For many poor and vulnerable families in Borno State, the quality of media reports can influence public understanding of the support available to them.
To improve such reporting, Sirri Care Foundation has started a two-day capacity-building workshop for journalists and other media professionals in Maiduguri.
The training is designed to help reporters understand the state’s social protection frameworks and communicate them accurately to the public.
Speaking at the opening, the Foundation’s Executive Director, Dr. Susan Tanwie, said the workshop is part of the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection, Participation and Economic Resilience in Northeast Nigeria (SEPIN-SUSI) project.
She explained that the project is implemented by GIZ, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and co-funded by the European Union.
According to her, Sirri Care Foundation is supporting the project through institutional engagement, capacity strengthening, community participation, media engagement, monitoring and learning.
Dr. Tanwie said the goal is to build a more inclusive and accountable social protection system by improving public understanding of government frameworks and supporting transparent registration and re-validation of poor and vulnerable households.
She urged journalists to use the knowledge gained from the workshop to produce accurate, balanced and responsible reports that will help citizens understand available social protection programmes.
“Your participation and professional experience will contribute significantly to the success of the workshop and the promotion of accurate and contextual social protection reporting in Borno State,” she said.
During the first day, participants received lectures on social protection, government policies, stakeholder collaboration and the State Social Register, while officials from the State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) explained how the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), grievance redress mechanisms and community-based targeting work to ensure support reaches those who need it most.