The C-Media Project (Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and Accountability) leader, Motunrayo Alaka had given advised to media related non-profits on the need to leverage technology to raise funds for their work.
C-media project is a 3-year media project launched last year (2022) in support of 26 media organizations to execute investigative stories at the grassroots level, unmasked institutional and regulatory failures at the sub-national levels in the public and private sectors as well as pay attention to under-reported issues, places, and people in Nigeria. c
On its visit to Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals’ corporate Office in Lagos on Thursday, March 2, 2022, the management team of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism(WSCIJ), which is also the major grantee saddled with the leadership of ‘C-Media project’ team, funded by MacArthur Foundation, Africa Regional office Abuja discussed various ways by which media NGOs can function better
Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals is one of the 26 media organizations under the umbrella of the C-media project. The purpose of the visit WSCIJ (which is the leader pf the C-media cohort), is to interact and get feedback from Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals’ team on its performance and contribution to the project in the year one which ended in December 2022.
In addition, the visit offered Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals opportunities to share with C-Media project (WSCIJ) team progress made in its year one project activities, discuss plans for second year and get feedback on what WSCIJ team can do to support its work.
After the introduction and briefings by leaders of both team, the Executive Director of WSCIJ while responding to some of the thoughts shared by Yinka Olaito, ED, AFYMP urged AFYMP management and team to explore other funding sources by leveraging on technology and relationships to boost its work under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and Accountability.
According to Motunrayo Alaka, “the work you are doing is very strategic to the future. Your focus is on the youth (early career media professionals). If you position and maximize the opportunities you have through this project funding, it will be possible to annex other funding opportunities out there”.
“Nigerians can give, and they do give for causes like this which has to do with building the next generation, the future of the country. So, raise funds locally and in-country, and be sure to report back to them with evidence.” Motunrayo Alaka also added.
In his response, Yinka Olaito, Executive Director, AFYMP, stated that the C-MEDIA project has helped them to build the capacity of the next generation of media professionals, boosted their media visibility beyond Nigeria and has built organization’s capacity and internal structure, especially in finance and project, programme management and execution.
Yinka Olaito while sharing some of the opportunities the project grant had afforded AFYMP did say “Today AFYMP can look confidently to the future with the highest optimism as the organization is now better positioned to take on continental projects/programme across Africa countries, which is AFYMP’s vision.
C-Media leader (WSCIJ) team included, the Executive Director, Motunrayo Alaka, Programme and Research Officer Samson Ademola, Emem Nssien, C-Media Programme Finance and Admin officer, technical Adviser of C-media Prof. Abigail Oqwezzy and three other team members.
