In this session, we will draw from our community’s diversity to discover communications trends from across Kenya, Malawi, Pakistan and the Philippines. This session will provide us with insights from four communications practitioners and open up conversations on common threads and unique regional communications trends. We will hear from Hajra Chaudhry from Pakistan, John David O. Moncada from the Philippines, Martin Mbewe from Malawi and Yvonne Wambua from Kenya.
These four speakers bring perspectives both regional and more global. Please join us to engage with them on their understanding of localised storytelling, digital access in the region and popular platforms they feel we should know about. We will also have a discussion following the presentations, on storytelling, digital marketing and any questions which come up from the presentations on their experiences.
This is the third edition of the Communicating Change series, curated for the Systems Change Communications Network. It is a space for early career communications professionals to learn from and engage with each other, on practical solutions, insights and experiences while communicating across a range of complex topics, including but not limited to climate change, scientific research, conservation, reshaping economics, public health, policy, systems analysis and climate action. Hosted by the communications team at the Club of Rome, this is a platform for mutual learning on communicating complexity.
About the speakers
Hajra Chaudhry
Hajra Chaudhry is a communications and digital media professional from Pakistan whose work explores how people, brands, and institutions connect in rapidly evolving online spaces. With experience across media, education, and international organisations, she has managed digital campaigns, online communities, and virtual engagement initiatives for audiences within Pakistan and beyond. Her perspective is shaped by working at the intersection of communication, culture, and technology in South Asia’s dynamic social media environment. Chaudhry’s academic background in Media Studies and International Relations informs her interest in digital storytelling, public engagement, and the changing realities of branding and communication in Pakistan today, globally.
John David O. Moncada
John David O. Moncada is a faculty member in Technology Communication Management at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, where he teaches courses such as Introduction to Communication, Social Media Campaign, Intercultural Communication, and Research. He currently heads the Student Welfare and Development Unit, leading initiatives that support student leadership and engagement. Moncada is pursuing his master’s degree at the University of the Philippines Cebu, majoring in Communication and Media. His current research interest examines how parental communication shapes children’s experiences of eco-anxiety and contributes to the development of resilience within a climate-vulnerable island province in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Moncada’s work bridges communication, sustainability and youth development.
Martin Mbewe
Martin Mbewe is a multi-media journalist and development communications specialist from Malawi. He currently serves as Communications and Programmes Coordinator at Tingathe Malawi, where he support organisational strategy through communications, strengthens advocacy across programmes and contributes to monitoring and evaluation processes. Mbewe believes in the power of communication to create awareness, enhance behaviour change, initiate policy dialogue on global challenges and help build a fairer and more sustainable future for all. With a background in journalism, Mbewe has held various roles, including working as a current affairs reporter with the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, with Cure International, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Communications Branch and Tingathe Malawi, where he supported public engagement and strategic storytelling. Mbewe has led an eco-briquettes training project in the peri-urban areas of Lilongwe District, Malawi, for the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Programme, which successfully empowered over 600 people, raising awareness and providing practical suggestions around sustainable energy use in local communities. Mbewe has published several thought pieces on social issues, including climate change and education.
Yvonne Wambua
Yvonne Wambua is a Nairobi-based filmmaker and storyteller with a strong interest in climate justice, sustainability and public-interest communication. Her work spans festival-nominated films, including Cheza (Kalasha Best Student Film 2023), WABA (screened for the Day of the Girl Child by Global Partnership for Education, 2024) and I Know My Rights (Uganda Film Festival nomination, 2025), alongside digital branding and campaign work for Kenyan startups.
She was part of the third cohort of the Club of Rome Communications Fellowship, where she contributed to shaping public-facing narratives around social issues, leadership and global challenges. She currently works in communications at the 50 Percent Nairobi hub, focusing on youth participation, civic engagement and making governance processes more relevant to young people.
Wambua’s work is grounded in visual storytelling, with a focus on translating complex ideas into clear, human narratives. She is particularly interested in youth representation and how systems thinking can support more responsive and people-centred leadership.
