Internship experiences with World Federation of Science Journalism (WFSJ)

By Violet Mengo, Zambia

People speak highly about their internship but it was never the case with me because I have never gone through one. The opportunity only fell through recently under the peer-to-peer mentoring programme. The destination was Kenya, at the Hotel, SIX EIGHTY (680) to cover the first African forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) on youth empowerment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth.
Later that night, we had a meeting with the mentor on how we would proceed for the week. It was a busy programme ahead, which I digested with passion. Our mentor emphasized the use of social media, twitter and Facebook to be precise. In the morning, we were set for the meeting which was attended by a cross section of delegates, mostly ministers of S, T&I from the African Continent.
For the first time, I used the social media tools; twitter, face book on the proceedings of the conference. I was excited and these helped me to concentrate unlike previous meetings where during the proceedings I would start dozing.
From the conference, it was amazing to see the zeal of African leaders to move the science, technology and innovation in the African agenda. The three days attendance at the conference was busy, motivating and also interactive. Busy in the sense that in I was required to present at least an article to my mentor who kept advising on how to do good stories and interview from sources. Motivating because of the involvement of people at the conference and how they were willing and dedicated to their calls for science and development in Africa. Interactive because it helped broaden my network and meet new people and make friends.
After the conference, we also had the opportunity to visit Science Development Network offices where the African Editor took us through how the online publication was managed. He said told us the traits of a good journalist like some of the qualities found on the online course I did in the first phase of the SJCOOP programme. As always, I was motivated but still complained that each time I pitch an idea to scidev.net, it is short down but will try again and again.
Save the best for last; the trip to ICRAF was amazing and full of intelligent people who know their subject well. In all these activities the mentor kept encouraging us to have an eye for news. I wanted the programme to continue and I asked Esther if she could ask WFSJ to extend the internship for another week. The programme WSFJ in general has been a transformation phase in my career development. It has also helped me increase my network and source base. Ends


By Maxwell Awumah, GHANA
My experience at the first Africa Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (ASTI) under the WFSJ, gave me an overwhelming capability that has added a new dimension to my competency in science reporting.
Firstly, the choice, content and depth of the conference, its venue, Nairobi, Kenya, was not misplaced at all. The experience could be described as “gargantuan and enriching.” The internship offered me the opportunity to have a practical experience with tweeting and blogging and for the first time, a serious practical hands-on on social networking platform.
The experience from the sessions of the conference has given me weight to be able to write about STI and issues emanating chest out from governmental, academia, researchers, private sector and youth point of view, for instance member states commitment to STI funding came out strongly. This has accorded me the opportunity to monitor member country’s contributions and generate the necessary questions. I had a new string of networking platform with the experts from Africa and outside the continent as well.
My greatest achievement was a discussion with my Minister of Environment, Science and Technology to begin the production of a sector newsletter, for which they were searching for a committed individual. Even though the discussions were inconclusive, it signaled a good beginning.
The visit to the offices of Scidev was another tipping-point as we had thought invigorating advice from Ochieng Ogodo, Sub-Saharan African Editor, who urged Mentees to always “think out of the box and avoid the usual things to excel.” We had the privilege to be guest of Science Africa, to familiarise with their activities and to open links of contributing articles.
The visit to the International Centre for Research and Agro-Forestry (ICRAG) offices climaxed the internship. The centre is in the process of developing a soil map for Africa and with the state-of-the-art spectral diagnostics laboratory analyses soil-plant health for the continent and beyond. We had the opportunity of running through the various laboratories and forged networking for future engagements. The centre holds the crème of expert on African issues.
The anti-climax of the internship was waiting for over three hours to pave way for President Mwai Kibaki to address the STI session under tight security. Another is the erratic nature of Internet access both at the conference and Sixeigthy Hotel.
I can only say a BIG Thanks to SjCOOP, WFSJ and my Mentor for the opportunity, which had broaden my horizon to “smell science story” from afar and report it. My Mentor, Esther Nakkazi, has been phenomenal. Your advice on the need to add independent views on the declaration or communiqué was refreshing. It did not click to me.

By Arsénio Manhice; Mozambique
It was a great pleasure for me to take part at the 1st Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Nairobi, Kenya from 1 to 3 April 2012. I had been covering many international conferences around the world but the 1st STI Forum was different.
First because it was an internship for me and the other three (3) mentees mentored by Ms. Esther Nakkazi since the beginning of the second edition of the Sjcoop project under the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ).
It means that besides collecting information and writing stories for my newsroom in Maputo –Mozambique, I had to exchange professional ideas with the other mentees. On this point we analyzed the way each of us write for his/her newsroom, compared to the skills we have been learning from our mentor.
On the mentoring program I would like to focus on what I learnt on covering the STI conference:
1. Coverage; During the covering of any conference it is import to hear what the panelists say but, at the end, we must get the comments/reactions of other participants of the forum such as scientists and governs officials.
2. Writing; Before writing a new story it is important to find out what has been written about that topic. So, background information is very important. When writing we must avoid in our stories words such as:…. the scientist; observed; recommend; informed, etc. To use different sources…...
During the conference I had an opportunity of taking some pictures. I like that because my mentor and the other mentees asked me to capture special pictures for them.
After the conference, we had a meeting with Mr. Ochieng Ogodo. His teaching emphasized what I have been learning from my mentor, Esther Nakkazi. He said we needed to read widely and understand the topics we were writing about and more importantly to respect the perspectives of the publications we are collaborating with as well as to be accurate and honest on our assignments.
I would like to say that sometimes we, mentees, do not imagine what our mentors do to help on our professional development. The visit at the World Forestry Centre (ICRAF) was a unique opportunity to talk with the scientists, the majority of them young.
During the internship, I decided to open a twitter account, which I will use for professionals comments. We also posted our stories and my pictures on a blog and on the Scjoop website. I wouldn’t end my notes without mentioning the informal moments we had and discussed issues of our countries. The internship was really fantastic.
I thank the WFSJ and my mentor Esther Nakkazi who always spends her time trying to show me the other way of doing journalism on STI. Today I have 9 awards of Journalism. I have to say that 3 of them are result of the teaching of my mentor. ends

Africa Needs to be in the Drivers Seat in Research

By Violet Nakamba Mengo (Zambia) SCIENCE experts and delegates attending the first Africa Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation in Nairobi, Kenya 1st to 3rd April 2012, are looking for African solutions to African problems. The call is for African governments to fund and promote research and development on the continent. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Technology Division Director Aida Opolu-Mensah said during the official opening that for a long time Africa’s science and technology program has been set by the continent’s development partners. “We need to be in the “driving seat” if Africa is the new pole of growth, the continent has to be in the driving seat,” Mensah said. He said Africa has to invest its own resources in the science and technology that they want to use in order to achieve new growth. Mensah called upon African countries to fund science and technology programs from their national budgets, not to rely on “gifts” from international partners. In 2006, the African Union set a target for all member countries to spend at least one percent of their gross domestic product on science research and development. According to research from an A.U. development program, known as NEPAD, only Uganda, Malawi and South Africa have reached that target. African economies have grown rapidly during the past decade, and are predicted to continue expanding by most estimates. The International Monetary Fund expects African economies to grow by nearly six percent this in 2012.

African Development Bank Vice President Kamal El Khesten pointed out that growth does not necessarily equate to development. “This growth was not satisfactorily inclusive, in spite of double-digit growth rates in many countries; the occurrence of jobless growth has become the order of the day. The challenge is to address the disparity between skills development and the actual requirements of the labor market,” he said. El Khestan said Africa needs to invest in higher education to prepare for jobs in science and technology for young people who are at the centre at attention of the conference in terms of youth employment. There is no shortage of advice and guidance on science and technology development in Africa. The African Union has made numerous declarations on the subject, starting with the 2005 consolidated plan of action. The United Nations has its own recommendations, as do most international development agencies working in the continent. Association for the Development of Education in Africa Chairman Dzingai Mutumbuka said many of these good ideas are never put into action. He hopes this forum will be different. “It is time that we as Africans move away from arrogant conference resolutions to implementation,” he said. The three days forum hopes to take some concrete actions in designing possible responses to water, energy and biodiversity needs in Africa.

African Universities should collaborate and Network in STI

By VIOLET NAKAMBA MENGO (ZAMBIA)
 African governments have come to a new deal on Science, Technology and Innovation marked by better coordination on the implementation of plans and activities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The new deal, explained Beatrice Njenga, Njenga, head education division, Department of Human Resource, Science and Technology at the Pan African University (PAU) is a new way of cooperation among governments, private sector and the non-governmental organisations. This is against a backdrop of many African research centres being trapped in a vicious circle of little funding leading to low quality research with truncated social and economic relevance.
 The African Union Commission’s vision is an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa which is driven by Africans and representing a dynamic force in the global area. Njenga says the deal calls for all the states to work together in setting priorities right that are aimed at enhancing science and innovation on the continent by focusing at one goal. Instead of member states concentrating on building national capacity for development of science and technology, Africans should target having a few institutions that can serve the continent with quality. It also envisages the need for intra –Africa universities collaboration and networking.
 “For impact to be visible on the continent in science development every one of us must play a role in enhancing higher education through establishing institutions on the continent that will stand the taste of time,” she said. She called for the need to also facilitate mobility of internationally renowned professors and researchers in PAU institutions and also getting support from Africans in diaspora.
She said science, technology and innovation is above politics, as it is central to Africa’s self-determination, welfare of the people and ensuring a stable present and a proud and prosperous future. “This is the sector that will determine who and what Africa will be as a global partner in wealth creation, environmental management and sustainable development,” says Ms Njenga. African Union Commission, heads of states and government are working towards aligning programmes with priorities collectively agreed by member states. As a result there is need to strengthen collaboration with leading universities and Pan African Universities. The PAU aims to support scientific research, knowledge sharing and teaching. Its targets is to develop and retain world-class human resources in areas essential to Africa's development through stimulating fundamental and applied research of the highest quality in critical areas. ends

Africa must harmonise the initiatives on ST&I

By Arsénio Manhice (Mozambique)

The initiatives of public and private sectors on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) must be synchronised if Africa is to develop and eradicate poverty which affects, mostly rural communities, said Kabiru Kinyanjui, the Coordinator of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in Africa at the Association for Development for Education in Africa (ADEA). Kinyanjui was speaking at the official opening of a three-day ST&I conference under the theme: “For Youth Employment, Human Capital Developments and Inclusive Growth”.
His speech was part of a session on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Education and Labor Market in Africa. Held in Nairobi, Kenya from 1st to 3rd April 2012. “The strategies of the African nations should be to create jobs and, at the same time, to improve the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) from foundation to university”, he said. The graduates should not be trained only for private sector but to be able to create their own initiatives in the societies. For example, there are new findings of gas, coal and other mineral resources in Mozambique. The young people must take advantage of this without waiting to be employed.

Although the Governments are implementing some educational programs as a response to the challenges, Kinyanjui says job creation is not readily available.
The scenario is worsened considering the number of graduates who are not in employment. “This happens because the economics models adopted in many countries are not directed to job creation.
The schools must teach skills for the present and future challenges”, he said. The aid from Europe, Asian and American continents must be brought and implemented considering the traditional knowledge of many communities in Africa. Media on the move The media must be involved in plans related to STI being implemented in Africa.
Kinyanjui understands that the media is very critical for dissemination of informing on what is going on. The media can also initiate debate on how the countries can develop science, technology and innovation.
“Every day we are told about new resources found in Africa. We need to turn these into opportunities to young people. The media need to bring that on the debate”, he observed. About the Forum, his opinion is favorable but the event only can be a good initiative as far as the countries implement the decisions because in many cases Africa makes declaration but are not being implemented.
This must change. The same position was taken by Christopher Tan, director Electrical & Electronics and Innovation Economic Transformation Programme, at the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) under Prime Minister’s office, Government of Malaysia.
The Ministries of Education and Science must work together on the contents of the books used to teach. At the same time, the universities, the public and the private sector need to coordinate better their programs on education. The use of STI must be part of the process of education. Apart from that, people too must be keen to learn about the use of STI in their lives.

Kibaki awards youth innovations at STI Forum

Kibaki award youth innovators at the first STI Forum in Nairobi (Photo By Arsenio Manhice) By Maxwell Awumah (Ghana) It would take drastic multi-sectoral collaboration across the private sector, academia, and research scientists to bring African inventions and innovations from the research laboratories and staples to the market place. Young scientists are still looking up the skies waiting for breakthroughs to stable finances and collaborations across the innovation pipelines and ecosystems for actual implementation of ideas. This represents the concerns of young scientists and inventors, who were honored by H.E Mwai Kibaki, the president of Kenya for distinguishing themselves in their fields of research at the first African Forum on Science, Technology and STI for Youth Employment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth in Nairobi, Kenya. An awardee, Morris Mbetsa, Chief Executive Officer of Mbetsa Innovations, who designed an ICT appliance that uses mobile phone to track car and other security systems, said his company would need partners and financial resources to reproduce the invention enmasse. He expressed difficulty with breaking the jinx and appealed to public and private entities to rise up towards moving the inventions to the next and crucial phase. Another inventor, Calvince Okello, CEO of M-Shamba, with an innovation in the use of mobile phone as an interactive medium for the dissemination of agri-information said “dreams are good but practicalising them is better.” “Support from all fronts has been elusive,” he told WFSJ. CEO of Kupata Technology, Elijah Kupata innovator of a 3G Mobile remote camera with the capacity to record effigies of intruders. Two institutions, the Moi University and the Machakos Technical Training Institute won in the institutional category. They discovered the tanning of dyes and the separation of the various colors components and innovation based on seed absorbing in addition to the a system to sieve sand. President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, who presented awards and certificates to the inventors and innovators pledged government’s support. The awards were sponsored by the African Development Bank (AfDB).