About Senegal:
Senegal, a country located in West Africa, has emerged as one of the most prosperous and democratic nations in the region. Its economy has experienced significant growth since the late 1990s, primarily due to the agriculture sector. Despite political stability, religious tolerance, and a rich cultural heritage that unites its 15 million inhabitants, a considerable proportion of the population still face economic, health, and educational challenges. There exists a stark difference in living standards between coastal and rural inland communities, with the capital city of Dakar serving as the westernmost point of the African continent.
As part of the IRP fellowship program, participants will investigate various issues that affect men and women differently, such as education, infrastructure, agriculture, and health. The focus of the program will be on addressing the existing disparities and promoting gender equality.
Over the course of ten days, fellows will explore the aforementioned issues in Senegal and may also spend a few days in neighboring Gambia. They will have the opportunity to meet with key government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, members of the education and health communities, religious and media leaders, and other stakeholders.
Applying for the Trip:
If you are an experienced, full-time media professional, including print and online journalists, writers, photographers, videographers, data journalists, social media producers, or any other media professional, you are eligible to apply for this trip. Unfortunately, this trip is not open to students. Applicants from all countries are welcome to apply.
To apply, interested candidates must fill out an application form that includes a detailed essay of at least 800 words, highlighting the types of stories they plan to cover during the trip in Senegal and potential media outlets to publish their work.
This is a working trip, and participants are expected to produce stories and other reported content in various formats such as articles, slideshows, videos, audios, blog posts, infographics, social media posts, among others.
More Details about the Trip:
The International Reporting Project (IRP) will provide the fellows with round-trip air tickets to Senegal, cover the costs of visas, hotel accommodations, local transportation, and most meals. If fellows wish to extend their stay beyond the duration of the program, they may do so at their own expense.
All fellows are required to participate in the scheduled group sessions. The program includes a combination of IRP-arranged meetings and opportunities for fellows to interact with each other. While the program will include some independent reporting time, those who desire more flexibility in their reporting schedule are encouraged to extend their stay or to apply for an individual reporting fellowship.
All stories produced by the fellows will be shared on the IRP website after publication and will be co-owned by the fellow (or their distribution partners) and the IRP. Additionally, the work produced during the trip may be shared on the social media channels of the IRP funders. This trip is made possible by a grant from the Foundation for a Just Society (FJS).