Sunday, October 21, 2007

Sierra eRiders end training for 22 journalists on ICT

A one-week training for electronic media practitioners on Community Radio Network or CORNET has been concluded at the Javouley House, Leicester Peak. The training which attracted about 22 journalists across the city was organized by an information oriented association known as Sierra eRiders and was funded by an international NGO, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).

In his statement, the project co-ordinator of Sierra eRiders, Mr. Sahr F. Gborie said the training is based on the community radio network's SL edition of the ICT project as part of the strategy used for capacity building programmes of its member stations. He said his organization is an indigenous non profit organization registered with the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning as a National Non Governmental and also a member of Sierra Leone Association of Non Governmental Organizations (SLANGO) providing technological support and also helping others initiate such programmes within the development oriented communities in Sierra Leone.

The chairman for the occasion, Mr. Isaac Massaquoi congratulated the organization and the participants and said he hopes that they have learnt would be passed on to their colleagues who have not been fortunate to profit from the training.

On behalf of CORNET, the co-ordinator promised that they will continue to partner up with Sierra eRiders to promote journalism in Sierra Leone and therefore encouraged them to call upon them at any time they needed assistance.

In her own statement before presenting the certificates to the participants, Mrs. Particia Macauley of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) congratulated the participants and the organization for such idea, noting that Sierra Leone is indeed forging ahead in terms of communication. She therefore implored the participants to continue to practice what they have learnt when they return to their various radio stations. She however, admonished them to be very careful in the dissemination of information to the public.

One of the participants, Zainab I Jocque said she has benefited with no regret for attending the training programme. She promised that when she goes back to her radio station, she is going to be a trainer; and therefore thanked Sierra eRiders and CORNET for the knowledge they have inculcated in them

The programme was climaxed by a video report and report on CORNET ICT workshop compiled and produced by the participants.

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