By Caroline Wahome

Hivos East Africa in partnership with Nukta Africa and the Energy Change Lab will award a six month fellowship to 20 Tanzania based journalists, with an aim of increasing reportage on renewable energy.

Speaking at the unveiling of the fellowship in Dar-es-Salaam, Acting Chairman of the Tanzania Editors Forum, Deodatus Balile noted that there is need for more reportage on how citizens can generate income as a result of renewable energy sources. “This fellowship will enable journalists to dig deeper into different stories around renewables. We want to read the effects of renewable energy on health and economic growth for example,” said Balile.

Balile noted that although the Tanzanian government has recently been advocating for the uptake of clean energy, only seven percent of homes use Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). “About 90 per cent of homes still use firewood and charcoal. You’ll find that even in the city, someone has gas but still uses firewood and charcoal from time to time. This needs to stop.”

Nukta Africa Executive Director, Nuzulack Dausen echoed Balile noting that stories on clean energy can be pursued from all angles: political linkages, economic, social, technological, environmental and or legal angles.

The two-hour launch also saw Sisty Basil of the Energy Change Lab give an introduction to the energy sector to the audience, highlighting current statistics and projects taking place in Tanzania that media can report on.

Hivos recognizes the influence the media has in reaching audiences. The partnership with Nukta Africa aims at increasing awareness on clean energy for citizens and also to trigger more journalists to take up writing on climate and environmental journalism.

The fellowship will run from December 2018 to May 2019. Successful candidates will also get a chance to take part in an immersion programme dubbed Energy Safari for journalists whose aim is to pathway for journalists to further understand issues on renewables in Tanzania and in the world in general. The safari will allow journalists to learn about issues such as productive uses of energy, decentralized renewable energy, policies and tariff setting both theoretically and practically.

Application for the fellowship closes on October 15 and can be accessed here: Click this link

 About the interveners

Hivos was founded in 1968, inspired by humanist values. Hivos believes that human life in its many forms is valuable, and that people are filled with potential. Living a life in freedom and dignity, with respect for each other and the planet, leads to greater individual well-being and fair, vibrant societies.

Nukta Africa is a digital media and technology company which specialises in research, training and development of digital and data-driven stories and tools.

The Energy Change Lab is a program of Hivos and IIED. The Lab works with pioneers and change-makers to create an energy system that is sustainable and people-centered. We do this by developing leaders, incubating prototypes, building evidence, connecting people and sharing ideas.