring dignity, as you have rightly put it, shining light where there is darkness, and making sure no one is forgotten.

The Besana Mail exists because ordinary people deserve to be seen, to be heard, and to be believed. I’m grateful to everyone who has trusted us with their stories, and I hope we continue building a platform that brings real change, one story at a time.

OS: Powerful! You have captured the true spirit of community journalism, one that uplifts, includes and brings dignity. Thank you for reminding us why storytelling matters and for giving voice to those often unheard. We are proud to walk this journey with The Besana Mail.

Thank you so much for being part of this rich conversation.

CM: Thank you Onita, for inviting me to your platform! It was an honour to share The Besana Mail story, our vision and pledge to our audience. We are learning every week from this platform. To our audience, thank you, and God bless you.

OS: You are most welcome, Calvin! It was an absolute honour to host you on Weekly Guest @Besana. Thank you for sharing the heart and vision behind The Besana Mail so openly.

Your words have inspired many, and this session will surely leave a lasting impact. We look forward to continuing the work together.

Thank you once again, and blessings to you too!