I, John Paul Francis, was born and raised in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where I found my passion in numbers and analysis at an early age.

Throughout my academic journey, I demonstrated a keen aptitude for mathematics and statistics. 

I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Official Statistics at Eastern Africa Statistical Training Centre (EASTC). Upon graduation, I was awarded First Class honors.

Outside my academic life, I actively participated in various research projects. One of the projects was the case study on the major sources of cooking energy in Tanzania done in 2012.

Over the years, I performed internships with several organizations. One of them was SIKIKA dealing with health issues in Tanzania. I joined the faculty which provides hands-on experience with data analysis.

I also worked with Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on several occasions. My duties involved training data collectors, supervising them as well as engaging in data collection and data entry.

I recently joined Nukta Africa, a digital media and technology company, improving people’s lives through data, content and technology. It is based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Why Nukta Africa?

Joining Nukta Africa was my strategic move. I decided to become a Data Fellow at Nukta Africa to further enhance my skills in data journalism, and contribute to the production of digital and data-driven new stories.

My aspiration was to become a successful data journalist in Tanzania, and Nukta Africa was the perfect platform to achieve this goal.

Introduced to the company by a relative, I was inspired by the impactful work they are doing in the field of digital media and data-driven storytelling.

Skills Gained

In just one month at Nukta Africa, I have acquired a myriad of skills that have aligned with my aspirations and goals.

With the help of various training sessions, I immersed myself in various departments. I learnt how to design and disseminate newsletters using tools like Canva and Mailchimp.

I also learnt how to perform fact-checking on news displayed across various social media platforms and websites.

Training on data journalism has also helped me uncover hidden stories from data. I learnt the basics of data journalism from data sourcing until data-driven storytelling, and applied them in my work at Nukta Africa.

Daily activities and experience

My daily tasks include compiling and sharing data on forex rates and food crop prices. With such data, new and insightful stories are being produced.

I also gained experience by writing data-driven stories. I covered a story concerning appreciation of the Dollar against the Tanzania shilling. I also covered a story concerning the launching of new hydroelectric power plants in the country.

I am also involved in publishing blogs on topics relevant to data journalism for Kozica, our company’s digital e-learning platform for journalism and communication. 

Future plans and advice

Looking ahead, I am committed to continuous learning and growth at Nukta Africa. With my statistics expertise, I believe I will add value to the company in producing insightful and impactful digital news stories.

To fellow youth looking to unleash their potential, I would advise three important things. First, they should embrace opportunities for learning and skill development. Secondly, they should seek mentorship from experienced professionals. Last, they should remain persistent in the pursuit of their goals. 

With dedication and determination, anything is possible.