Deadline: 17-Sep-21
InfoNile invites journalists in the Nile basin to submit applications for investigative multimedia journalism stories on the benefits and pitfalls of generating power from waterways in the Nile basin.
Dams promise an increase in energy supply, economic development, employment, flood control and irrigation, they also pose a threat to fragile ecosystems, displace people, increase floods, contribute to climate change and can also lead to loss of employment.
Possible questions to consider for the story:
- Have expectations for building the dam / s from the community, from the government, funders, developers been met?
- What were the expected and unexpected impacts of the dam/s and how are they being managed? Were the promised mitigation measures for the impacts delivered?
- What lessons have been learned from previous dam projects?
- Are dams really clean energy? Is it always a trade-off between conservation and energy, or are there models of hydroelectric dams that also support ecosystems?
- Are dams actually delivering promised benefits or are they simply monumental symbolism / national icons?
- What is the impact of climate change on the dam? How is the dam impacting or helping the country / ies adapt to climate change and related disasters?
Dam finance and politics
- How do dams impact transboundary hydropolitics? Are there working models in the Nile Basin?
- What are the motivations and processes of international dam financers?
- Are states investing in building capacity to plan and manage dams locally? Are the selection of design, construction, and management firms linked to geo-political alignment?
- How do subnational, national, regional and international politics affect the building and filling of dams?
Criteria
- You can apply as an individual, but collaborations – especially cross-border collaborations with journalists from different countries working together – are highly encouraged and will be prioritized. If you are applying in a collaboration, please submit only one email application with documents from all team members attached.
- A one page proposal outlining your story idea. Proposals should be clearly structured, stating briefly at the outset what the story idea is, followed by how and where the story will be researched, what it aims to reveal or contribute, where you will publish (specific media organization/s), and the intended impact of the story. The proposal should also include a plan for incorporating data. Please note how you will use multimedia (video, photos, audio, and graphics along with text). You should also include a budget of not more than 1000 USD.
- A resumé / CV;
- Two samples of published / broadcast work. Links to the published stories are preferred.
- Letter of support from your editor / s, stating that your media house / s will publish / telecast / broadcast your story and the subsequent final project that will feature all stories published as part of this project such as the recently completed Pandemic Poachers story.
- Your story pitch should also contain a plan to integrate data analysis and visualization of HydroElectric Power Dams on different sectors or topics relevant to your story; ie energy, agriculture, economy, food security, water, land, disasters, health, livelihoods, etc. “Geo-coded” or geographical data is the most preferred since they will use it to create interactive maps and visualizations. However, please feel free to integrate any other sources of credible data.
- The output should be an in-depth multimedia story incorporating text, video, photography, audio and data visualization / mapping. It can also be published on radio, TV and print publications.
For more information, visit https://www.infonile.org/en/call-for-applications-the-benefits-and-pitfalls-of-generating-power-from-waterways-in-the-nile-basin/