20 Journalists receive training in disability reporting

A total of twenty Journalists from private and state-owned media received training on disability reporting between December 1-2 under the Media Capacity Building Initiative for Reporting on Disability (MCBIRD) program organized by Young Africa Media Center.

This is the second cohort of the MCBIRD program, with the first edition organised in 2021. The program is supported by the US Embassy in Ghana. The two-day residential training which was held in Takoradi took the fellows through creative reporting on disability, the right language style, the use of tone, disability laws, ethics and many more. The fellows who have embarked on various projects in disability reporting shared their previous and future works on disability which were finetuned by the facilitators.

Madam Esther Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm Africa, Mr. Philip Acquaye, Head Department of Communication- BlueCrest University College, Mr. David Dankwa-Apawu, Senior Lecturer -Department of Language and Communication Skills, Ghana Institute of Journalism, Beth Haller, Co-Director-Global Alliance for Disability in Media and Entertainment (GADIM) and Mr Alexander Nyame, Coordinator -Ministry of Persons with Disability, Church of Pentecost were the facilitators who took the participants through the training.

The fellows were also engaged in ignite sessions with Hon. Wilson Arthur (CEO, Skyy Media Group) and Madam Joyce Okyere Aseidu, Press and Media Specialist, US Embassy Ghana.

The fellowship ended with the Media for Disability Awards and Dinner, which awarded Beatrice Senadju (Editor, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation) as the Best Journalist for Reporting on Disability and Ivan Korshie Heathcote-Fumador (Journalist, Ultimate FM) as the Best Journalist Living with a Disability.

A representative from the US Embassy Ghana, Maam Victoria Oliver noted;” So why is the United States government, along with the Ghanaian leaders here today, supporting this issue of more inclusive reporting? It is because we recognize the inherent value of people with disabilities as individuals and acknowledge the collective value of their contributions and their participation in schools, workplaces and communities everywhere.”

Speaking at the awards, the Western Regional Minister, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah mentioned that”the voice that you have as the media should be used for the benefit of all the people you represent. This meeting is to add knowledge you already have concerning persons with disabilities and I am of the view that you’ll make good use of it.”

The Omanhene of the Essikado Area, Nana Kobina Nketia quizzed, ”What is a disability? Those we refer to as disabled are just like us. We are all disabled in one way or the other. Some are disabled culturally, others are disabled in other areas but the worse form of disability is a mental disability. That is when you’ve lost it all. This is a programme that should be encouraged to help educate people on what disability is and stop the stigmatization.”

The General Manager for the Young Africa Media Center, Mr. Stephen Selasie Asuo used the opportunity to thank the partners for their support over the years and congratulated the 2022 fellows for going through the programme and dedicating their work to helping those living with a disability.

Also in attendance were Nana Egya Kwamena – XI Chief of Apremdo, Mr Saviour Adzika, CEO- of Corpnation Foundation, Mr Issifu Gani, Chairman – Board of Disability Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly, Madam Yaa Amoako-Adu, CEO of Integrity Logistics and Richmond Agbanyaklu, Acting Coordinator – WesternRegion Development Network of NGOs (WERENGO).

The MCBIRD is a bespoke training program that seeks to amplify and empower the voice and efforts of journalists who have distinguished themselves in helping to reduce the stigma and discrimination, as well as lead to improved government policies on disability. In order to reach more journalists in the regions, the first edition was held in Accra but was relocated and hosted in Takoradi this year.