Hey there,
Welcome to OffMap Media: a mix of in-depth reporting, interviews, and travel writing.
We are Anastasia and Douwe, two investigative journalists who -- driven by curiosity, persistence, and a touch of madness --are cycling the entire length of the Andes—from Colombia to Argentina—reporting as we go.
Colombia had been our home for five years before we started this trip. During that time, we reported for InSight Crime, a think tank and media organization focused on organized crime and citizen security in the Americas. We led field investigations in countries like Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, and Suriname, publishing human-centered stories, award-winning investigations, and security and policy analyses.
But over time, we felt the pull to be in the field full-time and to expand our coverage to other critical issues in the region. We believe this work is vital. As news organizations face budget cuts, many can no longer afford to send reporters into the field. As a result, vast parts of the world are becoming news deserts, where important stories go unreported and rarely reach a global audience. The Andes, despite their economic, cultural, and environmental significance, are no exception.
We fill this gap by venturing to places few journalists visit and connecting local stories to global developments. Since starting, we’ve published over 20 articles on Substack. We also reported for the Guardian, Al Jazeera, Rouleur, the New Humanitarian, and other outlets.
We’ve written about private reserves, forgiveness, mass tourism, and the future of Colombian cycling. We’ve covered Ecuadorian elections and conflicts between miners and local communities. We’ve also reflected on the challenges of the job (like deciding when to take photos) and what’s stayed with us most along the way (like the face of deforestation in the Amazon).
If OffMap Media is a business, we’re woefully bad at business. But reporting and writing these stories takes a lot of time, so if you enjoy them, consider becoming a paid subscriber or buying us a coffee.
