By Ruth Mbinya, On Attachment at Development Through Media (DTM)
Although my attachment with Development Through Media (DTM) officially began on 8th August, the first few days were spent online as the office finalized relocation. This Thursday marked a new chapter—my very first day reporting physically to the DTM office.
I arrived at 10 a.m., welcomed by Douglas, who introduced me to the office space and shared the DTM profile document that would be my starting point. I settled in quickly, eager to familiarize myself with the organization’s background and mandate. As I read, tea was served, and I prepared myself a cup. That small, ordinary act stood out—it made the environment feel both professional and welcoming.
Photo: Hendric Makokha / DTM Attachment Programme
The morning was spent carefully reading through the DTM profile. I took my time, going page by page and noting the parts that stood out most. To keep myself active and not just passively reading, I paused often to test my memory of what I had understood.
For example, I would summarize a section in my own words or ask myself questions about DTM’s objectives and programs. This method not only helped me retain the information but also pushed me to think about how the organization’s work ties in with the skills I am developing during this attachment. By the time I was done, I had a clearer picture of how broad DTM’s impact is—from media production to community engagement—and why this attachment matters to my own growth.
After lunch, I turned to the third agenda of the day: reviewing video clips from the Katiba (at 15) Day celebrations held on 27th August. Step by step, I began sorting and arranging the clips on the desktop to prepare them for editing. The task gave me a hands-on feel of the editorial process, from identifying the strongest shots to thinking about how they would eventually fit together to tell a story.
Progress slowed down when CapCut ran into installation issues, briefly pausing the editing process. Still, this became a learning moment in itself—reminding me how technical setbacks are part of media work and how teamwork is crucial in solving them. As the others worked on fixing the problem, I remained alert, ready to continue once the system was back on track.
Meanwhile, I shifted my attention to social media post management. Earlier, we had written articles about Radio Baraza—DTM’s media platform—and my role was to promote these posts to drive likes, comments, shares, and follows across DTM’s networks. Since our host was away, I revisited my drafts to refresh myself before final submission. This gave me fresh perspective on how digital engagement contributes to DTM’s broader communication goals.
