MFWA IPN Journalism Fellowship Phase 2

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), with the financial support and in partnership with Co-Develop, is launching Phase Il of the MFWA Journalism Fellowship Programme on Digital Public Infrastructure.

This initiative aims to raise awareness, stimulate debate, foster inclusion and encourage participation and consideration of issues related to Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPG) across West Africa.

The fellowship aims to host a cohort of 60 experienced journalists from Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. These journalists will acquire the knowledge and skills to produce quality and impactful reporting on IPNs and BPNs. Ultimately, the work of these journalists will contribute to improving public access to information, raising awareness and strengthening public involvement in the development and implementation of IPN and BPN policies across West Africa.

About the MFWA Journalism Fellowship Program

• Selected journalists will participate in a three-month fellowship, from November 2024 to January 2025. The fellowship will include training workshops, mentoring and article production. Once the fellowship ends, fellows will continue to participate in the activities of the network formed and report on IPN/BPN for three months.
• The Fellowship includes country -specific capacity-building sessions, which will be delivered both online and in-person, for selected Fellows. Every quarter, online follow-up sessions will also be held with the first and second cohorts, to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration on IPN and BPN issues.
• At the end of the fellowship, each fellow will have produced at least five major reports on IPN/BPN. Fellows will be expected to publish their reports in their respective media. Fellows will also receive a certificate of participation.

Benefits

• Training and mentoring
• Reporting Grants for Fellows (up to $300 per story)
• Monthly allowance of $250 per scholarship holder for the first three months of the scholarship
• Media partners will receive $1,000 as part of a partnership program focused on IPNs and BPNs.
• Travel grants to support top IPN/BPN reporters to attend trainings or international meetings that will enhance their knowledge and capacity on
IPN/BPN issues.

Qualifications

• Ability to work in heterogeneous groups and to respect the opinions of others
• Possess good social and communication skills
• Have an energetic and positive attitude towards work: and
• Have a proven track record of in-depth, research-based journalistic reporting.
• Have basic knowledge, interest or professional experience in the field of ICT and digitalization.

How to apply

The application deadline for this is September 30, 2024. To learn more and apply, please click here.