Amanda Sperber Joins Me on Covert Contact to Discuss Journalism and Conflict in East Africa

In episode 55 Amanda Sperber joins me to discuss her work as a journalist in East Africa. Amanda has covered the region for Foreign Policy, VICE News, Al Jazeera English, and others. We discuss the challenges inherent in covering a largely overlooked, and sometimes dangerous, part of the world.

Amanda has been a solid resource for me for a few years. Her occasional messages and tips keep me up to date and help remind me not to overlook the region. I think she’s typical of many journalists who scrap and sacrifice, while receiving little support from the industry, to cover the stories that matter to them. But it is exactly these kinds of journalists who I often find the most useful – the most informative. They’re surfacing stories that literally wouldn’t be seen without their presence and hard work. It may be thankless and poorly rewarded but here, at least, it is appreciated.

You can listen to the episode on Covert Contact and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

You can follow Amanda on Twitter @hysperbole.