Deadline: 26-Apr-23
With funding support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), The Thomson Reuters Foundation is looking for African journalists (both English and French speaking) who are motivated to understand how their country and/or other African countries within the continent could be losing money via illicit means.
The Reporting on Illicit Finance Training Program is under the Wealth of Nations project whose focus is finding Africa’s missing billions lost through Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs).
IFFs refers to “money illegally earned, transferred, or used that crosses borders” and ultimately reducing domestic resources and tax revenue needed to fund poverty-reducing programs and infrastructure in developing countries.
The Wealth of Nations project is a long-term engagement, and journalists who take part in the program must sign an agreement committing to the following elements of the training scheme:
- Intensive training on reporting illicit finance
- The first workshop will take place from 22nd – 26th May 2023 in Nairobi.
- A second workshop will take place from 29th May – 2nd June 2023 in Nairobi.
Benefits of the Scheme
- If selected, you will take part in two intensive workshops covering illicit finance, reporting on companies, accounts and budgets, and investigative techniques. The workshops will take place in Nairobi.
- You will propose one or more story ideas that you wish to work on within the scheme – if you are selected, they will provide experienced journalists to help you pursue your stories right up to publication/broadcast.
- Selected participants will receive modest funding to help them realize their stories.
- You will have exclusive access to expertise through their network of illicit finance experts.
- You will also have access to story ideas and editorial advice and will be invited to share your own expertise with other participants.
- You will get an opportunity to network with other journalists from across the continent, with the possibility of pursuing a joint story together with a peer.
- Successful applicants will receive a full sponsorship that will cover return air ticket, airport transfers, accommodation and meals.
Elements
- Wealth of Nations comprises the following elements:
- Professional development schemes for journalists – journalists with relevant experience can take part in tailored schemes, featuring training, mentoring and modest grant funding to support original reporting, designed to give them the skills and knowledge they need to report on illicit finance
- Production of investigations – the scheme is producing a growing cross-border network of specialised reporters. Experienced investigative journalists coordinate this network and drive the production of stories and investigations, to be published in local and international media
- Capacity development scheme for newsrooms – news organisations can apply to become ‘flagship’ newsrooms for the coverage of illicit financial flows; they will receive bespoke training and support, and have access to reporting grants
Location: Nairobi, Kenya.
Eligibility Criteria
- Journalists who have not taken part in Wealth of Nations before.
- Journalists with at least two years of professional experience.
- It is an advantage if you are familiar with investigative journalism, reporting on finances and/or dealing with numbers more generally, but if you have a strong motivation to learn about and understand these issues then they will consider your application.
- You must be able to spend significant time working on illicit finance stories.
- Both freelancers and staff journalists may apply. Journalists working for a news organisation will need consent from their editor to take part. Freelancers should provide evidence that one or more media organisations will be willing to take their work.
- Journalists working in any medium or multiple media are welcome to apply (print, online, radio or television).
- Journalists should be based in Uganda and working for one or more Ugandan media organisations.
- Journalists applying must have fluent English.
For more information, visit Reporting on Illicit Finance.