Building a platform to unlock the power of citizen journalism

Aggregating content from everyday storytellers

Panashe Makufa
Innovate360
2 min readFeb 15, 2024

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Photo Credit: Dmitrii Eremin - Pexels

In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, news and information flow at an unprecedented rate. Yet, amidst this constant stream of updates, there remains a yearning for authentic voices and untold stories.

That’s where Our Sources comes in — a dynamic digital news agency that harnesses the power of citizen journalism to bring you a fresh perspective on the world.

Think of Mbare Musika, a vibrant marketplace teeming with life in every corner of Zimbabwe. It’s a microcosm of the diverse narratives waiting to be shared.

Picture Credit: Panashe Makufa

Our Sources seeks to capture that infectious energy and channel it into a platform bursting with citizen-driven content.

As part of my i360 capstone project, I am excited to embark on the development of a content aggregation platform for Sources Media News Agency.

This platform will serve as a central meeting point for both citizen journalists and professionals, providing them with a space to discover and share compelling content and story ideas.

Inspired by platforms like Storyful, our vision for Our Sources is to embrace the idea that anyone can be a source of news. We believe in the power of diverse voices and perspectives, and we want to create an inclusive space where individuals from all walks of life can contribute to the storytelling process.

Our platform will prioritize user-friendliness, with a streamlined design that allows for seamless content discovery and sharing.

Users will have the ability to upload various forms of media, including text, images, and videos, while ensuring quality and accuracy through our moderation system.

Ultimately, my goal is to develop and cultivate a niche audience for Our Sources, with the hope of tapping into digital revenue streams in the long run.

I am both anxious and hopeful about this endeavor, as I recognize the importance of this work in reshaping Zimbabwe’s media landscape.

I invite you to join me on this journey and provide valuable feedback as we strive to empower citizen-driven news and foster a more inclusive and accessible media environment. Together, we can make a difference in how stories are told and shared.

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