Thomson Reuters Reporting on Malaria in Africa 2020 for African Journalists

Thomson Reuters Foundation is delighted to offer African journalists, who are motivated to report on malaria, the opportunity to take part in a new remote training initiative, Reporting on Malaria in Africa. This remote course will begin on Monday, 07 September and end on Friday, 25 September.

Application Deadline: 26th August 2020

About the Award: Since the turn of the century, the fight against malaria made tremendous progress and global malaria death rates dropped substantially. Developments in disease prevention and treatments have helped to ease the burden of the disease, but obstacles to reducing malaria incidence persist. After decades of improvement, malaria cases are either flat or increasing again, challenging current approaches and interventions. New tools and innovations are being developed and delivered to rise to this challenge.

In 2018, the WHO estimated there were 228 million cases of malaria worldwide and global deaths tallied at 405,000, with pregnant women and young children most vulnerable to the deadly disease. The WHO African Region represented 93% of cases and 94% of deaths that year. 

At a time when the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread rapidly across the world, now more than ever it is crucial that efforts to control malaria are not undermined. Adding to this crisis, widespread mis- and disinformation present a serious challenge to public access to accurate information about public health crises such as malaria.

Type: Training

Eligibility: We are looking for: 

• African journalists, based in sub-Saharan Africa, working as staff journalists or regular contributors to English-language media organisations in their respective countries; 
• Journalists working for a news organisation will need consent from their editor to take part. Freelancers should provide evidence that one or more media organisations will be willing to take their work.
• Journalists able to commit to the full length of the 3-week course and to spending significant time working on malaria stories in the weeks following the end of the course;
• Journalists with at least three years of professional experience;
• It is an advantage if you have health reporting experience, but if you have a strong motivation to learn about malaria and health and report on these issues then we will consider your application;
• Journalists working in any medium or multiple media are welcome to apply (print, online, radio or television);
• Journalists applying must have fluent English (reading, writing, speaking, listening);
• Journalists applying must have access to a minimum internet speed of 1 MB/second. (You can check the speed of your device by logging from it on www.speedtest.net).

Eligible Countries: African countries

To be Taken at (Country): Online

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award: Participants of this course will:

• Receive training on ethical reporting and standards in health reporting, working with sources, how to search for trusted information and identify fake news, story pitching;
• Deepen their knowledge of malaria and public health more broadly, covering the current challenges that are hindering progress in the fight against malaria as well as the new and innovative approaches of reducing malaria incidence and their associated challenges and criticisms;
• Be exposed to expert speakers;
• Gain access to story ideas and editorial advice and will be invited to share your own expertise with other participants;
• Propose one or more malaria story ideas that you wish to work on – if you are selected, we will provide experienced journalists to help you pursue your malaria stories right up to publication/broadcast. Selected participants will receive modest funding to help them realise their malaria stories.

Duration of Award:  07 September to 25 September

How to Apply: APPLY

• It is important to go through all application requirements in the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying.
• GOODLUCK

Visit Award Webpage for Details