Naipanoi Lepapa is a freelance investigative and feature journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Naipanoi is interested in under-reported stories and writes about gender, human rights, health and environmental stories. She also writes about culture and technology.

Naipanoi Lepapa was among the journalists awarded during the 2022 Annual Journalism Excellence Awards (AJEA) held in Nairobi on Friday, May 6. 

At the awards organised by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), Naipanoi was crowned the Journalist of the Year in recognition of her investigative articles at the outlet. 

2022 Kenya Journalist of the Year award, which is the highest award recognition, went to Naipanoi Lepapa as a freelance investigative journalist for a story on the surrogacy industry in Kenya, supported by Journalismfund's Money Trail Grants programme

Naipanoi Lepapa

Basic information

Name
Naipanoi Lepapa
Title
Journalist
Expertise
Gender, human rights, health, environment
Country
Kenya
City
Nairobi

Supported projects

Toxic pesticides. Banned in Europe, dumped in Africa

  • Agriculture
  • Environment
  • Industry

ACCRA - This investigation puts the spotlight on the use of banned pesticides from Europe in rubber farms in Ghana and other regions across the world, while European development banks, the main funder of such projects turn a blind eye to the environmental, health and safety concerns.

Garbage Out, Garbage In: How Europe’s e-waste problem is a burden on Africa

  • Environment

ACCRA, GHANA - This investigation puts the spotlight on the dumping of e-waste, particularly discarded colling appliances by Europe’s e-waste exporters in Africa in contravention of EU’s law and the Basel Convention while port officials in Europe turn a blind eye to the shipment of these discarded appliances.

Hard Labour: How a lack of regulation puts Kenyan surrogates at risk

  • Exploitation
  • Healthcare
  • Trafficking

NAIROBI - This story uncovers a multitude of worrying allegations about the unregulated surrogacy industry in Kenya.