By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists SLAJ has launched a six week Digital Literacy and Technical Media Training programme for seventy female journalists at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Freetown, aimed at strengthening women’s participation and leadership in the country’s media sector.
The programme was officially unveiled on Thursday during an orientation ceremony, where SLAJ President Alhaji Manika Kamara described the initiative as a structured college level training designed to equip female journalists with the practical skills needed to succeed in an increasingly digital and competitive media environment.
Speaking at the event, Kamara explained that the training is being implemented under the European Union funded MEDIA Project through BBC Media Action. He said the initiative aligns fully with SLAJ’s strategic priorities of promoting professionalism, accountability, inclusiveness, and innovation within the media industry.
“This programme ticks every element of our ACTION agenda, Accountability, Collaboration, Training, Innovation, Opportunities, and National Impact,” Kamara said. “Gender empowerment in media is not charity, it is strategy. When women grow, journalism grows.”
He added that strengthening the digital capacity of female journalists is essential to improving the quality of journalism and ensuring that women’s voices are better represented in newsrooms and public discourse across the country.
The training is scheduled to begin in the first week of January and will run for six weeks. It will be delivered through a mix of classroom sessions and hands on practical exercises. Hassan Kamara, Head of the Faculty of Communication, Media and Broadcasting at Limkokwing University, encouraged participants to fully commit to the programme.
“This is a serious academic and professional opportunity,” he told the journalists. “Give your all, participate actively, and attend classes consistently if you want to be certified at the end of the course.”
Several participants welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and much needed. Evelyn Turay, a journalist from Bo, said many female journalists in the provinces struggle with digital tools and modern production techniques.
“I have never had the opportunity to use tools like Adobe to edit audio,” she said. “I am happy to gain this kind of knowledge going into the New Year.”
Kadija Jalloh, representing journalists from the Western Area, shared similar concerns. She noted that even in Freetown, many journalists still face challenges in adapting to digital platforms and technologies.
“This training will go a long way in helping us improve our work and stay relevant in the digital age,” she said.
Digital media trainer Abubakarr Tapia Sesay outlined the course content, emphasizing that the programme would be highly practical and skills focused. He said participants would be trained to design, develop, and implement essential digital tools used in modern journalism.
“We shall be doing lots of practical work,” Sesay said, adding that the digital divide continues to limit the growth of journalists, especially women. He described the programme as engaging and educative, with a strong focus on real world application.
The six week course will cover digital safety and platform awareness, content writing, source verification and fact checking, social media management and YouTube setup, photo and video editing, graphic design, digital marketing, as well as audience management, monitoring, and data analysis.
With support from the European Union, BBC Media Action, and Limkokwing University, SLAJ believes the programme will help prepare female journalists to take on leadership roles and drive credible, impactful journalism in Sierra Leone’s evolving media landscape.
