Since 2010, WAN-IFRA’s Women in News leadership development program has worked to empower women in the media to expect more professionally, to strive for executive positions and receive the training and support networks to do so.

Three years ago when WIN Graduate Emelda Libanga joined the Women In News (WIN) programme, she was subeditor at the Zambia Daily Mail. Today she is editor of the Sunday Mail, a position that brings about many more challenges and responsibilities, but also the possibility for real impact and change.

When Imelda Libanga first started working as a sub-editor at the Sunday Mail in Zambia, she was at the receiving end of content and quality control. Recently she reached her three-year career goal to become Editor of the Sunday edition, getting to directly manage staff and content: “My new role involves a lot of decision-making on what should be published. I get satisfaction when lives get transformed because of a story we published.”

Tlotlo Mbazo is Special Projects Editor at the Botswana Guardian.