Dispatch — About
Why Caltron exists
A short account of how this started, and what we still care about most.
Caltron began after years of watching capable reporters struggle with problems that had nothing to do with their writing: not knowing which county office kept which records, filing late because a beat's rhythm was never mapped out, losing a good pitch because a diary was never kept.
We started with a handful of informal sessions for reporters around Eldoret, working county government meetings and land records into a piece someone could actually publish. Word travelled, and the sessions became a small, deliberate service rather than a side project.
What has not changed is the scale we work at. Sessions are still built around the reporter in front of us, not a fixed course. We would rather run fewer sessions well than many sessions loosely.
Values
What guides the work
01
Specificity over theory
We plan every session around your actual beat and outlets, not a standard slide deck that fits no one in particular.
02
No inflated promises
We describe honestly what a session can and cannot do. Training improves method; it does not guarantee a byline.
03
Respect for your time
Sessions run to their stated length, and materials are written to be used again later, not just skimmed once.
Team
Who runs the sessions
Wanjiku Mbogo
Lead Trainer
Barasa Simiyu
Beat Research Lead
Achieng Otieno
Correspondent Support Lead
Want to talk through your beat before booking anything?
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