I am Lindy Mtongana, a news anchor with CGTN's Africa Live. I have seen and experienced more of Africa than I ever imagined since I joined CCTV News in 2015.  

Across Africa, I have met HIV positive teenagers in Uganda, who bravely tell their personal stories, with wisdom and the will to change the lives of others. And I have trekked and camped through Mauritania to understand the lives of the nomads, who roam the hot sands of the Sahara in search of water.

Beyond the continent, I have had the privilege of traveling to China on two occasions in 2017. The China Footprint Series allowed me to witness China’s success in fighting poverty by transforming the economy through infrastructure development. I also joined the 19th CPC National Congress reporting team to see President Xi Jinping outlining his vision for a more open and prosperous China, and for a better world.

As a news anchor for CGTN, I have spent the past few years engaging with some of the continent's most daring newsmakers, decision-makers, creatives and risk-takers, who are attuned to where Africa is today and where it could be tomorrow. I have brought African breaking news, African views and perspectives to our audiences across the world, in our goal to ensure that Africans are at the forefront of telling their own stories.

Investing in African television storytelling is indeed not an easy task. It requires the deployment of skilled staff, and quality equipment across the length and breadth of the continent’s 54 countries – often in challenging landscapes, conflict zones, and areas lacking running water and electricity. Above all challenges, it requires extra commitment and dedication. This is the hallmark of CGTN, which sets it apart from other broadcasters.

As we enter into 2018, I am excited for my future as a member of the CGTN Africa team – for many more stories yet to be told, the cities and landscapes yet to be traversed as well as the ways, in which our stories might inform and educate the world about Africa’s beauty and its unique journey towards prosperity.