The SDGs at the heart of media support: three questions for Chadian journalist Ousmane Diarra

What are the two main contributions that this support has made to your way of working?

Ousmane Diarra: “Firstly, a theoretical contribution. In terms of identifying the SDG to cover, the choice of subject and the reporting angle. For example, this is the case for our coverage of the impact of climate change for which our reporting angle was the situation of farmers in the village of Gaoui, situated 10 km from the capital N’Djamena.

Then there is the practical contribution: the presence of a trainer brings on-site added value as errors, shortcomings, reframings and approaches are more difficult to grasp when working alone. Lastly, the trainer’s presence is also very beneficial for supervision, proofreading and editing.”

What challenges do you think you are now equipped to overcome?

Ousmane Diarra: “I can now tackle several challenges, in particular identifying stories, choosing the angle, contacting sources and especially choosing the most relevant information when drafting a publication.”

What potential production projects does your media outlet have in line with the SDGs?

Ousmane Diarra: “Issues surrounding poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, energy, climate change and even justice are all current news stories in Chad. As a media outlet, we are going to focus on these SDGs and prioritise them when suggesting subjects to cover, so that we can contribute to achieving them at national and maybe even global level.”