In a bid to revolutionize the way stories are told and consumed in Cameroon, a group of journalists recently gathered at the Franco Alliance in Bamenda for a workshop on Solutions Journalism.
The event, organized by the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists Bamenda Chapter in partnership with Community Solutions Media (CSM) and Alliance Française Bamenda, brought together 30 journalists to explore the concept and practice of Solutions Journalism.
According to Sah Terence Animbom, President of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ) Bamenda chapter and Founding President of Community Solutions Media (CSM), Solutions Journalism is about highlighting the ways people are finding to survive and thrive in the midst of crisis.
"We want to look at a kind of Journalism that says that even though there are these problems existing, even though there is a crisis going on and people are dying, there are people who are adopting ways of surviving within the crisis," he explained.
Ngong Song Jean Marie, one of the workshop facilitators, emphasized the importance of Solutions Journalism in creating impactful stories. "Solution Journalism is an innovation that has come into journalism, and we journalism actors in Bamenda should make it part and parcel," he said. "We have seen that Solution Journalism contributes a lot to discouraging our listeners who are avoiding the news not because news is bad but because news carries bad news."
The workshop aimed to equip journalists with the skills and knowledge to practice Solutions Journalism, focusing on the four pillars of Solutions Journalism and how to identify and write SoJo stories.
Participants learned about the importance of highlighting solutions that are scalable and can be replicated in other communities.
Jeff Ngawe, a journalist with Radio Hot Cocoa Bamenda, expressed his enthusiasm for the new concept. "The concept is new, but the content is not really new because you are you, or I as a journalist," he said. "The journalism practice, the ethics, and professionalism are just components of Solution Journalism."
The workshop marked a significant step towards promoting impactful storytelling in Cameroon. As Sah Terence Animbom noted, "We expect the journalists who have attended this workshop to challenge the status quo, to go away from the normal norm of doing things, to challenge themselves to do better."
By embracing Solutions Journalism, journalists in Bamenda can create stories that not only inform but also inspire and empower communities. As Ngongsong Jean Marie noted, "Solution Journalism helps, and we have seen as media actors that Solution Journalism can help citizenship participation in governance; Solution Journalism can help even the government administer better."
The future of journalism in Cameroon looks bright, with Solutions Journalism poised to play a key role in shaping the narrative and promoting positive change.
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