23. October 2007 by admin.

Last Friday was RIJ’s annual cultural evening in the DED’s court. There were some speeches, entertainment, photo gallery of their regional trip to Ghana, Benin, etc and food! It was a great opportunity to meet the other members in a relaxed setting.

A famous singer who “peformed” aka lip-synched to a playback of her own song. Apparently, this is common and isn’t regarded as fake or frowned upon. Anyways, she approached me to dance with her, thank god there are no pictures of that! I’ve learnt my lesson, no more aisle seats.

Upbeat traditional entertainment provided by a group of youngins with djembes and xylophones.

The audience during a speech.

Members of the RIJ

Koffi making a quick speech.

The photo display in the background.

So far with the cultural evening and the media tour having occured, I’m happy that I’m working with journalists. Those who are quick to tell me what’s on their mind, know the pulse of the city and its peoples.

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22. October 2007 by admin.

As I’m working with journalists from the Réseau Informel des Journalistes, “Informal Network of Journalists” in English, I visited medias with the largest number of members belonging to the RIJ.

Just to clarify what I’m doing here…I’m on the Canadian International Development Agency’s (CIDA’s) International Youth Internship Program (IYIP). I’m a software trainer specializing in audio, visual, film et layout design programs for the RIJ. Since the RIJ is informal in nature and its members are journalists work at their own office they don’t have an permanent office per se. Which is the reason why I’m located at l’Oeil des Jeunes, whom has previously hosted other interns and cooperated with Oxfam-Québec. Confused yet? There’s more! The RIJ was created in 2001 after a study conducted by the Der Deutsche Entwicklungsdienst (DED, translates into “German Development Service”), on the training needs of journalists in radio, television et written medias. The informal structure of their network allows them to be dynamic, flexible, non-hierarchal and un-bureaucratic (a rare phenomenon in Burkina). Going back them not having permanent offices, Suzanne who takes care of the media promotion at the DED seems to be the RIJ’s “unofficial” headquarters.

Let the tour begin! I was accompanied by Suzanne and Claudia from the DED to visit newspapers and radio stations.

Entrance to the offices of Journal du Jeudi, a weekly satiric on politics.

Koffi (my other supervisor and also journalist at JJ), Claudia and Suzanne from the DED.

Sneak peak at caricatures. The caricaturist also works freelance, sometimes for the Washington Post! The one near the bottom is of Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president.

Pages fresh off the press, waiting to be hand-folded and delivered nationally the next day.

Oops.

An original Heidelberg they use to print!

Radio Pulsar, a privately owned radio station.

Their production studio.

Ouaga FM, another privately owned station located in Ouaga 2000.

Radio Salonkoto, a community radio station located in the Dapoya, the oldest neighbourhood.

Their logo.

The director, Roger and one of the supervisors.

Unfortunately, my batteries died and thus no photos from Radio Savane (government), le Sidwaya (government national newspaper) and Radio of the Mayor (government).

Back to work!

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16. October 2007 by admin.

Here’s where I spend most of my days at L’Oeil des Jeunes. It’s a monthly publication for the youth of Ouaga that applies to the problems of youth participation in social, cultural and political life.

Our street actually has a name! The neighbourhood is called 1200 logements.

Our office building is under construction, the third floor has yet to be built.

The stairwell that leads up to the non-existant third floor.

A hole in the stairwell for a would-be window.

Our offices on the second floor.

Marguerite, the secretary who does much more than greet visitors. Her computer needs an upgrade. So, whoever is willing to make a donation, let me know. She’s working on a 256 loaded with Windows XP and a mouse ball that constantly needs to be slammed on the desk.

She shares her office with Eric, who teaches SQL and PHP. An all around web guy.

Assomption, the graphic designer in the foreground working on a health website for an NGO.

Moussa, in the red shirt editing some photos.

And last but not least, my on-site supervisor Hamado. He has the funniest laugh ever.

And no, we don’t have an air conditioner.

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