By Armah J. Mabande (Internews Intern)
The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) in partnership with Internews has provided a set of desktop, a laptop and a Sony Stereo IC Recorder to all accredited media institutions with its assigned interns.
The presentations were made on Wednesday at the headquarters of the PUL with the aim of buttressing the media institution’s capacity to work with the interns during the specified period within the timeframe of the project.
In a speech accompanying the equipment presentation to the mentees and their respective mentors, the PUL president, Charles Cuffey clarified that the desktops will not be returned after the internship but that the laptops and recorders with the mentees would be returned for other training segments.
“We are very happy for this partnership with the Internews as this will help to rebrand the Liberian media landscape,” Coffey intimated.
According to the PUL boss, the problem with Liberia’s media is logistical because once reporters become professional yet do not have tools to practicalize what they have learnt; it then becomes a problem.
“Congratulations to the Chief of Party, the staff of Internews and these we trust that these equipment will be utilized appropriately because they are essential materials and it is a case study even though there will be some challenges but I trust my mentors,” the PUL boss guaranteed.
“These are people who have training in establishing community radio stations and they know what the mentees deserve as good journalists and this will help the mentees to be disciplined and learn more,” Coffey reiterated.
Meanwhile, the mentees comprise of senior students at the University of Liberia and the Peter Quaqua School of Journalism.
Vice president Daniel Nyankona said the interns will be incorporated into the Liberian media activities being implemented by Internews with funding from the United States Government and people.
“We are very excited about all of the technical supports from our colleagues of Internews and we are hopeful that these equipment will be used properly and they are not for the mentees; they are not going to be taken home,” he stated.
Mr. Nyankonah further clarified that the mentees are going to use the equipment at assigned media institutions to generate content that will help in providing the requisite opportunity to reach their skills in becoming professional journalists that they want to be.
Meanwhile, responding on behalf of the Inquirer Newspaper where three mentees are currently being trained, their mentor, Alex Yomah expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the PUL and Internews for providing such opportunity to the media students.
“Again, we are grateful to PUL/Internews for these supplies that are intended to strengthen our aspiring journalists. We can assure you that we will do our job in ensuring that the PUL and its partners realize an accomplished goal,” Mr. Yomah intimated.
