The Ghana Police Service has arrested suspect Sibamay Zakaria who was captured in a viral video assaulting a suspect.

The suspect in a viral video on social media, is seen dishing out a slap to a Pastor who is said to have condemned the Islamic Religion while streaming on TikTok live.

Read Also; Viral Assault Video: Police Launch Manhunt for Suspect

The slap landed on the cheeks of the Pastor, who was handcuffed after he was arrested for making some inciteful comments via social media.

The suspect is in custody assisting the investigation and will be put before the court.

Meanwhile, the Police Professional Standards Bureau is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and all persons found culpable will be taken through the necessary disciplinary processes.

The Ghana Police Service has commenced a manhunt for a man captured in a viral video assaulting a suspect.

In a viral video on social media, a man is seen dishing out a slap to a Pastor who is said to have condemned the Islamic Religion while streaming on TikTok live.

The slap landed on the cheeks of the Pastor, who was handcuffed after he was arrested for making some inciteful comments via social media.

The police in a statement released on Thursday, 13 August 2026 said Service strongly condemns the incident and has intensified efforts to arrest the suspect and put him before the court.

‘The circumstances surrounding the incident is also being investigated and all persons found culpable will be taken through the due process of the law’

The U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has reported that about 30,000 pounds of imported raw beef from South America have been recalled in two states over the failure to reinspect the product after arriving in the U.S.

Corte Argentino USA LLC, located in Aventura, Florida, recalled approximately 29,628 pounds of raw beef imported from Argentina, the FSIS announced.

The FSIS announcement revealed that products were produced between May 15, 2026 and May 20, 2026 and have use or freeze-by dates between Sept. 15-20, 2026. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS inspection activities.

The following products are subject to the recall;

1. Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Top Sirloin Butt” (“Cuadril Sin Tapa”)
2. Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Eye Round” (“Peceto”)
3. Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Topside Cap Off” (“Nalga AD S/Tapa”)
4. Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Flat” (“Carnaza Cuadrada”)
5. Various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Knuckle” (“Bola de Lomo”)

Where was the recalled beef sold?

The FSIS said the products were distributed to retailers in Florida and Texas.

What should consumers do if they have the recalled beef?

The FSIS is advising consumers who have purchased these products not to consume them. The agency says the products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Source; US Today

Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella officially joined Real Madrid in August 2026 for an initial £47.4 million (€55 million) fee with add-ons.

The Spanish left-back has expressed his excitement at embarking on a new experience with Real Madrid, confirming that the opportunity to play in the royal club’s jersey was one of those offers that are hard to refuse, especially after experiencing the atmosphere of its big matches from the stands as a fan.

The World Cup Champion in his statement said “I am very happy to be here, and getting the chance to play for a club like this is very hard to refuse. I had no doubts, as I watched all those magical nights from the stands as a fan, and now I have the chance to experience this myself’

‘Wearing it is a privilege reserved for a select few players. He said: “Few players can say they have worn this shirt. This shirt represents history, and it is the biggest shirt in Europe. It is a great honor to be here, and I will give my best.”

Cucurella explained the task and responsibility ahead of him;

“I have witnessed all those magical nights and comebacks at Santiago Bernabéu, and all the Champions League titles the club has lifted. Therefore, having the opportunity to experience this for myself, and to be part of something of this magnitude, I consider it a huge responsibility, but it is also a beautiful and extremely important challenge.”

Established in 2001 under the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Capacity-Building of Human Resources, the UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowships Programme, also known as the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme, is a long-standing initiative supported by the Government of Japan to strengthen research capacities and promote international knowledge exchange in areas aligned with UNESCO’s mandate. Since its establishment, the Programme has enabled 291 young researchers from 101 countries around the world to pursue postgraduate research, contributing to academic cooperation, capacity-building and the development of knowledge in fields of shared global importance.

Under the 2026 cycle, UNESCO and the Government of Japan will award 10 fellowships to highly qualified young researchers from Africa, Small Island Developing States, Ukraine and Türkiye. The fellowships will support innovative and high-quality postgraduate research related to heritage conservation and management, sustainable development and artificial intelligence, with particular attention to interdisciplinary research connecting these themes with social, ethical, governance and contextual dimensions.

Through research stays in Japanese universities and research institutions, fellows will have the opportunity to further develop their work and engage with Japan’s academic and research community.

Invited Member States and Associate Members

AFRICA – 47 Member States:
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

ARAB STATES – 1 Member State:
Bahrain

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC – 17 Member States, 2 Associate Members:
Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated State of), Nauru, Niue, New Caledonia*, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tokelau*, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN – 16 Member States, 7 Associate Members*:
Anguilla*, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba*, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands*, Cayman Islands*, Cuba, Curaçao*, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat*, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten*, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

EUROPE – 2 Member States:
Türkiye, Ukraine

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must:

• be nationals of one of the invited Member States or Associate Members listed in Annex 1;
• be no more than 40 years old at the time of application;
• hold at least a Master’s degree or equivalent in a field relevant to the proposed research and demonstrate strong academic and research potential;
• demonstrate sufficient proficiency in reading and writing in the language of instruction or supervision at the proposed host institution in Japan;
• have obtained acceptance from an academic supervisor at a Japanese university or research institution, who will oversee the proposed research.

Fellowship grant and eligible costs

Selected fellows may receive a fellowship grant of up to US$10,000. The grant will be provided as a lump-sum contribution and is intended to cover costs directly related to the approved research stay in Japan.

The grant may cover:

• international and domestic travel for the approved itinerary;
• accommodation;
• medical insurance;
• personal subsistence in Japan, including meals, local transportation and incidental expenses;
• other research-related expenses, where applicable.

The grant does not cover tuition fees, the purchase of equipment, including computers, publication costs or participation in conferences, unless such participation can be clearly justified as an integral part of the research and makes a direct and significant contribution to the project.

Medical insurance is mandatory for all selected fellows and will be arranged by UNESCO on their behalf. The cost of medical insurance will be deducted from the total fellowship amount before disbursement.

How to apply

Step 1:
Read carefully the Application Guide to understand the requirements for eligible candidatures and the procedures for the submission of application.

Step 2:
Contact the National Commission for UNESCO of your home country to enquire about the application procedures at the national level. Click here for the contact information of the National Commissions for UNESCO.

Step 3:
Prepare all required documents, including the application form (Annex 3), academic documents, recommendation letter, host institution acceptance letter, language certificate and research proposal (Annex 4).

Step 4:
Submit your application to the National Commission for UNESCO of your home country, at least 2 weeks before the required deadline.

Step 5: 

As soon as you are informed by the National Commission for UNESCO of your country that you are nominated as a candidate for this programme, you should communicate your the online application form and the supporting documents to keizoobuchi.fellowships@unesco.org.

Note: Only applications nominated by the National Commission will be accepted by UNESCO.

Step 6:
Letters of nomination, along with all the application documents should be submitted to UNESCO by the National Commissions no later than 30 September 2026, midnight Paris time. Candidates who submit incomplete applications, or submit the online applications beyond this deadline won’t be considered.

Selection process

Applications will be evaluated by a Selection Committee composed of experts from UNESCO and the Government of Japan in the relevant fields. The evaluation will take into account the merits of the candidates and the quality, relevance and originality of their proposed research.

The final selection decision will be made by the Japanese authorities, based on the recommendation of the Committee, with due consideration to gender equality and diversity.

Apply

Policy Analyst

Energy – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Remote)

Salary:  Salary commensurate with experience and location

Type of employment: 100% full-time-equivalent staff position, including under an Employment of Record model. One-year contract with a high possibility of extension.

Job Type: Newly created Role

Application deadline: August 24, 2026 , 4PM CST 

Start Date: immediate opportunity

About

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is a globally recognized think tank with more than 30 years of experience working to solve today’s greatest sustainable development challenges. We combine deep expertise across critical policy areas with a collaborative approach to research, advice, and hands-on support that delivers real-world results. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, we are a diverse team of over 300 experts working from offices in Canada and Switzerland as well as other locations around the world.

We are currently looking for a Policy Analyst, Fossil Fuel Transition, to work within the IISD Energy Program.

Also Apply;

Job Opening-Program Manager, Foundational AI- Remote

About the Position

The Policy Analyst, Fossil Fuel Transition, will work as part of IISD’s International Strategy team, which delivers research, policy proposals, and strategic advice to support a Paris-aligned, just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels and the end of public finance to fossil fuels. The team collaborates with a large range of stakeholders, including civil society organizations and networks, international organizations, governments, and media. This position is based within the IISD Energy Program. The candidate will work with a diverse and dynamic team of over 50 experts based in Europe, Canada, Australasia, and Africa.

The Policy Analyst will play a key role in the team and in the Energy Program by supporting the research and advocacy work. In particular, they will help support countries in pursuing their climate and development goals. The Policy Analyst will work with the wider Energy Program’s team to help ensure that: 1) a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuel production and consumption is embedded in national and global planning and policies; and 2) commitments to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and international public finance for fossil fuels are implemented with integrity. Their key areas of responsibility will include but not be limited to:

• In collaboration with other IISD Energy experts, contributing to robust policy-oriented research and advocacy, with a particular focus on public financial flows, ambition and implementation of fossil fuel transition commitments, economic diversification, and other topics relating to transitioning away from fossil fuels.
• Producing policy briefs, blogs, visualizations, and other materials based on the team’s research and tailored to different target audiences (policy-makers, civil society, media).
• Planning engagements and liaising with IISD’s strategic partners.
• Presenting and communicating IISD’s work to a variety of audiences.

About the Successful Applicant

The successful applicant will be a quick learner with experience and a keen interest in the analysis of climate, economic development, and energy transition policies. They will be well organized and confident working with new topics, people, large amounts of information, and numbers. They will need to demonstrate evidence of critical thinking and attention to detail.

The successful applicant will have (essential):

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., natural resource management, economics, public finance, international and development studies, political science, engineering, sociology, or interdisciplinary studies).
• A minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in one or several of the following areas: policy research, climate and energy finance, statistics, and international cooperation; experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods for policy analysis.
• Confident and engaging communication skills, including an understanding of different communications approaches for different audiences.
• An understanding of policy-making in developed and developing countries; experience working in or with developing countries will be considered a strong advantage.
• An understanding of climate change and its broad implications for energy systems.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and knowledge management skills.
• A “can-do” work attitude and ability to work both independently and in different team roles, managing workloads and producing deliverables on time and within budget.
• A resourceful attitude with a pragmatic approach to solving issues, as well as the ability to learn quickly.
• The ability to be results-focused, prioritize and work quickly and accurately with the flexibility to take on tasks ranging from highly complex to basic in nature.
• A strong ability to work comfortably across different cultures and be inclusive and positive with different colleagues.
• Excellent oral and written English. Proficiency in another language will be considered an advantage.
• Availability to travel internationally.

The successful applicant could also have (desirable):

• Previous experience working on fossil fuel transitions and finance for energy
• Experience working with governments.
• Experience working with a broad network of other non-governmental organizations.

Location:
Remote within one of the following Global South countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, or Uganda. The position involves regular virtual meetings with IISD staff and external partners based in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australasia, with the successful candidates’ regular working hours overlapping with work hours in all of these locations.

Candidates must hold an appropriate work authorization for locations where they expect to be based, without any sponsorship from IISD.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR.

• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A one-page letter of motivation

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for one year.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage applications from individuals from historically underrepresented and marginalized communities, including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, people of diverse racial and ethnic identities, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and/or sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

We are committed to equitable and inclusive recruitment practices and to reducing barriers to employment and advancement. Hiring decisions are based on qualifications, experience, competencies, and organizational needs, while recognizing the value that diverse perspectives and lived experiences bring to our work.  We offer reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process and welcome applicants’ input on how best to support their participation. Candidates are invited to voluntarily self-identify and complete our employment equity questionnaire through our applicant tracking system

Click Here To Apply

Administrative Coordinator

Title: Administrative Coordinator
Reports to: Co-Directors
Position: Full-time, Remote (Eastern Time Zone)
Compensation: US$60,000–70,000 per year.
Application Deadline: August 31, 2026

About the Agroecology Fund (AEF)

The Agroecology Fund (AEF) is a multi-donor fund supporting agroecology movements worldwide. The Fund aims to support resilient food systems that promote the economic and nutritional well-being and human rights of small farmers and Indigenous Peoples and their communities, strengthen biodiversity conservation, and mitigate climate change.

The Agroecology Fund operates with a small and decentralized team, working remotely from different countries. It is a dynamic organization with ample room for leadership. This is an excellent opportunity to work at a global level to amplify grassroots agroecology around the world. The Agroecology Fund is fiscally sponsored by the Global Greengrants Fund.

About the Administrative Coordinator

The Agroecology Fund Administrative Coordinator will provide high-level administrative and strategic support to the entire Agroecology Fund organization and specifically to senior leadership, ensuring seamless day-to-day operations. This individual serves as a trusted partner and extension of the organization and the leadership, managing complex schedules, supporting multi-party projects and events and managing confidential correspondence, all with exceptional attention to detail, judgement and discretion.

The Administrative Assistant will report to the Co-directors and collaborate closely with external and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities

General Support

• Maintain organized filing systems, both digital and physical, ensuring quick retrieval of critical documents.
• Perform data entry and maintain accuracy of organizational records.
• Schedule meetings and appointments.
• Answer and route emails, and correspondence in a professional and timely manner.
• Improve and maintain AEF´s contact management system, keeping it up to date with new contacts.
• Support preparation of documents, reports, spreadsheets, presentations, and meeting agendas.
• Support event coordination.
• Support human resources, such as leave tracking.
• Assist with accounts payable tasks such as processing invoices and expense reports.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements, including itineraries, accommodations, visas, and expense reporting.
• Provide general support to staff, consultants and vendors as needed.

Leadership Support

• Distribute correspondence, presentations, reports, and board materials on behalf of leadership.
• Act as the point of contact and liaison between the leadership and internal/external stakeholders, handling inquiries with professionalism.
• Handle highly sensitive and confidential information with absolute discretion and integrity.

Qualifications for Administrative Coordinator

• Deeply aligned with our mission to mobilize resources to build power that transforms food systems and fosters the well-being of people and the planet.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Communications, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Detail oriented and with a strong attention to best practices in internal and external communication.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and virtual collaboration tools (i.e., Zoom, Teams, Slack)
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with the utmost discretion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; polished and professional demeanor.
• Proactive self-starter with a high degree of initiative and sound judgment.
• Motivated to thrive in a multicultural, mission-driven environment.
• Able to work standard hours virtually, aligned to Eastern Standard Time (EST).
• Multilingual a plus

Compensation

US$60,000–70,000 per year plus full benefits

Impact of Administrative Coordinator

The Agroecology Fund’s donor base consists of over 50 donors from the United States, Europe, and Asia.
While our donor community consists primarily of private philanthropic foundations, we are also building
partnerships with bilateral and multilateral donor agencies.

We’re creating concrete opportunities for senior professionals who want to contribute their experience
and expertise to the promotion of resilient food systems. This position will contribute to:

• Enhanced global food security and nutrition
• Increased global biodiversity and ecosystem health
• Sustainable and resilient global food systems

How to Apply

Please fill in the application form here and upload your CV and Cover letter.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. AI-generated applications will not be considered.

Job title: Program Manager, Foundational AI

Reporting to: Programs Lead

Location: Africa, remote, with continental and global travel as required

Contract Type: Full time

Compensation: USD 62,400 per annum / USD 5,200 per month (inclusive of applicable

taxes, and subject to statutory deductions)

Benefits: Remote working set-up support

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we encourage early submissions

About Masakhane

Masakhane is a pan-African initiative aimed at tackling the under-representation of African languages in natural language processing (NLP) and AI. Our mission is to bring together researchers, technologists, linguists, and community members from across the continent to collaborate on AI that is inclusive and representative of Africa’s linguistic diversity. By working collectively, we are democratizing access to cutting-edge AI research and contributing to the global growth of African NLP.

About Masakhane African Languages Hub

The Masakhane African Languages Hub (“the Hub”) is a new initiative to address the critical underrepresentation and misrepresentation of African languages in artificial intelligence (AI). Anchored by the Masakhane Research Foundation (MRF), the Hub will develop community-centered open-source datasets, models, and use cases to catalyze innovation in sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture. With a vision to unlock AI’s benefits for over 1 billion Africans, the Hub fosters community-driven approaches and long-term, sustainable partnerships across the African NLP ecosystem.

Our goal is to empower one billion Africans by 2029 with locally relevant AI tools and resources, unlocking opportunities for economic development, local innovation, and the preservation of Africa’s linguistic heritage.

Position Overview

The Program Manager – Foundational AI leads the delivery and strategic alignment of a portfolio

of foundational AI investments, including datasets, speech technologies, benchmarking, model development, and related AI research infrastructure. The role ensures that these investments are technically sound, well coordinated, and aligned with the Hub’s broader strategic objectives.

Operating at the intersection of programme management and technical delivery, the role provides strategic oversight of assigned sub-awards and builds strong partnerships with technical awardees and research teams. It facilitates cohort-based approaches to delivery and ensures projects produce scientifically rigorous, high-quality outputs that advance the Hub’s broader mission of strengthening African language AI.

While the role is not intended for a primary NLP researcher, the successful candidate must have sufficient technical fluency to understand, assess, challenge, and guide a highly technical research portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

1. Portfolio Leadership and Technical Alignment

• Lead a portfolio of foundational AI investments, taking full ownership of project delivery

against agreed objectives, milestones, technical quality standards, and budgets.

• Maintain 360-degree visibility over portfolio performance (both technical and

operational), proactively identifying opportunities, mitigating risks, and driving strategic

alignment.

• Monitor and audit technical development across datasets, benchmarking, and model

training to ensure compliance with the Hub’s baseline technical standards.

2. Awardee Partnership and Technical Support

• Serve as the primary technical and programmatic liaison for assigned sub-awardees,

cultivating trusted partnerships with research and data science teams to guide projects

through the entire lifecycle.

• Proactively evaluate project health and unblock technical bottlenecks in critical areas

including data annotation, model training, and evaluation through active collaboration

with domain experts.

• Coordinate and deploy targeted technical assistance, empowering partners to overcome implementation barriers and consistently deliver high-performance, high-quality AI outputs.

3. Cohort Management and Quality Assurance

• Pioneer cohort-based management frameworks across data collection and foundational

AI initiatives, driving peer learning, cross-project problem-solving, and collaborative technical delivery.

• Architect and continuously refine standardized tools, templates, and quality assurance frameworks to ensure seamless interoperability, absolute consistency, and rigorous

scientific standards across the portfolio.

4. Portfolio Delivery and Risk Management

• Audit implementation progress and rigorously verify technical milestones, proactively

mitigating portfolio risks and orchestrating rapid interventions to overcome emerging

challenges.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration with awardees, consultants, and internal teams to resolve complex operational and technical dependencies such as compute bottlenecks and data validation hurdles ensuring uninterrupted project velocity.

5. Stakeholder Engagement and Communications

• Build and maintain effective relationships with awardees, academic researchers, AI engineers researchers, consultants, funders, and ecosystem partners.

• Prepare high-quality portfolio reports, presentations, and briefings that communicate progress, challenges, lessons learned, and emerging opportunities.

6. Learning and Continuous Improvement

• Partner closely with the MEL & Learning Officer to synthesize evidence, capture actionable lessons learned, and drive portfolio-wide adaptive management and strategic iteration.

• Cultivate a vibrant knowledge-sharing ecosystem across the cohort, championing peer collaboration, resource exchange, and continuous technical improvement among awardees.

7. Strategic and Portfolio Evolution

• Steer the strategic evolution of the Hub’s foundational AI roadmap, injecting deep

technical and programmatic insights to shape long-term research directions and

investment priorities.

• Champion the Hub’s mission as a key representative and thought leader at international

workshops, conferences, and high-level engagements, driving global advocacy for African

language AI and foundational technologies.

Requirements

Fluency in English, as well as one or more African Languages would be considered a strong asset.

Academic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Computational

Linguistics, Information Systems, or a related technical/scientific field,

• Master’s Degree (M.Sc.) in any of the fields mentioned above is preferred

Key Competencies

• Proven ability to manage a diverse portfolio of projects, balancing strategic priorities,operational delivery, risks, budgets, and stakeholder expectations.

• Proven Ability to build trusted relationships with awardees, researchers, consultants, funders, and ecosystem partners while working collaboratively across cultures and disciplines.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to coordinate multiple concurrent projects, manage competing priorities, and ensure high-quality implementation.

• Ability to quickly understand AI, NLP, and digital innovation concepts and work effectively with technical experts, even without being the primary technical specialist.

• Ability to facilitate peer learning, coordinate collaborative approaches, and build communities of practice across multiple awardees and projects.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to prepare reports, facilitate meetings, and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Ability to identify implementation challenges early, analyse options, exercise sound judgement, and recommend practical solutions.

• Ability to work effectively across programmes and functions, collaborating closely with Finance, Grants, Partnerships & Community, Research, and MEL colleagues.

Values & Mindset

• Deeply aligned with Masakhane’s mission to advance African languages and inclusion in AI.

• A strategic and systems-minded thinker who translates vision into effective operations.
• Highly organized, proactive, and self-directed, thriving in remote and distributed environments.

• Transparent, accountable, and process-oriented, with a commitment to excellence and integrity.

• Collaborative and culturally attuned, able to work effectively across diverse African contexts.

Why Join Us

• Play a central leadership role in operationalizing one of Africa’s most visible AI research initiatives.

• Shape the administrative foundations of a growing pan-African research entity.
• Work alongside leading researchers and technologists across the continent.
• Contribute to high-impact work that advances linguistic equity and inclusive AI.
• Grow with an organization entering its next phase of institutional maturity.

Reporting Line

This position reports to the Programs Lead at the Masakhane African Languages Hub.

Application Process

Please submit your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your experience in research

administration or program management, and how you would contribute to strengthening

Masakhane’s operational systems.

Applications should be submitted via the following link

Title: Communications Specialist (Content writer and Editor)
Reports to: Communications Lead
Position: Full-time, Remote (Eastern Time Zone)
Compensation: $75,000-$80,000/yr, strong vacation & benefits package
Application Deadline: August 31, 2026

About the Agroecology Fund (AEF)

The Agroecology Fund (AEF) is a multi-donor fund supporting agroecology movements worldwide. The Fund aims to support resilient food systems that promote the economic and nutritional well-being and human rights of small farmers and Indigenous Peoples and their communities, strengthen biodiversity conservation, and mitigate climate change.

The Agroecology Fund operates with a small and decentralized team, working remotely from different countries. It is a dynamic organization with ample room for leadership. This is an excellent opportunity to work at a global level to amplify grassroots agroecology around the world. The Agroecology Fund is fiscally sponsored by the Global Greengrants Fund.

Summary

The Agroecology Fund (AEF) is seeking qualified applicants for a Communications Specialist (Content Writer and Editor). This position leads the development of compelling editorial content that amplifies the voices of grassroots movements, Indigenous Peoples, food producers, and agroecology practitioners in AEF’s network, taking end-to-end ownership of AEF’s writing needs from story identification through drafting, editing, publication, and dissemination.

The Communications Specialist works closely with the Communications Lead, program teams, and regional partners to support:

1. Researching, writing, and editing high-quality storytelling and strategic communications
   products, including feature stories, blogs, newsletters, briefs, press materials,repacking
   reports, compendium, and producing AEF’s annual report
2. Serving as lead writer/editor for high-profile donor products, maintaining AEF’s editorial style
   guides and standards, and upholding a movement-centered, inclusive editorial voice
3. Coordinating multilingual communications workflows across English, Spanish, French, and
   Portuguese, working with translators, regional teams, and reviewers
4. Commissioning and managing external freelance writers, editors, copy editors, and
   translators
5. Coordinating publication and strategic dissemination of editorial content to expand the reach
   and visibility of agroecology narratives globally for both print and digital platforms.
   This is a full time staff position.

Primary Responsibilities

Editorial Content Development & Storytelling

• Develop and manage AEF’s annual editorial calendar, ensuring a consistent pipeline of content aligned with organizational priorities and key global moments, including Climate Week, COP , and other strategic events.
• Identify and develop compelling stories that amplify the voices, experiences, and initiatives of grantees, grassroots movements, Indigenous Peoples, food producers, and regional partners.
• Contract external writers for special articles and reports, working with them as a collaborative editor.
• Collaborate closely with program teams including Monitoring & Evaluation, Resource
• Mobilization, and Learning teams as well as Regional Funds and partners, to identify high-impact storytelling opportunities and sustain a strong editorial pipeline throughout the year.
• Conduct interviews with grantees, partners, donors, and other stakeholders to gather firsthand material that captures the impact of AEF-supported movement-building initiatives.
• Adapt writing style, tone, and messaging for diverse audiences, including philanthropic donors, partners, media, policymakers, and grassroots movements.

Content Production Across Communications Products

Research, write, and edit content across the following areas:

• Annual report: Lead the writing, editing, and production of AEF’s flagship annual report, coordinating inputs across program and regional teams
• Strategic communications: Project briefs, brochures, key messages, media statements, press releases, op-eds, and fundraising outreach materials
• Narrative content: Feature stories, human-interest pieces, blogs, newsletters, compendiums, and website content
• Publications & knowledge products: Distill and repackage findings from technical reports and learning outputs into concise, audience-friendly fact sheets and knowledge products
• Event communications: Develop and coordinate materials supporting AEF’s participation in and hosting of meetings, conferences, webinars, campaigns, learning exchanges, and workshops.

Editorial Excellence & Quality Assurance

• Serve as lead writer and editor for high-profile communications products, providing final review and copy editing to ensure clarity, accuracy, and adherence to AEF’s editorial standards prior to publication.
• Develop and maintain editorial style guides and workflows that ensure consistency across all communications products.
• Verify factual accuracy and confirm proper attribution, consent, and accurate representation when featuring grantees, communities, or partners in published materials.
• Uphold an inclusive, movement-centered editorial voice that reflects the principles of trust-based philanthropy and respectfully represents the perspectives of grassroots partners and communities.

Global Editorial Coordination

• Coordinate the development of multilingual communications products by working with translators, freelance writers, regional teams, and reviewers to ensure editorial quality across
• English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and other languages as required.
• Manage editorial workflows for global publications, ensuring content is culturally appropriate, accurately translated, and delivered on schedule.

Rapid Response & Strategic Writing

• Produce or refine communications materials under tight deadlines in response to emerging priorities, major announcements, events, or external developments.
• Support the Communications Lead in preparing strategic communications products during high-profile campaigns and organizational moments.

Management of External Editorial Consultants

• Commission and manage freelance writers, copy editors, and translators as required.
• Prepare Terms of Reference (ToRs) and scopes of work for editorial assignments, including graphic design for publications and digital media.
• Develop budgets, cost estimates, and timelines for editorial, copyediting projects and graphic design.
• Coordinate external consultants to ensure timely delivery and consistently high editorial standards.

Publication & Strategic Dissemination

• Coordinate the publication and strategic dissemination of editorial content across AEF’s communications channels, ensuring timely and consistent distribution to priority audiences.
• Identify opportunities to syndicate, republish, and cross-promote editorial content through partner organizations, movement networks, regional funds, and aligned publications to expand the reach and influence of agroecology narratives.
• Work closely with partners to identify opportunities for strategic placement of stories, blogs, op-eds, and feature articles in, sector publications, and partner platforms.
• Collaborate with grantees, regional funds, and partners to maximize the visibility and impact of editorial content through newsletters, websites, social media, events, partner communications channels, and external platforms.
• Adapt and repurpose editorial content into multiple formats and products to extend its reach and lifecycle across different communications channels and audiences.
• Track the reach and uptake of key editorial products, documenting examples of content amplification, republication, media pickup, and engagement to inform future editorial and dissemination strategies.

Additional Tasks

Carry out other communications-related duties, as assigned, to support the Communications Lead and contribute to the effective functioning of the Communications team and the successful delivery of the Agroecology Fund’s communications strategy.

Essential Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Communications, Journalism,
• English, International Development, or another relevant field is required.
• A minimum 5-7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in writing, editing, journalism, publishing, editorial communications, or communications for international development.
• Experience working as a writer, editor, journalist, sub-editor, copywriter, or in a similar editorial role.
• Experience producing annual reports and repackaging complex technical report findings into clear, engaging, and accessible communications products for non-technical audiences
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to adapt writing style and tone for diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with climate change, food systems transformation, agroecology and movements and current issues in agroecology

Language Skills

• Bilingual Spanish and English; excellent verbal and written skills in both languages is desirable

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience producing high-quality editorial content for international. organizations, foundations, NGOs, media outlets, or philanthropic organizations.
• Proficiency in one or more additional languages, particularly Spanish, is desirable. Knowledge of French or Portuguese would be an asset.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound editorial judgement, and proactively.
• Experience managing multiple editorial projects simultaneously while meeting competing deadlines.
• Previous experience working in US or European philanthropy.

Terms of employment

• Time: Full-time position, open-ended contract
• Status: Employee or consultant, depending on worker’s location
• Compensation: Salary range is $75,000- $80,000 (Annual), commensurate with
• qualifications and experience
• Full benefit package
• Approximate start date: September 2026
• Location: Virtual (anywhere), but should be able to work on Eastern Standard Time with reliable internet access
• Reports to: Communications Lead

How to Apply:

Please fill in the application form and upload your CV, Cover letter, writing samples and portfolio (If available) here

In the cover letter, please include:

• Examples of writing experiences such as annual reports, policy briefs, case studies, blogs, compendiums, and other knowledge products, including editing technical reports for external audiences.
• Experience of coordinating multi-author publications and blog series, including managing editorial workflows, liaising with contributors, and ensuring timely publication.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Equal Opportunity Employer

As a global organization, we recognize the importance of our staff reflecting the communities our work aims to benefit. We are a dynamic organization that values creativity and innovative thinking and fosters strong teamwork based on mutual respect. We are an equal opportunity employer. We encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex.

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Several forecasts for next year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment have been issued, with the average retiree projected to receive about $77 more a month in benefits in 2027 if the highest estimate proves accurate.

Analysis released in July of inflation data by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) suggests a 3.6% in payments. An independent social security analyst, Mary Johnson, has projected a 3.7% increase.

The Senior Citizens’ League’s COLA Watch, which tracks projections for COLA, has the highest forecast, projecting a 3.8% increase in Social Security retiree benefits for 2027. That would give retirees an average of $77 more per month (to $2,103.41) to help cover living costs next year but it would still fall $597 short of the average older person’s monthly living expenses (around $2,700 per month)

The league’s findings have prompted it to urge Congress and the president to “raise benefits so seniors can meet basic cost-of-living standards.” It has also renewed its calls for a different method of calculating the annual cost of living adjustment

But some advocates say that’s not enough to keep up with the cost of living, renewing calls for Congress to overhaul the formula used to calculate annual benefit increases.

But why do advocates believe the current formula falls short, and what alternative do they want the government to use?

How is COLA calculated at the moment?

The cost-of-living adjustment is based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W), and determines the new payment for tens of millions of Social Security retirement and disability recipients.

The CPI-W is worked out by tracking the average price changes of a static “market basket” of goods and services such as food, housing costs, clothing, transport and more.

What is proposed to replace it — and why?

The Senior Citizens’ League wants COLA for retirees to be calculated based on a newer metric called the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E)

Introduced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 1987, the CPI-E was an experimental scale designed to measure price changes according to the actual spending habits of older adults.

It uses the same underlying price collection system as the main CPI, but instead calculates the consumer basket to reflect now older Americans actually spend their money, taking a snapshot of retirees’ spending priorities as well as how much they are out of pocket.

“The COLA has been sometimes viewed as inadequate, in that it does not reflect the spending patterns of Social Security beneficiaries,” Rich Johnson, vice president of financial security with the AARP Public Policy Institute, told Yahoo News.

What would the CPI-E mean for retirees’ benefits?

As the CPI-E is based on an older person’s living costs, it places a higher mathematical “weight” on the categories of spending that experience the most rapid price inflation.

As a result, the CPI-E “generally increases faster” than the CPI-W, Johnson said.

“If the Social Security COLA had been based on the CPI-E instead of the CPI-W, the COLA would have been higher every year during the 40-year period from 1986 to 2025 except for eight years,” the AARP expert said.

While Johnson said the average difference in the COLA over those 40 years “is small—just 0.2 percentage points,” those small annual differences accumulate over time and “could become significant.”

“If a COLA based on the CPI-E had gone into effect in 1986, the 2025 Social Security benefit for someone who began collecting in 1986 would have been 8.1 percent higher than under the actual COLA that occurred in those years,” he added.

So, why hasn’t it been adopted yet?

Although the index dates back nearly 40 years, the CPI-E is still considered to be in the early stages of development, meaning it could be less statistically reliable.

“One reason this index has not been adopted is that it is considered experimental,” Johnson said.

The CPI-E also draws its findings from a significantly smaller number of people, using one-third the size used for the CPI-W, which may make it more susceptible to sampling errors.

It also assumes that the working-age people and retirees’ shop at the same types of stores and live in the same geographic areas, which some fear could skew the results.

The index allocates 49.1% of retirees’ costs to housing compared to 42.7% for workers. As many seniors have paid off their mortgages, the price of housing may in fact play a smaller role in their cost of living, the Congressional Budget Office has argued.

While the jury may be out on how to adjust senior payments, the Senior Citizens’ League has reiterated the need for Social Security payments to catch up to seniors’ spending.

Source:Yahoo.com