Ethiopia journalist Elias Gebreselassie among Top 20 Finalists for $1 Million Story Challenge

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ኢትዮጵያዊው ጋዜጠኛ ኤልያስ ገብረ ስላሴ ወልደ ገብርኤል አንድ ሚልዮን ዶላር ለሚያስገኝ ሽልማት ስሙ ምርጥ 20 ጋዜጠኞች ወስጥ ታካተት።

Ethiopia journalist Elias Gebreselassie among Top 20 Finalists for $1 Million Award [Blog below]
Ethiopia journalist Elias Gebreselassie among Top 20 Finalists for …
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Below you find about the article, about competition and FAQs.

DUBULKE, Ethiopia (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Dida Gemechu is in his sixth decade, and he has never seen life as tough as it is now.

Gemechu, a pastoralist, relies on cattle for his livelihood in the Borena region of Ethiopia’s largest regional state, Oromia. But increasingly frequent droughts have made it harder to find boreholes to water his livestock.

Pastoralists represent 11 percent of Ethiopia’s more than 80 million people, but they occupy more than 60 percent of the country’s land, mostly in the northeast and southeast, and are especially vulnerable to changing weather patterns.

Gemechu says that the increasing population in the area has caused conflicts with other pastoralists and nearby farmers over grazing land for their cattle, leading them to reduce the size of their herds.

A typical pastoralist family now has 150-200 head of cattle, much fewer than in previous years, while a prominent Borena family might have 500, a reduction by half of previous levels.

While some experts offer advice on ways to adapt, pastoralists are also seeking solutions within their own traditions.

Dida Kampara, head of the Oromia Pastoral Technical and Vocational Education College, says Borena pastoralists do not need to change their livelihoods completely, but must adapt by reducing the size of their herds, even though large herds traditionally have been a marker of status.

They also need to work to keep grazing land clear of underbrush – which has been growing more aggressively as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increase – and protect forests, he said.

“There has been an invasion of alien shrubs that have been decimating resources for the natural flora of this semi-arid area,” Kampara said.

The authorities encourage the uprooting of these invasive shrubs to burn for fuel, among other purposes. But some cash-strapped pastoralists have also turned to felling native trees to sell as charcoal to city residents.

Kampara says that forests are especially vital in this area, where there is no river within a radius of 300 km (190 miles). When trees are cut, the soil retains less moisture, and less carbon dioxide is absorbed.

The effects of deforestation tend to be greater for pastoralists, whose dependence on fragile environmental conditions, coupled with their limited diversity of livestock, and few other livelihood options, means they have much more to lose than other communities.

TRADITION TO THE RESCUE

Some Borena pastoralists are attempting to adapt to their changing environment using generations-old customs to manage their herds and natural resources.

The Borena still practise the traditional Gadaa system, complex indigenous social and political rules that govern the strategic interests of the Borena and other clans from the Oromo ethnic group. Even those Borena who now identify themselves as Christian or Muslim use the system for administrative purposes.

“We basically slaughter a cattle near boreholes to show who’s the owner of (the borehole) … as a way of warding away other communities from sharing the finite resource, or to prevent any kind of deforestation in the area surrounding the water point,” Gemechu said.

The sight of the animal’s blood near the borehole indicates to other pastoralists that the water source has already been claimed. Members of the community who jump the queue for water, or pastoralists who cut trees near boreholes, can be fined a combination of cattle or money, Gemechu added.

The Borena say this method has helped them avoid conflicts and conserve their finite resources as the amount of available range land shrinks and droughts worsen.

The pastoralists also use a rotational grazing system and graze their cattle on enclosed areas during the dry season.

They hope these measures will reduce tensions between clans as well as with other ethnic groups, especially near the Kenyan border, where there is a history of violent conflicts over grazing areas and water points. A conflict with a rival Oromo pastoralist clan, the Gabra, has been particularly severe over the last few years, resulting in the deaths of scores of people.

DIVERSIFICATION FOR SURVIVAL

Kampara, head of the technical college, acknowledges that reducing herd sizes and preserving the natural forest cover of the area will help preserve the pastoralists’ livelihoods, but adds that some things have changed for good.

The Borena used to rear only cattle and sheep, but they have added camels and goats to their herds because of the animals’ resilience and ability to eat plants that can’t be eaten by the other livestock.

Some pastoralists now also plant fast-growing crops such as haricot beans in the one month of the year that sees substantial rainfall.

However, Kamapara believes the most effective means of climate adaptation for the Borena is to find good markets for their livestock and livestock products, and to make use of the area’s other resources.

“Borena cattle are renowned for their quality in Ethiopia, but because of distance from markets have been unable to be a boon for the pastoralists,” Kampara said.  Improved infrastructure would help, he said. He also urged pastoralists to take advantage of the area’s untapped potential to produce tree gum and incense.

Gemechu points out that the Borena’s remoteness from central markets or the port of Djibouti – the main trade gateway for landlocked Ethiopia – makes pastoralists vulnerable to exploitation by local middlemen. He hopes the government will open up markets with northern Kenya so cattle can be traded there.

Meanwhile, Kampara sees signs of Borena pastoralists adapting to changing conditions by moving away from their roots, including building permanent homes in cities, opening bank accounts and showing less reluctance to sell their prized cattle.

E.G. Woldegebriel is a journalist based in Addis Ababa with an interest in environmental issues.

About The African Story Challenge

The African Story Challenge is a new $1m  programme of reporting grants to spur in-depth, multimedia storytelling that engages citizens and aims to improve the health and prosperity of Africans.

The two-year, pan-African project challenges journalists to embrace a bold form of journalism that seeks solutions using digital and data-driven techniques. The project will encourage journalists to experiment with new content ideas and ways to engage audiences through mobile technology, social media and other innovative tools.

The project also aims to hold leaders accountable and spur better policies on topics that matter to Africans, such as agricultural growth, good health, quality education and better jobs.

Over two years, the project will award approximately 100 reporting grants and provide mentoring to support the best ideas for stories on development issues. Journalists who produce the best stories published or broadcast in media that reach African audiences will win cash prizes or a major international reporting trip.
Do I have to be African to enter?

Yes. African is defined as anyone who is either born in Africa or holds a valid African passport or who has at least one parent that is African.

This competition is targeted at African journalists from around the continent, whether you are Anglophone, Francophone, Portuguese – or Arabic-speaking. Entries will be accepted in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic.

How to enter
I don’t live in Africa. Can I enter?

Yes you can. But you must have an outlet for your story that is accessible to audiences in Africa.
I am a freelance journalist, can I enter this competition?

The competition is open to media organisations, online contributors with demonstrated followings, or affiliated freelance journalists.

All participants, including freelance journalists, will have to ensure they have at least one confirmed outlet (TV, radio, print or online) for their work.
Is there anyone who cannot enter this competition?

This competition is only open to Africans, either in Africa or in the diaspora

Employees of AMI and ICFJ cannot enter the competition to avoid any conflict of interest.
Is there an age limit?

Anyone one aged 18 and above can apply.
What if I don’t have a deal with a media outlet to publish or broadcast my work, can I still apply?

No. You will have to approach a media house or online media sites to get their backing for your project.
I am a documentary film-maker and not a journalist but I have a great idea, can I still enter?

If you are confident that you can do a story in journalistic style, then go for it! If, for example, you want to do a 30-minute documentary, it is clear you will not be able to complete it in the one month period given for story production. But we can still fund you to do a five-minute package. Our main concern is supporting great ideas and great journalism.
My proposal is over the word limit – will I be disqualified?

All proposals that are over the maximum word count of 500 words will be disqualified.
What information should I include in my proposal?

State very clearly what the story is, how you will treat it, what format you will use, who you will speak to, what the target market is, what possible impact it will have and which outlet you have secured to publish or broadcast your story. You will be prompted to answer these questions in the application form.
Is there a length limit for my actual story?

This will depend on your targeted publication or broadcast station.
Is the competition free to enter?

Yes, there are no charges to enter the competition.
Can I send in additional promotional material along with my proposal?

Yes. This must be sent at the same time as the proposal and attached to the online entry form.
In what file formats may I upload supporting documents?

Photo: JPEG, GIF, PNG OR BMP. Maximum size: 10MB.

Audio: MP3s only. Maximum size: 10MB.

Video: Maximum five-minute clip. Maximum size 100MB per file.

You can send this material via various sites, including dropbox.com, wetransfer.com, and yousendit.com.
Can I submit more than one entry?

No.
Can I partner with someone else to produce the story?

Yes, we do encourage collaboration and cross-border reporting but you will have to state this clearly in the entry form.
If two people enter as a team and reach the final stages, who gets the money (reporting grant)?

The reporting grant will be for the development of the story, so it will be distributed to both applicants. They will have to work on the story together from inception to conclusion. Each person would have equal claim to the funds unless you agree between yourselves, and tell us clearly, that you wish for different distribution.
What if a team wins the overall prize?

The members of the winning team will share the prize.
How will I know if I’m shortlisted?

You will be notified by email if you have been shortlisted. See key dates for the different short-listing periods. Unfortunately due to the number of entries we receive, we are unable to contact everyone who has entered, so if you haven’t heard from us, you haven’t been successful in this cycle. However, there are five themes in the competition and you are welcome to apply with a new proposal under a new theme.
What are data-driven stories?

Data journalism has the potential to explain and visualise complex issues, and to raise awareness of patterns and trends. It can make use of research data and public data from governments and non-governmental organisations, and it can also crowd-source both small and large amounts of data from average citizens. It can prove stories by the numbers, uncover scandals and track epidemics.
Can I use an existing piece?

We are looking for new stories – your piece must not have been published in any format before.
Will I get paid if my piece appears on the competition website?

No.
When is the deadline?

All key dates are here.
What if I want to do a story that is not in your prescribed themes?

You will see that under the themes there is a category called “original idea”. This is where you can pitch your own original idea but it must be connected to the theme that is open for submissions.
I have an idea for the My Africa 2063 theme even though your first theme is Agriculture and Food Security, can I send it now?

No. Check the key dates section and send your entry, according to the theme, during the given submission period.
If I apply under one theme, can I apply again under another theme?

Yes, as long as you were neither shortlisted nor an overall winner previously.  Also make sure you submit separate ideas as separate entries.
What will you fund?

The African Story Challenge grants are meant to fund the costs associated with developing your idea. The grants can be used for covering travel expenses, hire of basic equipment needed to produce your actual story, and on a case-by-case basis, it will be judged if the grant can cover salary costs for the period of time salaried journalists are doing field-based gathering of material. The African Story Challenge policies prevent funds from being used to pay organisation costs not directly linked to the development of your idea.
When do I get my money and start the project?

We will work out a schedule with each finalist at the boot camps. Our intention is to distribute first payments during the boot camps to ensure journalists have everything necessary to start their field production immediately after the boot camp. To this end, you must provide us with a realistic budget when you send your proposal.
Who decides who wins the competition?

The African Story Challenge team will be responsible for short-listing the 20 finalists who will receive reporting grants in each of the five cycles. An external panel of judges will decide the overall winner based on the 20 final stories submitted following the boot camps and field production.
What does the overall winner get?

One of the main objectives of this competition is that promising journalists continue to get support and funding beyond the end of this competition. To this end, the overall winner will get a major international reporting trip and additional grant. The winning journalist will have the opportunity to work with other journalists in a renowned international media establishment anywhere in the world. During this time, they will receive an additional grant to produce another story.