By: Simity Admire Nenneh Kamara
During his campaign for the presidency of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Alhaji Manika Kamara committed himself to an ACTION Agenda, focusing on what he described as Accountability, Collaboration, Training, Innovation, Opportunities, and National Impact. As part of this commitment particularly to women journalists, SLAJ, in partnership with BBC Media Action and with support from the European Union Media Project, has launched a six-week digital media literacy training programme for 70 female journalists across Sierra Leone.
The training aims to enhance and strengthen the digital media knowledge and skills of women journalists nationwide. It is being implemented in collaboration with Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Freetown, which is facilitating the training sessions.
The programme officially commenced on January 16th and 17th this year and is scheduled to run every Friday and Saturday, twice a week, over the six-week period. The training covers a wide range of topics, including digital safety, content writing for digital audiences, source verification, social media management and YouTube setup, photography, video and audio editing, graphic design, digital marketing, monitoring, and data analysis, among others.
During the first two weeks of training for the first cohort of female journalists, one of the facilitators, Oluwatosin, emphasized the importance of digital safety, particularly for women working in the media. He highlighted the various online risks women face, including online scams such as fake businesses, romance scams, and fraudulent job offers, theft of personal photographs, financial fraud through email, WhatsApp, and social media platforms, as well as identity theft, which can negatively affect access to loans and scholarship opportunities.
He encouraged participants to adopt strong password practices, use two-factor authentication, and develop other safe online habits.
He further stressed the importance of source verification, urging journalists to always fact-check information before publishing. He warned against trusting information solely because it appears serious or has gone viral, and advised participants to verify content by identifying the original source, cross-checking with other credible sources, and considering the time and context of the information. He also introduced various verification tools and explained their use through a structured checklist.
Another facilitator, Abubakarr Tappiah Sesay, focused on the importance of understanding different digital platforms. He provided insights into major platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). He noted that Facebook remains the leading global platform with over 2.8 billion users worldwide. He also trained participants on how to take high-quality photographs and apply the correct techniques for posting digital content effectively.
In addition, he provided practical guidelines on content writing, particularly for Facebook, including how to convert a personal account into a professional account or page. He highlighted key steps journalists should consider to ensure their content reaches the intended target audience.
Participants expressed appreciation for the opportunity, noting that the first two weeks of training had already energized and motivated them. They stated that the skills acquired would help them create a positive impact in society and contribute to changing the negative narratives surrounding the harmful use of social media.
The training programme will conclude with a certification ceremony, after which participants will showcase some of the skills and projects they developed during the six-week course.
Source: Daily News Online
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