LIBERIA: WASH Journalists End Capacity Training
…..Make Recommendations – By: WASH R&E – Over 45 Liberian Journalists with interest aimed at ensuring access to safe Water, improved Sanitation and Hygiene facilities, have ended a 3-Day Capacity Development Training in Monrovia with several recommendations to increase Media Focus on WASH across Liberia.
Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President, Peter Quaqua facilitating one of the sessions of the WASH Media Training
The 3-Day WASH Capacity Development Training for Reporters and Editors was held from Thursday to Saturday, June 28 to 30, 2012 in the Conference Room of the WASH Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia on Carey Street-Crown Hill, in Central Monrovia.
The WASH journalists called for holistic approach in consideration of the socio-economic and political development and wellbeing of the media institutions and practitioners focusing on the WASH sector.
WaterAid Team Leader, Apollos Nwafor lecturing WASH Editors during the Training
They presented their recommendations last Saturday to Mr. Augustine N. Myers, Chairman of the WASH Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia at the close of the Training Workshop.
WASH Reporters and Editors listening to Liberia WASH CSOs Network Chairman, Prince Kreplah, at the close of the Workshop over the weekend
The Journalists who are already reporting on the WASH Sector recommended Periodic Training for WASH journalists (not only in Monrovia, but across the country) so as to always ensure improved media approach of WASH Journalism in Liberia.
They also stressed the need for logistical and material support which include(digital recorders, cameras, video recorders, etc..) and transportation to enhance their assignments , deployment and facilitation by WASH R&E to key WASH activities across the country.
PUL Secretary General, Charles Coffey serving as one of the facilitators at the Training
The participants further want WASH R&E engages in major recruitment across the 15-political sub-divisions of Liberia to ensure that WASH Journalism is prioritized Nation-wide
They also requested the settling-up of sub offices for WASH R&E in the capital cities of the remaining counties to coordinate WASH media activities there.
The Media Practitioners further want similar Interactive Training Workshop be held between the media, civil society and other WASH actors to ensure that there is a cohesive coordination amongst players in the sector.
The participants in their recommendations also called for the establishment of a WASH Media data bank for the monitoring of WASH articles by the WASH Reporters and Editors Network of Liberia, and also proposed that editors develop special page in their respective papers or air time on their radio and TV stations, including other media outlets to promote WASH issues.
The WASH Journalists also recommended that an annual festival for WASH Journalists across Liberia be held each year to re-awaken the spirit of a united front and also called establishment an Annual WASH to encourage increased media attention on water, sanitation and hygiene.
The WASH journalists among other things, reiterated their commitment to robust media attention aimed at truly ensuring sanitation and water for all in Liberia.
WASH R&E Network of Liberia Chairman, Augustine N. Myers assured that the participants’ recommendations would be given serious attention.
Mr. Myers in brief remarks commanded selected WASH journalists for their time during the 3-day exercise, and reminded them of their professional responsibilities as media practitioners and challenged them to remain focused.
He further assured that with the help of other WASH partners, recommendations from the Training Workshop would be addressed.
The workshop, held under the theme “Increasing Media Focus on WASH,” was organized by the WASH Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia in partnership with the Liberia Media Empowerment and Advocacy Foundation, with support from WaterAid Liberia- Sierra Leone.
Topics discussed include , “National and International Policies on WASH , Commitments and Campaigns”, “Media Advocacy on WASH”, “Key Tips to make stories interesting and Newsworthy-A WASH Media Perspective”, and “Investigative Reporting-How it Fits within the WASH sector”.
It separately brought together more than fifteen(15) WASH journalists on each of the three days, totaling over forty five(45) WASH Reporters and Editors.
On the first day, the Training Workshop brought together selected 15 Reporters, while on the second day it brought together selected 15 Editors, and that on the third day it brought together a combination of another selected 15 WASH Reporters and Editors. few Liberian journalists with increasing WASH Media Interest voluntarily joined the exercise.
The 3-Day Capacity Development WASH Journalism Training Workshop was facilitated by three personalities in the Liberian society, while the second day of the Training Workshop was also facilitated by a guest lecturer, Mr. Apollos Nwafor-Team Leader for WaterAid in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The three facilitators of the 3-Day WASH Journalism Workshop include: Mr. Peter Quaqua, President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Mr. Prince D. Kreplah, Chairman of the Liberia Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) WASH Network, and Mr. Charles B. Coffey, Jr., Director of News at the Liberia Broad Casting System (LBS) and also Secretary General of the Press Union of Liberia.
For each of the three days, the three facilitators respectively lectured on their assigned topics.
Mr. Peter Quaqua lectured on the topic; ” Key Tips to Make Stories Interesting and Newsworthy -a WASH Media Perspective”, while Mr. Prince Kreplah lectured on the topic: “National and International Policies on WASH, Commitments & Campaigns”, and Mr. Charles Coffey lectured on the topic: ” Investigative Reporting; How it fits within the WASH Sector”.
As for the guest lecturer, Mr. Apollos Nwafor, lectured on the topic: “Role of the Media in WASH Advocacy”.
The 3-day exercise was very interactive between the reporters, editors and facilitators on the one hand, and the reporters and editors on the other hand.
