Vicky Ntetema

Vicky Ntetema or Vicky Alice Ntetema (born c. 1958) is a journalist from Tanzania. She hid her identity to find out about the deaths of albino people.^[1] She is the director of Under the Same Sun, an NGO for the rights of albino people. In 2016, she received the International Women of Courage Award.^[2]

Life

Ntetema received a bachelor's degree in the former Soviet Union in 1985.^[3] She studied journalism at Byelorussian State University in Minsk. She received a Master of Science in Information Systems Development from the University of London.^[4]

Work

Ntemtema started work at the BBC in 1991 as a Swahili translator.^[3] In 2005, she returned to Tanzania, and became the head of the BBC World Service in Tanzania.^[3] She worked at the BBC from 1991 to 2009.^[4]

In November 2007, Ntetema wanted to know about a series of albino murders and their connection with witchdoctors. More than 90 percent of Tanzanians believe in witchcraft, so witch doctors are important in traditional African life. According to Ntetmea, more than 50 albinos were killed since 2007. Often, witchdoctors pay people to kill albinos. The police protect the killers.^[3]

In July 2008, Ntetema's story was on the BBC. She received threats, so the BBC told her to get out. She went to London. Later she went to Kenya.^[3]

In 2010 she received the Courage in Journalism Award.^[5]