My journalism project in Ghana
Natasa Cordeaux, a 21 year old Graduate of Queen Mary's, University of London, joined us in Ghana to gain newspaper journalism work experience. Here's her story:
Global Media Projects offers an invaluable and unique work and life experience unable to attain at home in England. I had little experience as a journalist before the internship; I had only written a few articles for my university newspaper. However within the first two days at work with Central Press Newspaper, I was thrown in to the reporting world; I interviewed the headmistress of Cape Coast School for Deaf and other professionals, as well as attended a press conference outside of one of the Central Region's main prisons. The experience was incredible and gave me lots to write about. By the end of the week I had written five articles and had them published in Central Press Newspaper. The placement was flexible and allowed us to travel outside of Central Region to look for articles which we wanted to write about, varying from reviews from a tourist's perspective to hard-hitting political features. Central Press Newspaper's editor, Kwamina, was not only extremely welcoming (giving us each our own Ghanaian name) but was also helpful and efficient in giving you the freedom to write stories which interested you. He would utilise his contacts to set up interviews with the right people and would inform us which areas to research (I am now fairly familiar with Ghana's 1992 Constitution). For when we did not have a particular story in mind, Kwamina always had something for us to do. By the end of the month my confidence as both a field reporter and writer improved enormously through the encouragement of Global Media Projects and Kwamina. So much so that on my last few days I had confidently self-arranged interviews with Human Rights NGOs in Accra, and interviewed community leaders within Old Fadama, the largest slum in Ghana. These were experiences that would have never been possible at my local Norfolk paper, and they have fuelled my passion enter the media world as a foreign correspondent.
Living in Ghana for a month was something I would never have imagined possible and I am grateful to Global Media Projects, who offered me friendly support and crucial advice every step of the way. I never felt alone during the preparation process! Going with the project meant that I was living with other volunteers from across the globe so I always had someone to talk to, and more importantly, people to travel around with! Working as a journalist in Ghana also enhanced the experience as a traveller: I was interviewing locals and seeing a variety places outside of the 'tourist realm'. It allowed me to really get to know and begin to understand Cape Coast and its people, much more so than if I had been taking a week holiday at a beach resort. Being a journalist, I was given honest answers by locals who wanted their voices heard, and that was something I found very special. Ghana is amazing, but no where near as much as its people are. Ghanaians were extremely friendly and welcoming, the phrase which I found most warming and memorable had to be, "its nice to be nice". Locals would often walk out of their way to show you where to go without the expectation of anything in return. I can honestly say, a month was not enough. I had only just begun to really feel settled and familiar with my surroundings, when I had to leave. The experience Global Media Projects provided me is something I will never forget, and I sincerely hope and plan to go back to Ghana in the next few years. Thank you Global Media Projects and CPN.
Tash
You can read some of the articles that Natasa had printed in Ghana on her blog:
There's also more information on our media projects in Ghana here:
Print and online media projects
TV Placements in Ghana
Radio placements in Ghana
