Deadline: June 21, 2019
Applications are open for the Thomson Reuters Foundation Reporting Workshop on Illicit Finance in Africa 2019. Thomson Reuters Foundation in partnership with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is looking for journalists based anywhere in Africa who are motivated to understand how their country could be losing money via illicit means.
Wealth of Nations is a long-term engagement, and journalists who take part must commit to all elements of the scheme, signing an agreement to this effect.
These elements include:
- The production of stories or investigations on illicit financial flows
- A mentoring support scheme that will help produce these stories
- Intensive training on reporting illicit finance
- The first workshop will take place from Monday, 26 August – Friday, 30 August 2019 at the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism in Johannesburg
- Selected participants will be invited to a follow-up workshop in mid-October 2019
Journalists will not be considered to have completed the scheme until they have completed all the elements, which include producing at least one story or investigation on illicit financial flows and will not receive their certificates until this point.
Benefits
- If selected, you will take part in one intensive workshops (5 days) covering illicit finance, reporting on companies, accounts and budgets, and investigative techniques. The workshops will take place in Johannesburg.
- You will propose one or more story ideas that you wish to work on within the scheme – the organizers will provide experienced journalists to help you pursue your stories right up to publication/broadcast.
- Selected participants will receive modest funding to help them realise their stories or investigations; those who are funded may have further opportunities for training.
- You will have exclusive access to expertise through the Foundation’s 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 participants from other regions.
Funding
- Successful applicants will receive a full bursary that will cover air travel expenses (economy class), accommodation, local transfers and meals. Please note that you need to check visa requirements and ensure you have the necessary documentation required. The cost of your visa and any other related costs will be the responsibility of the participant.
Eligibility
- Open to 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 or investigations.
- 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 Africa and working for one or more African media organisations
- Journalists applying must have fluent English
Application
Applicants should submit the following:
- Two work samples.
- A letter from your editor consenting to your participation and confirming that they will publish any story produced through the programme. The letter from your editor needs to be signed and on official letterhead paper.
For more information, visit TRF Workshop.
