A five – day concentrated training workshop organized by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AIFO) has ended at the Zoe Lodge Hotel in Gompa City, Nimba County.
Briefing this paper recently at the end of the five days training, the Communication Officer at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Luther S. Mendin told journalists that the Italian organization is working with 11 community radio stations and several disabled people in Liberia.
The training was particularly focused on disability rights and journalism, aimed at providing much needed knowledge on disability rights to both persons with disabilities and journalists.
At the same time, persons with disabilities were trained on basic journalism skills to enable them to propagate their own issues, using the radio stations as tool.
The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation carries out its activities following some basic principles including good governance, respect for human rights, rule of law and transparency.
He said AIFO is mainly working with four counties across the country, including Bong, Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Montserrado with the hope of extending the humanitarian entity activities to other parts of Liberia.
Luther S. Mendin then urged participants of the workshop to implement the knowledge and skills they acquired from the seminar for the overall improvement of the disabled community in the Country.
“Journalists and disabled people benefiting from this meeting will work together collaboratively in pushing the agenda of the disabled community through our partnering radio stations and we hope and pray that this project will be successful,” Mendin adds.
Mr. Mendin narrates that AIFO Liberia is presently lobbying with other foreign embassies and NGOs in Liberia in order to solicit funds for the continuation of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation initiatives in the entire country.
The AIFO Communications Director states that they are contemplating on providing funds to partnering media outlets so as to provide platforms for the disabled community in discussing issues that matter to their well-being.
Also making remarks at the closing ceremony, Radio Gbarnga reporter Ms. Susannah Laynaiker Reeds, Super Bongese News Director Mr. Christian Kangboe and AIFO community worker Arthur Bondo commended AIFO Liberia Country Representative and the full management team for embarking on the training.They described the project as timely for people with disabilities.
Participants of the AIFO Liberia project most especially members of the media promised to implement the idea achieved from the program.
At the same time, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights Regional Coordinator for Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties, Mr. Sam Nassah McGill admonished beneficiaries of the program to remember the Dos and Don’ts in term of flagging issues affecting people with disabilities.
INCHR regional boss urged activists to engage the Liberian government constructively on issues affecting the disabled community in the Country.By Joseph Titus Yekeryan in Bong–Edited by Winston W. Parley
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
