SAMFU trains Journalists on its workings

------Calls for more collaboration in making the entity visible to the public

Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) in partnership with the Legislative Press Pool trained legislative and other reporters on its key activities, including land disputes resolution across the country.

A total of ten journalists participated in the day-long training organized by SAMFU on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 in the jangaba Community, Paynesville City.

Giving an overview of the workshop, the Assistant Director of Communications, Benetta Teta Bowah said the initiative aimed at making the institution visible to the public, highlighting the success stories and impacts it continues to make in the society.

“So, we have come, calling the journalists as a watchdog of our society to help push our agenda, our objectives, and our aims when it comes to SAMFU workings,” she said.

Miss Bowah further called for a lasting collaboration between the institution and the leadership of LEGISPOOL as well as other media practitioners from various entities to keep the public accurately updated with the institution developmental activities.

SAMFU Executive Director, Mr. Wynston Benda-Henries indicated that the institution’s vision seeks to have a Liberia where natural resources are efficiently governed and sustainably managed to ensure equity in benefits-sharing.

He added that the mission is to support and promote environmental protection and bio-diversity conservation, and sustainable natural resource management through inclusive community participation.

“We educate rural dwellers how to use natural resources for the economic and social well-being of the whole community. We monitor implementation of national and international standards and best practices by multinational companies in Liberia,” he indicated.

According to him, SAMFU is committed to sustaining the peace in Liberia and as well train target communities in promoting effective participation and peaceful co-existence in the extractive industry sector of Liberia.

Mr. Benda-Henries stressed that the entity also conducts specialized training for coastal communities to ensure effective participation in promoting the long term survival of endangered marine species and sustained recovery of depleted stock.

At the same time, the Executive Director named SAMFU’s two thematic projects: Extractive Industry Program and the Endangered Marine Species Conservation.

According to him, the Extractive Industry Program among other things promotes inclusive management of natural and environmental resources including land and forest resources that equitably benefit rural communities.

In furtherance, Mr. Benda-Henries indicated that under the Endangered Marine Species Conservation Program, SAMFU pprotects endangered marine species against illegal activities in Liberia.“The program campaigns against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities across coastal landscapes and as well protect coastal community’s local fishing folks against human rights abuses and other forms of violations,” he averred.

“The program campaigns against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities across coastal landscapes and as well protect coastal community’s local fishing folks against human rights abuses and other forms of violations,” he averred.

He however thanked the participants; especially the leadership of the Legislative Press Pool for the partnership established and urged the journalists to be engaged in developmental reporting.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of LEGISPOOL, Blamo N. Toe on behalf of the participants, thanked the Save My Future Foundation for organizing what he termed as an insightful training for legislative reporters.

While pledging the group of journalists support to working with SAMFU, Mr. Toe also urged the organization not to only build a partnership and after the training, dash the relationship as other entities do.

“This is not our first time attending such a wonderful training for journalists in Liberia. The unfortunate thing many of us have experienced over the years is that some local and international groups had held similar initiatives but a moment that training was over, all of what was said by them had never taken effect but they wanted to see their work out there. SAMFU, we hope that you don’t form part of that,” he noted.

Several recommendations were put forth from journalists on the forward match of the institution.

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