Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has trained divisional communication persons in storytelling and multimedia skills as part of its drive to strengthening grassroots reporting to increase visibility of its humanitarian interventions across the country.
Supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the trainings, which were conducted from 23 to 27 February in the northern, central and southern regions, targeted 33 newly elected divisional communication volunteers.
Closing the training sessions in Blantyre on Friday, MCRC Communications Coordinator Felix Washon said strengthening communication at divisional level is critical to increasing the humanitarian organisation’s visibility, stakeholder engagement and fundraising efforts.
“These communications personnel are now our eyes and ears on the ground, and we expect them to play a pivotal role in capturing the impact of our humanitarian response, disaster management and community resilience programmes.
“By equipping them with these skills, we are ensuring that the good work happening on the ground is well documented and shared with stakeholders and potential partners. So, we are building a strong network of reporters to tell the real impact of our interventions,” Washon said.
Participants were trained in basic news writing, success story documentation under the ‘Before-Action-After’ model, and practical smartphone photography and video shooting and editing.
In his remarks, Wanangwa Tembo, a facilitator from the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology urged the participants to apply the skills consistently.
“This initiative is not just about writing; it is about telling real stories of change.
“You have been equipped with practical skills in news writing, success story documentation and multimedia production. Use this knowledge to accurately report what the Red Cross is doing in your communities,” Tembo said.
One of the participants, Violet Nkhata from Mzimba Division, described the training as an eye opener.
“I have never written a news report before, but now I understand how to structure a story and highlight results,” she said. “This will help us produce quality reports and increase the visibility of Red Cross activities in our areas.”
The initiative is significant a step towards professionalizing volunteer-driven communication and strengthening accountability, visibility and resource mobilisation at community level, ensuring that stories of hope and resilience are consistently captured and shared nationwide.