Providing a unique opportunity for women religious to be equipped with skills in journalism, a five-Day media training programme arranged by the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious, Ghana (CMSR-G) in collaboration with Global NewsWatch Media and Communications has induced interest in preparing Sister Communicators.
The training from January 16 to 20, 2023 at Centre for Spiritual Renewal at Santase in Kumasi, facilitated by Mr. Damian Avevor, Mr. Robert Dela Mawuenyegah and Mr. Benedictus Adzah, has sharpened the skills of Sisters in news writing, photography and updated their knowledge in media and communication activities, to deliver important messages to the targeted audience.
During his visit to the participants on January 17, Rev. Fr. Paul Saa-Dade Ennin, SMA, the President of CMSR-G enjoined the 21 participants from 13 Congregations to be trained in media issues to contribute creatively to their respective Congregations’ various apostolates by making known the good works done. He said. “Today, the challenge is, when you’re not in media, then you don’t exist.”
It was thrilling to learn the basic news writing skills. In his lecture, Mr. Avevor presented that the news could be categorised as Hard News when it contains only facts, whereas it can be considered as Soft News when the opinion of the writer is added to it.
According to him, for a news to be a news, it needs to have the clarity of presentation both in written and pictures, adding, accuracy, conciseness and use of simple language capture readers’ attention.
One of the few pointers to be noted is to avoid ambiguity in issues presented.
Giving certain tips to make the writings interesting for the reader, Mr. Robert Dela Mawuenyegah said that the opening paragraph known as ‘Lead’ has to present the most important point or theme in the news. Hence, in journalism the inverted pyramid concept is used, where in the important message is used to start the story. One may start with one of the six Leads such as Who, What, Where, When, Why and How?
With few examples, the facilitators have helped the participants to write few Lead, after making research of the events, problems, or ideas that is presented. The Lead speaks the core message and it can be within 30 to 35 words.
Short exposure to public speaking and presentation was the part of the programme. The programme was very interesting as various items such as Feature writing, media ethics, using social media for evangelization, Facebook live streaming, photography, videography and use of mobile phones to take good photos and videos were dealt with.
The training sessions were both theoretical and practical. Participation in the practical training in journalism through an exposure to the Conference arranged by Society of Missionaries of Africa (SMA) one the theme of “Kumasi Meeting Point of Religion, Royalty and Diplomacy,’ commemorating 140th year of the visit of Fr. Augustine Moreau SMA.”
It was in collaboration with Department of Religious studies, History and Political studies, Centre of Culture and African studies of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi at Amonoo-Neizer Conference Centre, Kumasi,
The two-day Conference indeed offered an opportunity to Sisters to have real taste of listening and making news stories out of an event.
Rhetorical presentation of special guest of honour, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, His Excellency Most Rev. Henryk Mieczyslaw Jagodzinski, keynote address of Most Rev. Peter K. Sarpong, Archbishop Emeritus of Kumasi, Good will messages from Most Rev. Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye, Archbishop of Kumasi and Fr. Francois Penhoat SMA, Superior General of SMA, and address of Rev. Fr. Paul Saa-Dade Ennin SMA, Provincial Superior of SMA provided a good learning platform for the participants of Media and Communication course. We were guided to listen as Sister Communicators and prepare a story of the day and present to the group.
Each day began with Holy Mass and ended with short version of evening prayer. The serine ambiance of Centre Spiritual Renewal, Kumasi, was very suitable to balance the heat of hectic activates of the program.
At the end of the five –day workshop the participants dispersed to their respective places with an inner courage to go forward in writing and communicating good stories of life and mission of the religious to make a positive impact.
