By Grace Q. Bryant
The Volunteers for Sustainable Development in Africa (VOSIEDA) in partnership with the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and the University of Liberia Department of Communication has certificated over 100 journalists for participating in a two-year mentorship training on ‘Strengthening Independent Media and Freedom of information in Liberia.’
The training which commenced in 2021 brought together journalists from across five counties to include Margibi, Montserrado, Bong, Nimba and Lofa, to benefit from the mentorship and coaching opportunity that also focused on Investigative Journalism and reporting crimes against journalists.
Speaking at the two-year project closing ceremony, the Program Manager of VOSIEDA West Africa, Sadatu K. Fahnbulleh, said the two years had made great impact in the day-to-day activities of the over 100 journalists that had been participating in the program.
She said journalists should make use of the Press Union of Liberia’s Journalists Crime Reporting App that is on play store in order to report crimes against them.
Interestingly, Madam Fahnbulleh said journalists are not making use of the app; something that need to be taken serious by all media institutions especially journalists who had benefited from the project.
She added that as part of their work, they are currently running a project that seek to provide legal representation for journalists who come under attack while doing their work.
She said journalists should take advantage of the opportunity that they are running at the Press Union of Liberia for the protection of the right of all Journalists.
One of the facilitators said it is important for journalists to always take into consideration their safety especially during this upcoming election.
According to Frank Sainworla, journalists should always be professional in their day-to-day reporting when covering stories; he then encouraged participates to put in to practice what they had learned over the last two years.
At the same time, the Chairperson of the University of Liberia Department of Communication and Media Studies urged journalists to take the lessons learnt very important in the midst of the many attacks and threats against them.
Mr. Uriah Togar said the safety and protection of journalists should be cared for during the time of their work because their safety matters and called on journalists to keep their integrity in tight because in all that they do, the public look upon them for factual information.
The UL Professor said the journalism is a noble professional that needs to be taken serious by all journalists in order to protect their own character.
Speaking On behalf of participants, Famata Thomas expressed gratitude to VOSIEDA for impacting her journey as a journalist.
According to her, the program influenced her drive for investigative Journalism; while Mae Azango another beneficiary called on VOSIEDA and partners to include women’s participation in the training process by including more female facilitators and creating opportunities for women beneficiaries in the program; as the program seeks to empower women journalists.
She also expressed gratitude to the institution for guiding journalists over the two years period and used the occasion to encourage the beneficiaries to be security minded in their investigative reportage.
Meanwhile, VOSIEDA is now partnering with Media Defense International and the Press Union of Liberia to contribute to building a vibrant legal defense network in Liberia by establishing a legal aid unit or media defense center at the Press Union of Liberia.
The Media Defense Center (MDC) will provide free legal support and better access to legal assistance for independent media, journalists, and bloggers in Liberia and as part of this project, lawyers will provide legal training and litigate cases related to freedom of expression across the country.
Although Liberia is rated Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2022 report, powerful politicians and well-connected institutions sometimes use the law against journalists to stop them from reporting.
Most journalists and media outlets facing legal actions in Liberia cannot often afford a lawyer, and there is a shortage of local legal centers and lawyers to defend journalists free of charge.
VOSIEDA and partners will provide legal empowerment to journalists, citizen journalists, and independent media in Liberia with over 20 years of experience and it is a well-established network of professionals set up to development challenges in West Africa.
VOSIEDA was initially founded in 2000 by local volunteers in response to the Liberian and Sierra Leonean civil wars and since then, one vision drives the work of the Liberia-based organization.
