Virtual Journalist Visit Opportunities to Explore Climate and Environment in Africa

There are many pressing issues facing the planet’s ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. The Pulitzer Center is proud to support reporting on climate change and the environment throughout the world, and the way our community of journalists has expanded globally. This month, we invite educators to take a deep dive into the “Mother Continent” and look at how climate and environmental issues are being covered in the continent of Africa. Take a look at our featured guest speakers below, and click here to connect your class with a guest speaker. This opportunity is open to classroom and afterschool educators, as well as educators working with students in carceral facilities.

Journalist Guest Speakers for Climate and Environment in Africa

• Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman, a journalist and news presenter who reported on trash sorters in Ghana and the health risks they face due to their work. 
• Mélanie Gouby, an investigative journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker, who explored how female mine workers are leading movements in the Democratic Republic of Congo to challenge unsafe work conditions.
• Omolola Afolabi, a Nigerian journalist who reported on a Nigerian community where tap water smells like gasoline due to nearby oil spills.
• Didier Makal, a journalist and doctoral student who reported on how corruption and misappropriation exacerbate forest ecosystem degradation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Marko Phiri, a freelance journalist in Zimbabwe who reported on  the unintended consequences of Zimbabwe's growing informal fishing sector, where fisheries have attracted the unemployed, pushing rural communities further into poverty.
• Bukola Adebayo, a correspondent for the Thomson Reuters Foundation/Context News who reported on poisoned wells and how oil pollution has haunted Nigerian districts for decades.
• David Owino, a documentary film producer and broadcast journalist who created a video series looking at the battle against deforestation and droughts in Kenya. Video Series: Battle Against Deforestation and Droughts in Kenya.
• Precious Williams, an MPH Candidate specializing in Global Health Epidemiology and Disease Control at George Washington University, reported on how a poor drainage system causes post-rain flooding in Lagos, Nigeria.
• Musinguzi Blanshe, a Data Journalist based in Kampala, Uganda who reported on how Congo’s trees are smuggled through East Africa. 
• Theophilus Chuma, an investigative journalist who reported on how the cost of the El Niño weather phenomenon affects the health of children in Southern Africa. 

NOTE: We cannot always guarantee a specific journalist due to availability, but we will work with you to suggest several options based on your goals and meeting times.

About the Virtual Journalist Visit Program

The Pulitzer Center offers free virtual journalist visits to K-12 schools worldwide. We have worked with over a thousand journalists over the years, covering diverse topics and geographic regions, and we will match you with a journalist based on your request. We use many different platforms to connect, including Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, and we will work with you to identify the best technology for your learners. Virtual journalist visits are a great way to help students:

• Understand how what they're studying affects people's lives
• Learn how research, writing, critical thinking, multimedia, and more skills are used in journalism
• Practice preparing and asking questions of an expert
• Get excited about using the news to learn about the world
• And much more!