Sudan: fair and accurate reporting in a time of crisis

Three journalists trained by Thomson Foundation have banded together in efforts to ensure coverage of Sudan's deadly uprising is fair, accurate and verifiable.

And a fourth, former Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award winner, Yousra Elbagir (pictured below), has been reporting the story for Britain's Channel 4 News, as well as helping to verify user-generated video and photographic content.

Their work has helped ensure coverage of a story which has been under-reported by international media, with journalists targeted by the Sudanese government.

The demonstrations flared in December over rising food prices and spiralling inflation, with protests later aimed at removing long-time President Omar al-Bashir from office.

The government says 26 people died in the first month of protests, but human rights groups say more than 40 were killed.

The three Thomson Foundation alumnae helping citizen journalists are Rania Haroun (main image), Salah Award and Wael Jamal Addeen. They met in 2016 on the final broadcast cohort of the Sudan media capacity building project, which the foundation ran for five years until 2017.

"I felt I had to do something to help the Sudanese people, so I arranged to do some workshops with Salah and Wael."

Rania Haroun Rania has since moved to London where she upgraded her digital skills by also attending the foundation's 2018 summer course. But she felt compelled to return to pass on her knowledge to others when the protests erupted.

I felt I had to do something to help the Sudanese people, so I arranged to do some workshops with Salah and Wael. I have also been using Facebook Live, and focusing on training women who want media skills, particularly filming on mobile phones.

"Sharing knowledge is great way to build and improve our country."

Wael Jamal Addeen

Yousra has also returned to the country after winning Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist Award in 2016 - staged jointly with the UK Foreign Press Association.

The threesome was trained by Diana Muir and Crispin Holmes in Sudan in 2016, and Rania won the broadcast award in the end-of-project competition.

Helen Scott Editorial Associate

About: Helen is an experienced trainer, consultant and project manager with a background in programme making and management. She led the five year media capacity building project in Sudan.

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