Meet Rethabile Mohono: Champion for Minority Voices and 2024 Mandela Washington Fellow

Rethabile Mohono, a distinguished journalist from Mohale’s Hoek, is set to join the prestigious 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders cohort. With nine years of journalistic experience, Rethabile serves as the Digital News Editor and Business Journalist at Public Eye Newspaper under The Eye. His commitment to inclusivity is reflected in the creation of specialized sections within the publication, such as the LGBTIQ+, Disability, and Women sections, ensuring that minority communities are represented in national decision-making processes across various sectors, including education and health.

Rethabile’s academic journey began at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, where he studied Journalism and Media. He is also an alumnus of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), and he is a recipient of several journalism awards. His diverse skill set extends beyond journalism to include marketing, project management, and public relations. This broad expertise underpins his ambition to launch a digital magazine exclusively dedicated to minority groups, further amplifying underrepresented voices.

During the fellowship, Rethabile will be hosted by Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, under the Leadership in Civic Engagement track. He is eager to gain insights into the operations of digital newspapers, particularly how they integrate new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their newsrooms. He plans to incorporate these insights into the digital newspaper he aims to launch, which will focus on minority groups.

“During the Mandela Washington Fellowship, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the latest digital innovations in journalism and how these can be applied to my work back home,” Rethabile shared. “I am particularly interested in how U.S. media report stories on minority groups and plan to bring that knowledge back to enrich our local practices.”

Rethabile’s vision for the future involves starting his own digital newspaper dedicated to the minority population in Lesotho. By doing so, he aims to provide a platform that not only informs but also empowers marginalized communities, ensuring their voices are heard and their stories told.

As Rethabile embarks on this transformative journey, he continues to exemplify the power of journalism as a tool for social change. His work and aspirations reflect a profound commitment to inclusivity and advocacy, promising a brighter future for minority communities in Lesotho and beyond.