Africa

Somali Latest

iLearn in Somalia now has live users and a partnership with the University of Hargeisa to cover journalism training. 50 trainees are expected to complete their courses this summer. Somali language blended-learning courses are delivered through a project website and offered to journalists participating in the programme.

There are courses in reporting war and conflict, basic journalism, radio journalism and election reporting.

In addition to basic training in journalism skills, the project focuses on management and training skills, forging links between local media professionals and a range of support organisations. The project has also been involved in training women journalists.

As well as online courses there’ll be workshops by Yonis Nur, a BBC World Service senior trainer. He will be supported by local journalists who have received further training in online mentoring techniques.

Other BBC staff have been involved with training. Nick Raistrick recently returned from his second visit to Somaliland where he has been training potential online journalism trainers and delivering a short photojournalism course.

He hopes that a photojournalism competition, aimed at getting the best pictures taken by local journalists into the region’s newspapers, will be a success.

Sustained Improvement in Journalism Standards and Coverage in the MENA region

This modular project is running over a two year period with the possibility of it being extended for a third year. Its aim is to support the further strengthening and development of an independent, fair and responsible media across the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region.

The key output of the project is work with journalists and editors from across the region to create a resource base that will enable them to train and develop the skills of young journalists.

The project activities consist of symposia on journalism ethics, training seminars on practical journalism skills, senior journalists and editors trained as trainers and mentors, the development of a robust system for monitoring the progress of journalists over time and the development of a journalism handbook in Arabic.

This outcome will be to foster contacts between journalists and editors from across the MENA region, work with them to develop high editorial standards and enable them to pass on these skills to young journalists in their countries.

Voices: Nigeria

The BBC World Service Trust is working with universities, drama and radio production organisations, state radio stations and other broadcasters to develop their capacity to produce and broadcast educational radio programmes.

Production of the drama series is taking place in Nigeria, creating opportunities for training in radio skills and the development of external links between the national media organisations, other universities and NGO communities.

The dramas are being aired on BBC airwaves and carried by radio stations throughout West Africa. The BBC WST will build capacity through training programmes principally within educational institutions and radio stations across Nigeria to ensure that benefits are given the maximum opportunity to be multiplied.

The discussion programmes are being produced by the VOICES team working in partnership with radio stations across the country.