July 2008

Youth and Media: Internews Launches the Newest Generation of Journalists

From the conflict regions such as Sri Lanka and the West Bank to slums in Kenya and Haiti, Internews is helping young journalists use media to have a say in the issues they care about. In this issue:

• Shattering Ethnic Prejudices in Sri Lanka Through Communication
• West Bank Radio Station Helps Youth Trade Despair for Dreams
• Shootback: The Keenest Eyes of Africa
• AIDS on the Air: Campus Radio Station Breaks Stigma of HIV Testing
• Egyptian Teen Discovers the Power of the Media to Advocate for Medical Care
• A Young Radio Producer Shines from Haiti’s Most Dangerous Slum
• Youth-run Radio Station to Launch in Jordan
• No Water? No Problem. Call Yarmouk FM

Shattering Ethnic Prejudices in Sri Lanka Through Communication

Forgiveness was a difficult word for Kalaivani Saravani when she was growing up as a war orphan in Sri Lanka. But recently the 18-year-old Tamil university student discovered personal healing, almost by accident.

This happened when she was selected to participate as a trainee radio producer in a weeklong Internews cross-production workshop in early May that brought together 15, mostly young, Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim journalists to cover stories that affect the lives of local communities. (More)

West Bank Radio Station Helps Youth Trade Despair for Dreams

Growing up under military occupation, two intifadas, and constant sieges, Palestinian youth have been denied a real childhood. Young people with a median age of 17, who represent the largest demographic in the Palestinian population, have endured prolonged school closures and witnessed family members killed and arrested. Some have turned to using slingshots and stones as part of Palestinian uprisings. With support from Internews Network’s Aswatona project for the West Bank and Gaza, one West Bank radio station has begun to address the rampant frustration and despair among local youth through a special radio program produced by and for young people. (More)

Shootback: The Keenest Eyes of Africa (Time Magazine)

A decade ago, a Harvard-educated photographer named Lana Wong gave out plastic cameras and film to 31 Kenyan teens from the slums and guided them to document their lives. As part of a ten-year anniversary exhibit of the remarkable images that have emerged from Wong's Shootback project, Internews organized a live link-up from the show's opening in Paris in May with some of the Shootback photographers in Nairobi. A Time magazine piece reports on the project. (Article) (Photos)

AIDS on the Air: Campus Radio Station Breaks Stigma of HIV Testing

"Where can I get an HIV test?" "How soon can I get my test results?" "Will the test results be kept confidential?" These were just three of the more than 20 call-in questions from young people during an hour-long live program, Unarvugal (Feelings), on HIV/AIDS conducted by radio journalists Dhivya Ramalingam and Ambigai at Anna FM in Chennai, India. (More)

Egyptian Teen Discovers the Power of the Media to Advocate for Medical Care

Thirteen-year-old Justine Josef used the media skills she acquired through an Internews project - "Partners, Media & Civic Education" - to advocate and raise money for a kidney dialysis center in her community. She was inspired by a fellow student and a teacher who were unable to get the services they needed to treat their illnesses. "We benefited from what we learned from the project about producing newspapers and radio programs. It helped us spread the message to the community around us and get results," said Justine. "I hope this project can continue to allow us to improve our daily lives in other areas." (More)

A Young Radio Producer Shines from Haiti’s Most Dangerous Slum

Fabienne Viltis spent many a school day under her desk, dodging gun battles fought by gangs in Cité Soleil (Sun City), one of Haiti’s poorest, roughest, and most dangerous areas. It is one of the biggest slums in the Northern Hemisphere. "At times, the gang leaders would tell the students to leave the area but frequently nonstop gunfire would force us to stay in the classrooms for hours," said Fabienne. "If you had seen the walls of our college… full of bullet holes!" (More)

Youth-run Radio Station to Launch in Jordan

Jordanian youth as young as ten years old will have the opportunity to contribute to a new community radio station focused on youth and women that Internews Network is launching at the Princess Basma Youth Center in Amman. (More)

No Water? No Problem. Call Yarmouk FM

In part by airing and addressing community issues, Yarmouk FM has become a popular and well-respected radio station throughout Northern Jordan. Its success is all the more remarkable because the station is almost entirely student-run, with most of the staff ranging in age from 18 to 22, guided by just one media professional, station manager Akram El-Neis. (More)