Liberia: WASH Journalism Training Ends in Monrovia
By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – A One Day Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Journalists Training designed to enhance WASH reportage into mainstream Media, has successfully ended in Monrovia, Liberia.
The Training was organized and facilitated by WaterAid Liberia, bringing together at least 10 Journalists from the WASH Reporters & Editors (“R&E Media”) Network of Liberia.
Making remarks at the start of the workshop, WaterAid Country Director, Chuchu Selma welcomed the journalists and stressed the importance of their role in the WASH sector, noting that without the media, the sustainable interventions made by WaterAid and other sector actors would go unnoticed.
He noted that the role of the media remains essential through advocacy and influencing as part of effort to reaching everyone, everyone with safe water, toilets and hygiene by 2030 as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.
“In so doing, the media has a vital role in helping to tackle this water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) crisis by influencing those with the power to change the situation”, Mr. Selma pointed out.
For his part, the lead facilitator Mr. Jonathan Chapman, Media Specialist of WaterAid UK through a visual presentation told journalists to hold state actors and the government accountable to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goal #6, which states that everyone must have a source of clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene for household use.
The WaterAid UK Media Specialist also stressed the need for WASH journalists to look at facts and figures, audiences, story ideas and themes, amongst others.
Meanwhile the Chairman of WASH Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia, Augustine Myers lauded WaterAid for the capacity building training for WASH Media practitioners and echoed that the Network remains committed to professional and vigorous reportage of the WASH sector.
Mr. Myers at the same time cautioned journalists to take advantage of the skills and techniques acquired in their reportage with regards to highlighting WASH issues for transformation.
The One Day Media Training is expected to improve WASH Journalists’ understanding of key WASH issues, inform WASH Journalists on how to find and present information in an accessible and simple manner and help Journalists capture WaterAid’s work and other sector issues using WASH data and telling compelling stories.
The Training will further enable Journalists integrate WASH reportage in mainstream media, at an optimal level both to influence decision makers into accelerating improvements in WASH access and to educate and inform public opinion on their WASH rights.
