Guardian and Daily News journalists to participate at the Nile Basin Journalist training in Entebbe, Uganda

United States Embassy Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Ms. Marissa Maurer (right), presents tickets to Tanzanian journalists, Ms. Beatrice Philemon (left), a journalist with the Guardian Newspaper and Mr. Ludovick Kazoka (center), a journalist with Daily News, who will participate at the Nile Basin journalist training to be held in Entebbe, Uganda from August 10 - August 15, 2014 under the Development and International Media Training.

Ms. Philemon and Mr. Kazoka will join 21 other journalists from Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Burundi, and Democratic Republic of Congo, to participate in the program focusing on the technical/scientific aspects of reporting on water resources – especially trans boundary waters – in order to promote more, and more accurate, reporting throughout the Nile Basin on these issues. In addition to the technical substance, it will aim to develop collaborative relationships among journalists from various Nile countries. The workshop will be followed by a 12-month mentoring period during which journalists will receive support and advice on story development.

Commenting on the program during a pre-departure orientation with PAO Ms. Maurer at the U.S. embassy in Dar es Salaam recently, Ms. Philemon and Mr. Kazoka mentioned that, the training would be helpful in enhancing their journalistic competence in key areas like reportage and feature writing on water and environmental issues so that people can be aware on how to keep the river’s environment clean and addressing the problems caused by illegal dumping, the discharge of industrial and domestic effluence into the River and that Tanzanian community be part of the global campaign on climate change mitigation across the country and environmental conservation. In addition, when back home they will share the knowledge with colleagues at work. (Photo Courtesy of the United States Embassy).