Blog Post

Solidarity and Professionalism: Two Crucial Components for Change in the Press, and Change in Haiti

A former Carnival singer and media hound, Martelly embraces the spotlight. Coverage of any kind, he says, is okay, as long as it’s balanced and accurate. On Latin America Freedom of the Press Day, June 7th, however, he cautioned journalists to be more responsible. And to be more united, working together for a common cause - the betterment of Haiti.

20-Plus Reasons Why Investing in Media Creates Lasting Change

Over time, we’ve noticed a growing myth about media grant making – that the outcomes aren’t quantifiable, that it doesn’t produce a tangible, measurable impact.

In a new report, the International Center for Journalists offers 20 plus reasons to the contrary. That’s how many changes to government policies were brought to bear by the work of fellows.

In Ethiopia, a New Health Program Brings Hope to a Farmer with TB

It has been almost two months now since I was assigned to the Federal Ministry of Health in Ethiopia as a Knight International Health Journalism Fellow to help improve the quality and quantity of health radio and television shows produced by the ministry. The shows are transmitted on the national broadcaster, Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency.

Training Investigative Journalists in the Countryside: Quenching the Thirst for Knowledge

This past weekend, 22 journalists in the southern town of Jacmel received a certificate of completion for 36 hours of training in investigative journalism. The four women and 18 men who participated on a volunteer basis are, I hope, the first of many throughout the country who will benefit from this course thanks to a generous donation from a group of anonymous donors.

A Surprise on International Freedom of the Press Day Affirms the Importance of Solid Training

To say that Haiti is full of surprises is kind of like saying that summers here are hot. Surprises are as numerous as Haiti’s contradictions: two hundred dollar a night hotels across from tent camps, five-star restaurants facing water distribution points.

Many of the surprises provoke mixed emotions, like when I turn the corner only to find myself in a traffic jam because a pickup truck is finally removing rubble.

In Malawi, the battle over trees pits the poor population against the government

Editor note: Knight Fellow Edem Djokotoe discusses contrasting philosophies between a government bent on prosecuting the charcoal industry and a rural population dependent on its profits.

Two weeks after he returned from the UN climate change conference in December, Malawi’s energy minister, Grain Malunga, made a controversial public pronouncement: “Arrest all charcoal sellers.”

Prosecuting them, he argued, would save the country from the devastating effects of deforestation and deter others from chopping down trees for charcoal.

At Long Last, Recruitment Begins at Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation

The radio notices started in early spring. The constant television scroll made the announcement amidst reports about Libya and the Salone Stars football team. On Wednesday, March 23rd, three of the 30-odd daily newspapers in Freetown ran center spot, double-page spreads. Pages were stapled to notice boards within the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). The new SLBC web site lists the jobs available and has a PDF of the application form. And, the media sector in Sierra Leone is abuzz… with the news of the SLBC recruitment campaign.

In Mozambique, Surgery Helps Women Recover Both Health and Dignity

There is nothing like interviewing women with fistula to realize, in your heart and in your bones, what fistula does to women: the humiliation, marginalization, loss of self-esteem, and depression. Fistula is an orifice resulting from ruptured tissue between bladder, rectum and vagina that provokes permanent incontinence. Feces and urine flow through the vagina.

Obstetric fistula is caused by early and repeated pregnancies, long and complicated deliveries without proper medical care, delays in reaching hospital, clandestine abortion and violent rape.

The Return of Jean Bertrand Aristide

"Li Ale, Li Toune, Li Ale, Li Toune Net" was just one of the chants throngs of supporters sang outside Haiti's airport early Friday, March 18: "He left, he came back, he left, he's here to stay." The "he" is Jean-Bertand Aristide, the only president in modern history to be deposed and returned to power, then deposed again and returned a second time. Only this time, as opposed to being able to finish his truncated 5-year term as he did in 1994, he's returning from seven years exile in South Africa, ineligible to run for president again.

Haiti’s Presidential Election May Impact Press Freedom

On Sunday, March 20, Haitians will go to the polls to elect their new president. This second-round vote for the top two contenders from a field of 19 is a first in Haiti’s history.