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By Editorial of Forefront Magazine
On the International Day for Biodiversity 2024, the environmental journalists and youth from 12 Environmental clubs have been awarded for their outstanding contributions to biodiversity conservation.
It was yesterday 22 May 2024 in a celebration of the International Day for Biodiversity 2024 held in Southern province, Nyamagabe district in the Uwinkingi sector.
Ikuzwe Devotha is a young girl who participates in biodiversity conservation. She is a student at the University of Rwanda. She is committed to informing other young’s the importance of biodiversity in their life.
“We have the environmental clubs. I am going to share with them the skills concerning biodiversity conservation as a theme of this year encouraging the community to be a part of the Plan and calls to action to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity.”
Ngenzi Frodouard is a man of 40 years old who lives in Gakoko village, Uwinkingi sector. He is participating in farming to protect biodiversity. He is ready to be an ambassador of biodiversity in his village to encourage other farmers to put into practice the agricultural aims to protect biodiversity.
About the awards
In December 2022, the Biodiversity Conservation Organization (BIOCOOR) started awarding environmental journalists in Rwanda. The second edition combined with the International Day for Biodiversity on 22 May 2024.
For this round, BIOCOOR awarded four journalists, Annonciata Byukusenge from The Forefront Magazine; Christophe Uwizeyimana from Radio Salus; Christine Ndacyayisenga and Jean Pierre Ndagijimana from the Rwanda Broadcast Agency (RBA)/ RC Huye in the Huye district. The journalists were awarded one million Rwandan Francs (1.000.000 Rwfrs) and community environmental clubs were awarded one million and two hundred Rwandan Francs (1.200.000).
“Be part of the Plan”, the theme of International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2024, is a call to action for all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the Biodiversity Plan.
The country Executive Director of BIOCOOR, Dr Ange Imanishimwe says that they are committed to supporting environmental journalists.
“We stand for environmental journalism reporting in Rwanda because biodiversity and the environment, in general, are vulnerable. We need to raise our voices through media, but some journalists are not interested in environmental reporting. These journalists we recognize today do environmental reporting with passion because this category requires patience and sacrifice. They tried and they achieved.” Dr Imanishimwe said.
He added that they recognize the work of journalists because they can’t find an award equal to their invaluable contribution to environmental reporting.
In expressing their emotions, journalists said that they thank everyone who recognizes and supports environmental reporting because is to be patient and sacrifice.
“We encourage other journalists to look at environmental reporting because there is a gap in this sector.”
Challenges they face in environmental reporting
The challenges are the same for journalists working with Digital Media, Radio, and Television.
Apart from insufficient skills in environmental reporting, and limited resources of journalists, some owners and editors are not environmental friends. This is the main challenge because in some newsrooms a journalist shares an environmental story idea, but that idea can’t be approved.
“One journalist said: “In editorial meetings, we share story ideas of the day. When you try to share ideas related to the environment, the editor responds to you that there is no profit from your story to our institution. We can’t provide transport or other thing to your story because we need money and your story can’t sell. Here, there is nothing to add.”
Even with these challenges, the journalists are committed to pushing until the behaviors of their colleagues and supervisors on the environmental reporting will be changed.
Mugoboka Jackeline from Trócaire Rwanda coordinates the implementation of the Jersey Overseas-funded projects in Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts to ensure that rural, poor communities living around the Nyungwe National Park are empowered to assess, plan, and sustainably manage their land and common natural resources leading to more environmentally and economically sustainable and resilient communities.
On behalf of Trócaire supported these activities through BIOCOOR, and said that they continue to support the more environmentally and economically sustainable and resilient communities.
“Trócaire works for you to resolve environmental issues and support projects lead build resilience to get sustainable solutions. Help your colleagues to change their behaviors on environmental issues including biodiversity, because to disturb the environment is to disturb yourselves.”
The message of all institutions like Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), African Parks/Nyungwe, and UNICOOPAGI is to participate in public awareness of environmental issues and help the community know the importance of the environment to their life.
Some photos from ceremony
