Training for East African Journalists to Investigate Environmental Crimes

The Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is calling on East African Journalists to train investigative journalists on how to use financial tools to investigate money laundering, fraud, bribery and corruption, trace assets, underground money movements, and illicit payment methods.

Journalists may also investigate other environmental crimes including illegal logging, overfishing of protected species, and dumping of hazardous waste.

EJN will select 12 journalists who will take part in a series of online training sessions and a final in-person workshop in April 2024. They will also receive story grants and will be closely mentored by experts on the topic as they research and investigate their stories.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants can be from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda or South Sudan.
• For the purposes of this grant opportunity, they will only be accepting applications in English. Unfortunately, they do not have the capacity to consider applications in other languages at this time. Applicants must either have a working understanding of English or have a translator available to assist with communication with Internews staff.
• Applications are open to journalists working in any medium (online, print, television, radio). Freelance reporters and staff from all types of media organizations— international, national, local and community-based—are welcome to apply.
• They welcome applications from experienced reporters with a track record of producing depth and/ or investigative work on the environment, wildlife and conservation. Candidates with a demonstrable plan to collaborate with Asian journalist(s) to explore environmental crime markets stand a high chance of being selected.
• EJN reserves the right to disqualify applicants from consideration if they have been found to have engaged in unethical or improper professional conduct.

Logistics

• They plan to select journalists in October 2023 with the expectation that selected journalists will participate in the program from October 2023 to June 2024, and publish their investigative reports on environmental crime within that timeline.
• Language of publication: Stories, produced as a result of this training can be produced in any language. However, applicants who intend to write or produce stories in their local language need to also include an English translation.
• Acknowledgment of EJN support: Published stories and/or broadcasts must disclose EJN support by including this tagline: “This story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.”
• Republication rights: Those who are awarded grants are free to publish or broadcast their stories first in their affiliated media as long as Internews’ EJN, its partners and the grant funder are also given rights to edit, publish, broadcast and distribute them freely.

See more here to learn and apply.