Last Friday 8th of September the Alliance for Community Action (ACA) hosted the graduation of 32 citizen journalists under the Speak Up Youth project. The ceremony took place Lusaka, Zambia. The ceremony attended by partners from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the German embassy in Zambia, Byta FM, Sun FM, Breeze FM and Voice of Kalomo Community Radio.
The event was a huge success with 32 citizen journalists from Chipata, Choma, Kalomo and Ndola being awarded their certificates after a year of hard work. ACA’s Executive Director Laura Miti and Dr. Bernhard Trautner, Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy in Zambia, gave speeches congratulating the graduates and encouraged them to continue giving a voice to underserviced communities. The Citizen Journalists produced over 300 stories during their course in 2022.
Former graduates trained under the Speak Zambia Project in 2017 and 2018 were also present to provide their perspective and guidance for the new graduates, assuring them that the work they had done was an important steppingstone toward future career opportunities and personal development.
The Speak Up Youth Project trains young people from Kalomo, Chipata, Ndola and Chipata to become active citizen journalists. The Citizen Journalists are equipped with mobile journalistic skills and an introduction to the Rights-Based Approach and Social Accountability System before they begin to report community-based stories as a way of promoting social accountability in their respective towns. Their stories are featured on ACA’s Facebook Page and YouTube as well as on our partner radio stations.
Speak Up Youth Project is implemented in partnership with BYTA FM in Choma, Sun FM on the Copperbelt, Voice of Kalomo in Kalomo and Breeze FM in Chipata with financial support from the German Development Cooperation.