Liberia: WASH Media & CSOs training successfully conducted in South East
…Establishing South Eastern Chapter of WASH R&E “Media” Network – By: WASH R&E “Media” Network – An Intensive Training to ensure increased WASH Media and CSO professionals’ attention for more awareness and advocacy on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) issues, has successfully taken place in the South Eastern Region of Liberia.
Group photo with participants and county leaders
The 3-Day WASH Training wasdesigned to strengthen the capacity of Media and civil society actors and create bigger platforms to articulate community voices to access better water and sanitation facilities.
The Training held in Fish Town City, River Gee County was held in partnership with the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Reporters and Editors Network of Liberia (WASH R&E), Liberia Media Empowerment & Foundation (LIMEAF Inc) and the Foundation for Empowerment of Rural Dwellers (FERD), with support from WaterAid Liberia.
It brought together over 35 participants from River Gee, Maryland and Grand Kru Counties.
Group photo with the participants
The Training began with an official opening session during which time River Gee County Assistant Development Superintendent, Joseph Bohlen and Fish Town City Major, Emmanuel Waie welcomed the participants to the County.
River Gee County Development Superintendent said the coming of the Civil Society Organizations and the Media to attend the WASH Training demonstrates a positive step towards improving the WASH sector of the three counties in the South Eastern Region.
He extoled WaterAid for the support and recommended to the Media, FERD and WaterAid Liberia to extend their advocacy programs to other hard to reach communities within the three counties.
Mr. Joseph Bohlen encouraged the participants to be ambassadors of WASH, especially the Media to fully report on WASH to ensure positive changes in their respective counties by creating an enabling environment that will afford citizens the opportunities to voice to have access to WASH services.
The Training was facilitated by WASH Expert, and former Assistant Public Works Minister for Community Services, George Yarngo, Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President, Charles Coffey, WASH R&E “Media” Network National Chairman, Augustine Myers, Foundation for Empowerment of Rural Dwellers (FERD), Yulu Ford, and WASH R&E “Media” Network Programme Officer, Sonpon Weah.
Topics of the 3-Day WASH Media and CSOs Training included but not limited to the following, as was professionally facilitated:
River Gee County Development Superintendent,Joseph Bohlen
Global Dynamics & National Perspectives of WASH Status-facilitated by WASH Expert, George Yarngo, Focus on WASH Journalism-facilitated by WASH R&E Chairman, Gus Myers, National WASH Institutions, Stakeholders & their roles, and WASH Policies & Strategies-facilitated by WASH Expert, George Yarngo, on the first Day
The second Day was a Panel Discussion focusing on Local WASH Sector Governance, financing & accountability-facilitated by PUL President, Charles Coffey, with Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), a Human Rights Issue-facilitated by WASH Expert, George Yarngo.
Other topics included…Achieving Goal-6 of the SDGs-facilitated by FERD Program Officer, Yuku Ford, Strengthening Media & Community Relations: a strategy for citizens’ empowerment in WASH Rights Advocacy-facilitated by PUL President, Charles Coffey, and Media & CSOs partnership for WASH development, and Human Rights Based Approach(HRBA) & the role of the Media in reporting Human Interest Stories-facilitated by WASH R&E Chairman, Gus Myers.
For Day-3, topics were…Challenges in empowering citizens to demand their leaders to prioritize WASH in County Development Budget-facilitated by WASH Expert, George Yarngo, Yuku Ford of FERD & Gus Myers of WASH R&E.
Also, Professional aspects of WASH journalism-facilitated by WASH R&E Programme Officer, Sonpon Weah, Mapping Media Institutions in Liberia: Selection of Media outlets and Journalists; How to work with them for the production of quality WASH messages, including jingles-facilitated by WASH R&E Programme Officer, Sonpon Weah, and PUL President, Charles Coffey, and the Role of Media in improving National WASH Sector-facilitated by PUL President, Charles Coffey.
At the close of the 3-Day exercise, an Action Plan on improving WASH Reporting & Advocacy was developed by the three respective Counties.
The lead facilitator George Yarngo called on the government of Liberia to come up with more robust policy and to conduct regular awareness to improve the WASH sector at community levels. He further cautioned local authorities to implement government plans or laws on WASH across the country.
Grand Kru County Community Development Services (CODE) WASH Officer, Anthony Vorkpor as CSO participant called for the decentralization of the popular WASH Hour Radio Program on the Liberia Broadcasting System at county levels. He said when his suggestions is accepted by relevant WASH institutions, it will reflect those WASH related issues affecting citizens in their respective communities and have broader understanding about the county WASH sector and the operation of partners.
Mr. Augustine Myer, WASH R&E “Media” National Chairman promised that his Organization will lobby with partners to ensure the decentralization of the popular WASH Hour Radio Program at county level, as recommended during the Training.
Meanwhile, the President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Charles Coffey has encouraged Journalists and Media institutions to prioritize WASH Coverage, Reportage and Advocacy.
Three Panelists representing River Gee, Maryland and Grand Kru Counties
The PUL boss indicated that the Media has a critical role to play to educate citizens on the importance of clean water and the environment, and the hazards associated with poor sanitation and hygiene practices across the country.
Mr. Coffey also wants the Media buttress efforts of civil society actors through advocacy in holding local and national leaders accountable to WASH promises and to make WASH facilities available and accessible across the South East in particular and the country in general.
The 3-Day WASH Media & CSOs Training witnessed the establishment of the South Eastern WASH R&E “Media” Network-Chapter bringing together Journalists from River Gee, Maryland and Grand Kru Counties.
The new WASH R&E “Media” Chapter falls under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Reporters & Editors Network of Liberia.
It is expected to shortly include Sinoe and Grand Gedeh, the two remaining South Eastern Counties in Liberia to prioritize WASH Media Coverage, Reportage and Advocacy.
Those elected to steel the affairs of the new WASH R&E “Media” Network Chapter are James Suah-Regional Coordinator, Esther Scott-Co-Coordinator and Archine Kollie-General Secretary, respectively.
