“Children read the news and we can also make our own newspapers!” - Young people at UNICEF workshop affirm their aspirations and learn to become journalists

Antananarivo, Madagascar, July 14th: In a first for media and children in Madagascar, a group of 40 adolescents aged 12-16 gathered together in the nation’s capital to learn about how to create their own newspaper.
These young journalists, many of whom had expressed an interest to UNICEF in becoming young reporters, came from four regions of the country -- Mahajanga, Fianarantsoa, Toamasina and Antanananarivo. They spent two days together – in groups of 10 -- learning from newspaper “people” about how to put a newspaper together.
“We come from a very poor village eight hours by road from here,” said Fy from Fianarantsoa. “We have seen the newspaper that our school district produces, but it is not interesting for us children. That’s why we want to create our own newspaper – to talk about issues that affect us.”
That’s exactly what Fy and her peers did. Not only did they learn about what makes a newspaper, but the Editor in Chief of the nation’s largest Malagasy daily, the Gazetiko, came in himself to guide the children through a typical day at the press. They were also treated to professional photographers, cartoonists and journalists. Volana, from Le Tribune, the largest French-language daily even led the children through a role play on how to interview adults.
“ I have never written an article or held a camera in my life,” said Rebecca from Fianarantsoa. “I think I could be a photographer or even a cartoonist when I grow up – who knows maybe even an editor in chief!”
UNICEF organized this training with the help of an expert from South Africa who is skilled in working with adolescents in the media. "One of key rights enshrined in the CRC is the freedom of expression,” said UNICEF’s Representative to Madagascar Barbara Bentein. “By exposing these young people to media processes and encouraging them to create their own newspapers, we are not only realizing their right to expression and participation, but hopefully we are also creating a generation of vocal citizens!”
What is particularly noteworthy about this children and media initiative is the fact that UNICEF brought together youngsters from regions of the country who do not normally interact with each other and gave them an additional mandate – to monitor how the media reflects children’s issues. “By signing a letter of engagement with UNICEF, each club agrees to produce a newspaper highlighting what they think is important, as well as to study how the press covers children rights (through an annual subscription to a newspaper of their choice),” emphasized UNICEF’s Communication Officer, Misbah Sheikh.
Each newspaper club also receives a trunk full of newspaper supplies. A feedback session with media professionals and the children will be organized at the end of the year.
“ I am so inspired by the enthusiasm of these young people,” said Herivonjy, the Editor in Chief of Gazetiko that I told UNICEF that our newspaper would publish the children’s articles every month.”
“ I read Midi already,” said Faliana from Antananarivo. “And I read Le Tribune and La Croix said Toky from Toamasina.” Me, I read L’Express, Gazetiko and Taratra,” said Hasina from Mahajanga. “ Often, the paper is two days late, but I like to read it anyway, so I know what is going on in our country.”
"I don’t often find articles about children though,” said Malala from Antananarivo. “Maybe the media does not think we are interesting. For example, in the newspaper I read yesterday, there was one story about children and it related to something UNICEF was doing to immunize children against measles.”

All the adolescents attending this workshop said that they would like to see more newspaper articles about the everyday lives of children. “Journalists don’t think that we children read the news, but we do,“ said Manda from Mahajanga. “I would like to see more articles about what problems children face in Madagascar, not just about politics, debt and grenades.”
To ensure that each group of children receive quality adult facilitation in this task, UNICEF organized, with the help of a child psychologist and participation expert, a parallel training for the four group mentors. This training was developed to ensure that these mentors understood the importance of children’s participation and had the tools and guidelines to enable them to promote free expression, without directing or censoring the children.
“ This way, our adult mentors can protect us when some of the “political leaders” of our village do not want us to write about something!” exclaimed an enthusiastic self-proclaimed writer from one group.
UNICEF hopes this pilot initiative will be used as a model to encourage the participation of children in the media.

For more information, please contact:

Misbah M. Sheikh
Communication Officer
UNICEF Madagascar
Tel: +261 20 22 626 45/46
Mobile: + 261 33 11 892 83
Email:msheikh@unicef.org

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