Dorine Kanaiza: Navigating the Communications Space, Shaping Narratives

In a world where information is key, meet Dorine Kanaiza, a Strategic Communications Specialist passionate about women and youth empowerment. She uses her platform to contribute to positive change and inspire the next generation. She has so many things to say about the Communications field. From campaigns and projects she has successfully executed to career challenges to her definition of success, she lets us into her concise strategies and master plans.  

There are several similarities between Dorine and #OmoteRoDhe. One of them is women and youth empowerment. This was the major attraction at first. Another is that both of us are building our careers in the Communications field. It took a LinkedIn request for this feature to happen. Dorine willingly obliged. In fact, it was a long time coming but here we are.

In an e-chat, Dorine lets her hair down as Omote Ro Dhe uncovers some things about her. Read the excerpts below:

Can you tell us about your journey into the field of communications? What inspired you to pursue this career path?

My Comms journey began in my upper primary school years, in my sixth grade to be specific. It wasn’t obvious to me then, that I would end up pursuing communications. In fact, I didn’t know such a career path existed. But one thing I knew for sure is that I wanted to be in spaces where I could use my voice and skills to inspire people and spur change. I enjoyed reading storybooks a lot and was an active member of the debate club, got elevated to a debate captain later on and was selected to give a keynote address during our final year graduation (we call it Prayer Day here in Kenya).

Moving on to high school, I fell in love with literature. I started thinking about journalism as a potential career choice, but I still hadn’t discovered Communications. After high school, I got an admission letter from the University of Nairobi to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree. I got enrolled in September 2015. Looking at the list of courses enlisted, I immediately selected Communications (major) and Literature. While in my second year, I started pursuing internships.

However, my career in Communications began to gain momentum after graduating from university in 2020. Here I am now, about five years later, working as a Communications officer at Digital Opportunity Trust Kenya.

You've worked with various organizations, including NGOs, corporations, and government institutions. How do you adapt your communication strategies to suit different sectors and audiences?

Well, I try to understand what an organisation aims to achieve by first looking at its mission, vision and purpose. Next, I look at their milestones and analyze the current situation. Based on the needs assessment results, I then outline either short-term or long-term goals of the strategy as well as tactics highlighting how to achieve each goal/objective. 

I also identify the stakeholders and how to engage them, leveraging appropriate communication channels. Audience is a very powerful element in a strategy. It is important to know and understand the group of people that an organisation is targeting. I am keen on narrowing it down to their ages, what matters to them, their level of education, the language they understand best, where they are based (both online and offline), daily activities and what motivates them. 

Each sector and audience is unique. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy. It’s crucial to tailor a strategy to the specific needs of the organization, which is what I commit to doing in the early stages of joining an organisation.

Could you share a project or campaign that you are particularly proud of? What were the key challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?

In my five years of working as a communications specialist, there are quite several projects and campaigns that I have both led and supported. One campaign that I am particularly proud of, was dubbed ‘Daring to Shift’ and aimed to celebrate and amplify the success of the three-year project —implemented by Digital Opportunity Trust in Africa and the Middle East. The main campaign activities included hosting an event in Nairobi Kenya and sharing key messages on digital media. My role, working in collaboration with the global Digital Opportunity Trust team, was to coordinate event activities at the country level including identifying success stories, writing blogs, sourcing for videographers and designers, preparing a media toolkit inviting the media and pushing for engagement through paid ads for better reach. A significant win for me here is that I was able to reach over 200,000 people on social media and secure extensive media coverage with 6 broadcast videos and significant social media mentions. This boosted visibility for the organisation, donors, partners and the work of the youth. Also, being able to bring the youth together to share inspiring stories, network and exchange ideas was so fulfilling for me.

The major challenge here was the little time my team and I had to plan and execute the event. We literally did it in less than a week. If you have been engaged in event planning then you know that you need at least a month. However, I was able to navigate this because I was working with a team. So there was sufficient support from everyone. Another way I was able to overcome this challenge was by prioritising only things that mattered, ensuring that I wasn’t spreading myself too thin. I also experienced a challenge with suppliers, especially the designer, who delivered merchandise that was at fault. I honestly don’t blame them because they had less than 72 hours to print banners, bags and notebooks. How I resolved this was to negotiate with them to work on the faulty ones at a discounted price. Those that had been produced perfectly were given to the partners and youth who’d travelled from other countries whereas the rest received the merchandise later.

How do you see your work contributing to positive change and inspiring the next generation?

One thing I love about the ever-evolving digital landscape is what we call the digital footprint. The next generation needs something and someone to look up to. Through strategic storytelling and effective messaging on digital platforms, I aim to highlight critical social issues and drive engagement on important topics. It gives me hope that the stories that I tell and the resourceful information shared through the blogs/articles that I publish online will always be available and accessible to whoever needs them. 

Moreover, by creating and disseminating content on various platforms, I bring attention to pressing issues such as sustainability, equality, and human rights. This helps to educate the public and encourage informed discussions. A key part of my work is also to amplify the voices of those who are often unheard. By providing a platform for underserved communities to share their stories, I help foster inclusivity and understanding.

Additionally, I aim to inspire the next generation by showcasing real-life examples of individuals and organisations making a difference. Through interviews, profiles, and success stories, I demonstrate that change is possible and encourage others to take action. Lastly, I believe in the power of collaboration. By bringing together different stakeholders, I work to create a collective impact that can drive substantial social change.

As someone passionate about sustainable development goals, how do you integrate this passion into your work and collaborations with organisations?

As someone passionate about sustainable development goals (SDGs), I integrate this passion into my communications work by ensuring that all my projects and collaborations align with the principles of sustainability.

First, I use a purpose-driven storytelling approach, where I focus on creating content that highlights the impact of sustainable practices. Whether it's through social media campaigns, press releases, or blog posts, I ensure that the narratives emphasize how organisations contribute to achieving the SDGs. 

Secondly, I am intentional about working with organisations that prioritize sustainability. By working with like-minded organizations, I get a chance to advance the SDGs. I also engage with various stakeholders, including employees, program beneficiaries, and the community, through events where we exchange ideas and solutions for sustainability issues. By organising workshops, webinars, and community events, I create platforms for discussion and action on sustainability issues. Most importantly, I leverage digital platforms to spread awareness and drive engagement around sustainability topics. Social media, for example, is a powerful tool to reach a wide audience and inspire them to take action. 

Finally, I develop and share educational content that raises awareness about the SDGs. This includes creating infographics, videos, and articles that touch on sustainability issues and how individuals and businesses can contribute. By integrating these approaches into my work, I not only contribute to the broader goal of sustainable development but also help organizations communicate their commitment to a sustainable future effectively.

Success is relative, what does it mean to you?

My goal as a communications specialist is to help brands reach their full potential through strategic communication, fostering meaningful connections and driving impactful results. So when an organisation achieves their mission through my support, I consider this success. When I work on a report, newsletter, event, blog, article, story or media toolkit that makes an organisation get noticed and recognised by a potential donor, partner or other desired audience, that’s an ‘Oscar’ moment for me. 

Something else that fills my heart with joy is when I spotlight people through storytelling, where they get well-deserving recognition for their work and contributions to a project or society. For instance, I worked on a campaign in August and September last year called, ‘the Hummingbird Effect’ while consulting for Daughters for Earth as the Social Media Coordinator. 

The main objective of the campaign was to celebrate, recognise, amplify and raise funds for women-led climate solutions. The campaign garnered about 1M impressions and attracted donations from different people and organisations. I can’t think of a better way to define success than this. Sometimes success is simple things like showing up for a meeting and aligning on the next steps or even checking all the boxes on my to-do list for the day.

What advice do you have for young girls pursuing purpose but seem confused if they are on the right path?

There are people whose career path is a highway and for some, it is a winding road. You will have moments when self-doubt will kick in and whatever you are in pursuit of won’t make sense. It is absolutely normal. I tend to believe that I am in a process of self-discovery. There are pieces and bits of me that I just figured out and it may be the case in five or ten years time.

This may sound cliche, but I would tell them to follow their intuition and enjoy and appreciate the process. Secondly, join a community of like-minded people whom you can interact and share experiences with. Sometimes it helps to know that you are not alone. Also, in these communities, you will find people who have more experience than you and are generous enough to share solutions with you. 

Additionally, invest in your learning journey. Sometimes self-doubt stems from the fact that we haven’t empowered ourselves with the right tools, skills and knowledge. You may achieve clarity in the process of learning. Finally, get a mentor or coach if you can. A mentor, especially those pursuing a similar purpose, will guide and support you in your professional journey. On the other hand, a coach will challenge you to confront your fears and innovate your own solutions to achieve the results that you desire.