Fifteen Journalists Selected to Attend Indian Ocean Marine Science Training

A group of 15 journalists from 11 countries across the Indian Ocean region have been chosen to attend a three-day marine science workshop in the Maldives now slated to take place next year.

Part of the Ocean Media Initiative from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) and supported by the Bertarelli Foundation, the workshop will train participants to better understand marine science and how to report it. The workshop will also provide an opportunity for participants to discuss their reporting ideas and share experiences with marine issues in their regions.

An international panel of judges selected the reporters from more than 100 applications submitted following an open call.

Among the topics planned for discussion during the workshop are marine protected areas, reef and open ocean species (such as tuna, rays and sharks), fisheries and climate change.

Senior journalism trainers from EJN will lead the workshop sessions, with scientists working on the Bertarelli Foundation’s marine science program joining to provide expertise and insights on ocean issues. The workshop will also involve field visits to see how challenges facing marine ecosystems are playing out first-hand.

Although the workshop – previously scheduled to take place in June – has had to be postponed due to travel restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, we’d like to applaud our successful candidates and look forward to working with them when the workshop takes place in 2021.

The selected participants are:

  • Rishika Pardikar, India | IndiaSpend
  • Sweta Daga, India | The People’s Archive of Rural India
  • Hassan Ali Osman, Somalia | Codka Bariga Africa (CBA)
  • Justus Wanzala, Kenya | Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
  • George Otieno Aoko, Kenya | Royal Media Services
  • Shaany Aishath, Maldives | RaajjeTV
  • Ronna Nirmala, Indonesia | Tirto.id
  • Malaka Rodrigo, Sri Lanka | Mongabay
  • Manisha Deena, Mauritius | L’express
  • Domoina Ratsarahaingotiana, Madagascar | Freelancer
  • Sérgio Nhambi, Mozambique | SOICO Group
  • Siphamandla Goge, South Africa | eNews Channel Africa (eNCA)
  • Sophia Kessy, Tanzania | Clouds Media Group
  • Aditya Wardhana, Indonesia | CNN Indonesia
  • Krishna Chaitanya, India | The New Indian Express

(Banner photo: Participants from top down, left to right are Rishika Pardikar, Hassan Ali Osman, Manisha Deena, Sérgio Nhambi, Ronna Nirmala, (middle) George Aoko, Domoina Ratsarahaingotiana, Justus Wanzala, Siphamandla Goge, Sweta Daga, (bottom) Sophia Kessy, Shaany Aishath, Malaka Rodrigo, Krishna Chaitanya Surisetti Venkat, Aditya Wardhana.