Dickens Luvanda has emerged as a shining star among hundreds of writers contributing for Hivisasa.com having consistently published over 50 stories a week.
Indeed, the prolific journalist has in the past four weeks made close to Sh30,000 from published stories. For the week ending August 22, Dickens published 87 stories making history as the first writer to surpass the 50-story mark in a week.
His is an inspiring story as he has managed to get almost all his articles published making a livelihood out of writing for Hivisasa.com. The secret, he says, is that almost all of his stories are accompanied by original photos of the events.
He recalls with pride how he discovered he could make money with Hivisasa.com by doing what he loves most- writing. “A good friend and once my colleague at a radio station in Nairobi, Njenga Hakeenah, introduced me to Hivisasa.com in December 2014. This was the beginning of a life that has seen me grow from a story a week to where I am today,” recalls Dickens.
“I used to get demoralised submitting stories which were rejected. However, with time, and by following guidelines by Hivisasa team, I have grown in writing,” Dickens, who submits stories from Uasin Gishu, says.
“I moved to Uasin Gishu in April 2015. This is after travelling from Mombasa where I had gone job hunting. The hunt wasn’t good and so Uasin Gishu became my home ever since. It’s been a lovely but challenging ride,” he says.
He says his day starts at 6am and ends at midnight.
“I have to ensure I write all the stories I collect throughout the day and submit them before I retire to bed daily. Sometimes the schedule fails but I strive to hit my targets daily,” he says.
Dickens says that motivation and passion for journalism drives him to write the many stories he does.
He says: “I tell myself every day that I have to be a renowned voice for the voiceless no matter the circumstances. Though challenging, I manoeuvre from one village to the next, seeking for stories. Press conferences sometimes come in handy. I am determined that the story has to and will be published. Interestingly, my dreams are soon going to become fully true.”
Dickens says that keeping the world updated with whatever is affecting the society and the people he lives with is also a motivator.
“I also have to work and provide for my family,” he adds with a chuckle. The journalist who is a diploma holder in Journalism and Mass Communication says he plans to further his education in future.
It has not been smooth sailing though. He says there are challenges he faces as a journalist since sometimes it becomes very hard getting important stories from sources. He says sometimes sources demand to be paid which is against the journalistic ethics.
“Harassment from some security officers and politicians is also a huge challenge. But, I take it all in my stride,” he adds.
Asked whether Hivisasa has changed his life, he says: “Absolutely! Though I dropped print media for broadcast journalism in college, Hivisasa has opened me up for online media and helped improve my writing skills. This is greatly helping me improve my career.”
He encourages other writers saying journalism is about passion and that being patient could be the smartest way to getting award winning stories. He advises upcoming writers not to give up whenever their stories get rejected.
“We all learn through mistakes. A man who won’t accept correction is doomed to fail however ambitious or grand their dreams may be,” he says.