Garowe, Puntland Somalia, 2nd April 2016: ”Promoting Media Sustainability in Puntland” Project, is a 1-year-long endeavor that is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), sought to enhance the sustainability of media outlets through improved organizational management and staff skills, to promote media legislation that supports freedom of expression and independent media.
The project commenced in MAY 2015 and is scheduled to run till APRIL 2016 . The generous support from the National Endowment for Democracy helped MAP to carry out the following in 2015/16; to conduct media training, media stakeholder meetings, advocacy workshops and a non-fiction writing workshop as part of its effort to improve the capacity of the sector and promote freedom of expression in Puntland.
On the 31 March 2016, MAP held a one-day writing workshop for sixteen journalists that were drawn from the various media outlets stationed in the KarKaar regions of Puntland State of Somalia. The workshop was held in Qardho the Karkaar region’s capital at the Embeye Hotel conference room.
MAP’s Salim Mohamed who addressed the assembled Journalists at the opening of the workshop thanked the participants for showing up and explained the objective of the workshop. He said ‘‘this training is one of them activities that is part of the NED-funded project entitled ”Promoting Media Sustainability in Puntland, thus, categorically the project’s objective of this training is designed to enhance the sustainability of media outlets through improved organizational management and staff skills. This writing workshop is a crucial one, i call for your active participation, noted” Salim.
Karkar region Governor Abdulkadir Said Arshe Dhaqaaje who was the event’s guest of honour officially opened the workshop stated that ”It is a great pleasure for me to be here at the opening ceremony, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the important role and the hard work journalist play in our community – much appreciated – i urge you to keep up the good work and on the other side in order for you to develop the necessary skills i advise you to take advantage of this training, concluded Mr. Dhaqaaje.
At the workshop, the facilitator expressed that the course was tailored on creative non-fiction and how this helps to tell a story on good governance and democracy reflecting the local context in order to engage the society in new concepts and ideas. Meanwhile the practice among the training participants has determined a quotient of skills and experiences being shared.
I would also like to thank His Excellency, the Governor of Karkaar Honorable Abdulkadir Said Arshe Dhaqaaje for giving us his full support and attention and for providing his precious time to be with us and to honour us by opening this Workshop.
The Participants recommended that despite the importance and knowledge we have gained from this training it was too short in time, we suggest that MAP to get us more training of the kind in the future but not in such a tight duration. Participants appreciated MAP over the opportunity and knowledge given to them through this training.
MAP’s chairman Mr. Faisal khalif barre at his closing annotations, thanked the assembled journalists for their outstanding participation and urged participants to apply the acquired skills to their work from time-to-time.
”I have to say that I’m extremely impressed on the dedications you as participants have shown on this day-long activity, indeed thank you all for the participation but we need to practice what we learnt, i urge you on adapting the skills in your future activities – this is important both for your professional growth as well for our society, he continued and said that ‘’ Our sincere thanks goes to National Endowment for democracy for their continuous support and hard work because without their assistance this training may not have taken place today, Said MAP’s chair Faisal Khaliif Barre.
Finally the chair thanked the regions governor and said that ”I would also like to thank His Excellency, the Governor of Karkaar Honorable Abdulkadir Said Arshe Dhaqaaje for giving us his full support and attention and for providing his precious time to be with us and to honour us by opening this Workshop.
Among others, the writing workshop marks the final activity of NED supported project entitled to promote Media sustainability in Puntland. This project has widely met its goals was aimed to; enhance the sustainability of media outlets through improved organizational management and staff skills and To promote media legislation that supports freedom of expression and independent media.
Media Association of Puntland (MAP) through the generous Endowment support has conducted media trainings, media stakeholder consultative meetings to reform the restrictive Puntland media law, advocacy workshops , Basic skills training in Journalism , Institutional capacity building and a non-fiction writing workshop as part of its efforts to improve the capacity of the sector and promote freedom of expression in Puntland.
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