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Penplusbytes supports Ghanaian journalists with micro grants to produce in-depth news stories on climate change

climate journos

To assess and sustain in the short-term gains from our recent climate change training for some selected Ghanaian journalists, Penplusbytes, with support from DW Akademie, is supporting six (6) journalists with micro grants to enable them develop and publish in-depth and impactful stories on climate change in Ghana.

The selected journalists are expected to develop stories that, raise awareness about the causes and impacts of climate change and what could be done to salvage the ravaging effects of climate change in Ghana as well as tell stories of communities that are showing resilience and ingenuity in the face of the climate crisis and what other impacted communities can learn from them.

According to the Executive Director of Penplusbytes, Mr. Jerry Sam, Penplusbytes, under its Climate Crisis project, is committed to helping journalists acquire more knowledge in the area of climate change to enable them to inform, educate, and shape public discourse on the climate crisis in a responsible way that will enable people act and create a clean, green, and sustainable climate for future generations.

The grant recipients include Ivy Setordjie and Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen, both from the Multimedia Group (Joy News/ Joy FM); Albert Kuzor from Asaase Radio; Zubaida Ismail, a freelancer; Ivan Korshie Heathcote – Fumador from Ultimate FM; and Aba Aikins from ATL FM.

The Project Manager, Adivor Peter Agbesi pointed out, “Our recipients were carefully selected from a pool of applicants and I’m expecting to see interesting, innovative, and compelling stories from each of the selected journalists. We expect them to demonstrate through their stories how climate change is affecting lives here in Ghana. Their stories should speak to the issues and illuminate cases of communal resilience to climate change.”

The Climate Crisis Journalism Project is a pilot project by Penplusbytes with funding from DW Akademie, which seeks to enhance the capacity of selected Ghanaian media persons to better understand the science at the heart of many climate change incidents to enable them raise awareness on its impact, shape public understanding and measures to mitigate the phenomenon.

Under the project, 16 journalists have benefited from an intensive 3-day training moderated by experts in climate change reporting and communication. The journalists were selected from across the country after going through a competitive application process which received close to 100 applications.

About Penplusbytes

Penplusbytes is a not-for-profit organization driving change through innovations in the following key areas: using new digital technologies to enable good governance and accountability, new media and innovations, climate and well-being, and enhancing oversight for effective utilisation of mining, oil and gas revenue and resources.