In a move to bolster disaster reporting, the Community Agriculture & Environmental Protection Association (CAEPA), founded in 2011 by a group of women, hosted a one-day workshop focused on **Effective Reporting for Disaster Response**. The event took place at the CBC Hall in Bamenda, bringing together 20 journalists eager to refine their skills in this critical area.
Sponsored by the Commonwealth Foundation, the workshop provided participants with valuable insights and practical tools to better cover disaster-related stories.
> “As far as disaster preparedness and response is concerned, we need the voices of journalists to amplify the message,” said a representative from CAEPA. “We hope that journalists, after today, will be able to report more on preparedness rather than just on events that have already occurred. In addition, while reporting on ongoing events, they should also highlight preventive measures that communities can implement to limit or mitigate the impact of climate events.”
As natural disasters become increasingly frequent and severe, the need for skilled reporters in this field is more crucial than ever. The CAEPA workshop aimed to equip journalists with the knowledge to effectively inform the public
One of the participants, Fr. Beltus Asanji from Radio Evangelium, shared his thoughts on the workshop: “It has equipped me intellectually. There are certain key concepts that I was not aware of, which have been clarified, especially in respect to the various natural disasters. Some of these natural disasters cannot be stopped but can be controlled.”
This workshop is just one step towards enhancing the capacity of journalists to address the urgent issues surrounding disaster preparedness and response, ensuring that communities are better informed and equipped to face the challenges ahead.
By Bamenjo Petronilla