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Dutch envoy commends Vision Group’s role in transforming journalism
Vision Group executives, led by Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Don Wanyama, were joined by outgoing Editor-in-Chief Barbara Kaija, incoming Editor-in-Chief Sidney Miria Babanga and New Vision Foundation Manager John Eremu.
Dutch envoy commends Vision Group’s role in transforming journalism
By: Nelson Kiva, Journalist @New Vision
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Dutch Ambassador Frederieke Quispel has hailed Vision Group for its pivotal role in transforming journalism and empowering communities in Uganda.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by Vision Group executives to the Dutch Embassy on Tuesday, June 23, Quispel praised the organisation’s commitment to development journalism and agricultural empowerment, describing its flagship Best Farmers Programme as “gold” in Uganda-Netherlands cooperation.
Vision Group executives, led by Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Don Wanyama, were joined by outgoing Editor-in-Chief Barbara Kaija, incoming Editor-in-Chief Sidney Miria Babanga and New Vision Foundation Manager John Eremu.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to celebrate Kaija’s remarkable 34-year career in journalism, which concludes with her retirement on June 30, 2026.
In a gesture of appreciation, Vision Group presented Ambassador Quispel with a commemorative book documenting her impact during her two-year tenure in Uganda.
Quispel commended Kaija’s leadership in championing constructive journalism and amplifying the voices of vulnerable communities, noting that her legacy would continue to inspire future generations.
The ambassador emphasised that the Best Farmers Programme has evolved far beyond a media campaign into a transformative platform, inspiring farmers to mentor others and proving that agriculture can be a profitable enterprise.
She noted that successive Dutch ambassadors have consistently regarded the programme as one of the most successful collaborations between Uganda and the Netherlands.
“It’s New Vision’s baby, and I think we can say now it’s no longer a baby. It’s absolutely a grown-up that wants to spread its wings even further,” Quispel said.
In a gesture of appreciation, Vision Group presented Ambassador Quispel with a commemorative book documenting her impact during her two-year tenure in Uganda.
Quispel commended Kaija’s leadership in championing constructive journalism and amplifying the voices of vulnerable communities, noting that her legacy would continue to inspire future generations.
The ambassador emphasised that the Best Farmers Programme has evolved far beyond a media campaign into a transformative platform, inspiring farmers to mentor others and proving that agriculture can be a profitable enterprise.
She noted that successive Dutch ambassadors have consistently regarded the programme as one of the most successful collaborations between Uganda and the Netherlands.
“It’s New Vision’s baby, and I think we can say now it’s no longer a baby. It’s absolutely a grown-up that wants to spread its wings even further,” Quispel said.
Beyond agriculture, Quispel lauded Vision Group for sustaining public-interest journalism, highlighting human rights concerns and addressing social justice issues. She also urged media organisations to rethink their engagement with young people in the digital era, encouraging responsible use of social media while upholding professional standards.
Kaija reflected on her career, noting the shift from traditional conflict-driven reporting to solutions-oriented journalism. She expressed confidence that Vision Group would continue to thrive, saying the institution has invested heavily in professional journalism and newsroom capacity.
"We have trained good journalists, and you know the principles of journalism do not change. I am happy we have worked with the Dutch Embassy," Kaija said.
Reflecting on the growth of Harvest Money, Kaija recalled that the initiative started as a simple newspaper column before growing into one of Uganda's largest agricultural knowledge platforms.
Kaija also reflected on the evolution of journalism in Uganda, noting that development stories were once considered secondary to negative news.
"If something was not pointing out negatively, it was not considered a story. Something like positive journalism, where you go into things such as farming was considered soft. It wasn't considered news. You had to bite a dog for it to be considered journalism. But now we are adopting models of solutions journalism and constructive journalism. These are very new," she said.
Wanyama praised Kaija’s legacy, suggesting that her extensive experience should be documented in an academic book.
Wanyama also thanked the ambassador for her support to Vision Group, noting that her two-year tenure in Uganda had strengthened collaboration between the embassy and the media house. Miria pledged that Vision Group will carry on with development-oriented journalism. Babanga pledged to uphold the organisation’s commitment to development and human-interest journalism, ensuring that the principles of constructive reporting continue to guide its mission.
Kaija reflected on her career, noting the shift from traditional conflict-driven reporting to solutions-oriented journalism. She expressed confidence that Vision Group would continue to thrive, saying the institution has invested heavily in professional journalism and newsroom capacity.
"We have trained good journalists, and you know the principles of journalism do not change. I am happy we have worked with the Dutch Embassy," Kaija said.
Reflecting on the growth of Harvest Money, Kaija recalled that the initiative started as a simple newspaper column before growing into one of Uganda's largest agricultural knowledge platforms.
Kaija also reflected on the evolution of journalism in Uganda, noting that development stories were once considered secondary to negative news.
"If something was not pointing out negatively, it was not considered a story. Something like positive journalism, where you go into things such as farming was considered soft. It wasn't considered news. You had to bite a dog for it to be considered journalism. But now we are adopting models of solutions journalism and constructive journalism. These are very new," she said.
Wanyama praised Kaija’s legacy, suggesting that her extensive experience should be documented in an academic book.
Wanyama also thanked the ambassador for her support to Vision Group, noting that her two-year tenure in Uganda had strengthened collaboration between the embassy and the media house. Miria pledged that Vision Group will carry on with development-oriented journalism. Babanga pledged to uphold the organisation’s commitment to development and human-interest journalism, ensuring that the principles of constructive reporting continue to guide its mission.