Derrick Wachaya

Writer Nairobi, Kenya

I’m Derrick (He/Him), a Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from the Technical University of Mombasa, Kenya. Currently I write about trending topics and major issues affecting Africa for Thred, specifically concerning SDGs. View my Twitter here if you’d like to send me feedback.

Derrick is a Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Technical University of Mombasa, Kenya. While in High School, I did a bit of French but till now I juggle with pronunciations and am still terrible at it.

Immediately after my undergrad I joined a communications company as a Social Media Community Management intern. During my studies I received training in animation. My new love for visual communication could be my next big venture – well, when I decide to explore it fully!

Currently I write about trending topics and major issues affecting Africa for Thred, specifically concerning SDGs. My aim is to raise awareness on the work being done right now to make a positive and prosperous future a reality! Oh, and I love good music, that’s my therapy, even when I’m writing.

Latest Stories from Derrick

Intense floods signal Nigeria’s growing climate crisis

Intense floods signal Nigeria’s growing climate crisis

Last weekend, a tragedy hit the town of Mokwa in central Nigeria. Over 150 lives were lost in floods that experts call the worst the area has seen in 60 years. Heavy downpours flooded Mokwa in central Nigeria, which led to the submergence of houses, destruction of the sources of livelihoods, and the displacement of thousands of people. The enormity of the disaster has dominated discussions across the country and brought...

By Nairobi, Kenya
Bohlale Mphahlele’s battle against Gender-Based Violence in South Africa

Bohlale Mphahlele’s battle against Gender-Based Violence in South Africa

With gender-based violence continuing to be a serious problem in South Africa, organisations and young entrepreneurs are looking for innovative ways to ensure greater safety for women and girls.  South Africa faces high rates of gender-based violence (GBV). Bohlale Mphahlele, a 21-year-old tech whiz from the country, aims to make society safer. When she was 16 and still in high school, Bohlale created the 'Alerting Earpiece'. This gadget looks like an...

By Nairobi, Kenya
Nigerian students build AI to detect fruit ripeness and reduce waste

Nigerian students build AI to detect fruit ripeness and reduce waste

At Caleb University in Lagos, Nigeria, three students are tackling one of agriculture’s oldest and most overlooked problems, determining fruit ripeness. The trio has developed an AI-powered app that can instantly assess whether a mango is ripe, underripe, or rotten, a breakthrough that could drastically cut post-harvest losses and transform fruit quality assessment in Africa. Their app, which uses a combination of computer vision and machine learning, works by analyzing...

By Nairobi, Kenya
The deaf-led startup tackling deafness in rural Africa and beyond

The deaf-led startup tackling deafness in rural Africa and beyond

In a world where hearing determines connection, education, and opportunity, deafness in off-grid regions of Africa tends to equal living in silence and solitude. But a pioneering startup in Botswana is rewriting this narrative, one solar-powered hearing aid at a time. Deaftronics, a proudly deaf-owned and operated business, developed the world's first solar-powered hearing aids, a groundbreaking innovation that addresses the challenges being faced by millions of hearing-impaired children...

By Nairobi, Kenya
Namibia to offer free university education from 2026

Namibia to offer free university education from 2026

In a move set to transform the future of its youth, Namibia has announced that university and vocational education at public institutions will be free from next year. The government decision in Namibia to give free university education is a ground-breaking step that will positively impact the economic and social directions of the country. As of today, the unemployment rate among young people in the country is a worrying

By Nairobi, Kenya
Nearly all of the world’s coral reefs are being hit by mass bleaching

Nearly all of the world’s coral reefs are being hit by mass bleaching

The large-scale bleaching of coral reefs is being observed from diverse locations such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia to the shallow reefs of the Caribbean and the coastal stretches of East Africa. An underwater crisis is unfolding silently, far from the global spotlight. A recent report from the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) revealed that 84% of the world's coral reefs are being hit by an ongoing...

By Nairobi, Kenya
Documentary by BBC Africa Eye triggers national reflection in Kenya

Documentary by BBC Africa Eye triggers national reflection in Kenya

A new round of political debate and public outrage has swept across Kenya in the wake of the release of the explosive BBC Africa Eye documentary ‘Blood Parliament.’ BBC Africa Eye's new documentary 'Blood Parliament' delves into the chilling events of July 2024 amid protests against Kenya’s contested Finance Bill. It has exposed layers of brutality and prompted questions about state accountability, democratic rights, and police violence. The film is a...

By Nairobi, Kenya
UN reports highlight sexual violence crisis against children in Sudan

UN reports highlight sexual violence crisis against children in Sudan

As the civil war in Sudan continues, the United Nations recently released a troubling report detailing a rise in sexual exploitation of children.  Sudan’s civil war that has been waged between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has brought extreme abuses against children among the other things, says latest reports. Between 2023 to now, over the period when the civil war in Sudan exploded, the...

By Nairobi, Kenya
I attended CGIAR Science Week at UN Headquarters in Nairobi

I attended CGIAR Science Week at UN Headquarters in Nairobi

It was an incredible learning experience to attend the inaugural CGIAR Science Week held at the United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi. Last week, over 13,000 participants convened at the United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya to address the food, land and water systems' key challenges against the threat of climate change. Several scientists, researchers, global leaders - including youth leaders - were present for this inaugural event. The week began with...

By Nairobi, Kenya
Microsoft introduces 3D telemedicine technology in Africa

Microsoft introduces 3D telemedicine technology in Africa

Microsoft has introduced 3D telemedicine technology to increase healthcare access across rural and underserved areas in the African continent. Microsoft’s 3D telemedicine service uses cutting-edge holographic and augmented reality to deliver completely immersive, real-time doctor-patient consultations. As opposed to traditional telemedicine based on 2D video conferencing, the technology allows physicians to see patients in three dimensions for improved assessment of symptoms and conditions. The system is propelled by artificial intelligence...

By Nairobi, Kenya