Nigeria Health Watch, MSI train journalists on solutions journalism
Nigeria Health Watch (NHW), in collaboration with MSI, has trained journalists from the South-South and South-East regions on solutions journalism and reporting field trips. Speaking during the event in Enugu State, Umeh Elvis Okoro, MSI Regional Manager for the South-East, said the training was designed to shift media focus from reporting problems to highlighting solutions […]
Nigeria Health Watch (NHW), in collaboration with MSI, has trained journalists from the South-South and South-East regions on solutions journalism and reporting field trips.
Speaking during the event in Enugu State, Umeh Elvis Okoro, MSI Regional Manager for the South-East, said the training was designed to shift media focus from reporting problems to highlighting solutions that address the needs of hard-to-reach women in communities across the regions.
He noted that MSI has been operating in Nigeria since 2009, working to address critical challenges without seeking publicity.
“Like I mentioned, the pen is mightier than the sword, and if you don’t tell people what you are doing or it is not reported, it is as good as not being done. That is the essence of this training,” he said.
“We have engaged journalists—whom we consider champions of truth—to inform the public about MSI’s work. This will enhance their reporting skills and techniques in solutions journalism.”He added that MSI currently operates across all states of the federation and has conducted similar training in the northern region this year.
On his part, Mr. Chibuike Alagboso, Director of Media Programmes at NHW, said the programme was aimed at bringing journalists from the South-South and South-East together to train them on solutions journalism.
He said the training focuses on identifying and reporting things that are working in communities.
According to him, while the primary focus is on Ebonyi and Enugu, journalists from various parts of the South-South and South-East participated to discuss the importance of highlighting solutions and how to effectively do so.
“All of that conversation is in the context of family planning and sexual and reproductive health, because the principles of solutions journalism can be applied to any story or reporting area,” he said.
Alagboso urged participants to listen attentively in order to sharpen their skills and improve their reporting on solutions journalism.