In Sudan, journalists are training to produce reports on national reconciliation

For several months, the Aswatna project has been supporting the Sudan Academy for Communication Sciences and Media Training (SACS) in training Sudanese radio professionals and promoting the production of quality content in Sudan. After a needs analysis, carried out in conjunction with Monte Carlo Doualiya (MCD), the Academy’s premises were provided with new equipment over the summer of 2021. The centre now has a radio studio for recording and broadcasting (radio, internet and social media), an audio editing studio and a video editing studio in close proximity to the existing video production set.

Following a call for applications, 41 people were selected for the workshop: 29 journalists (15 women) and 12 editors-in chief, from 15 of Sudan’s 18 states, from West Darfur in the west to Blue Nile in the south and Kassala in the east. 10 members of the Academy’s team (including 9 women) joined the group.

“I’m thrilled that I took part in these workshops, especially those on the role of media in raising awareness of issues surrounding human rights, democratic transition and national reconciliation [...]. This training course enabled us to develop key skills and share experiences in a respectful, tolerant environment.”
Salma Amin Eshag Esrail,
journalist at Wad Madani radio

The training programme, developed with support from MCD, consisted of a core part (the basics of radio journalism, the role of the media in covering issues of national reconciliation, human rights, democratic transition and gender equality, etc.) and sessions tailored to the two groups of attendees (training for journalists on radio writing and radio broadcasting formats, and training for editors-in-chief on processing information, organising an editorial room and planning the schedule).

This first session will be supplemented by a second, along with coaching sessions to support the journalists in creating radio productions in line with Sudan’s national reconciliation and democratic transition. These will be assessed by a panel of people from CFI, MCD and Sudanese experts and will be broadcast by MCD and partner social networks in Sudan.
The best creations will also be awarded a CFI-MCD prize.

“The 35 hours of training, which was really well organised, were of real quality both in substance and form. This session also allowed us to share our experiences and exchange ideas among Sudanese radio professionals.”
Hitham Mohamed Omer Mohamed,
editor-in-chief of Red Sea State radio