This year, we took our Media Mentorship up a couple notches, daring our Fellows to do their absolute best in order to be selected to continue with us for another three months.
They were up for the challenge and we were amazed by the awesome work they put in. Deadlins and all, in just three months, they produced stories, took part in podcasts, hosted their own Instagram Lives, managed a Twitter account, and wrote newsletters. This batch of young journalists from around the world, really impressed us!
Selecting 6 from 12 was not an easy task, but we’re happy to present to you the Fellows to move on in the programme.
MEET OUR FELLOWS
Liubov Glazunova, Russia
International Journalist
Liubov lives in Moscow and holds a BSc. degree in Journalism. Since 2016, she has been reporting for Moskovskiy Komsomolets, NEWS.ru and Riddle. In the first phase of the mentorship, Liubov got the opportunity to explore issues she’d never come by before and communicate with amazing people fighting climate change. One of her most memorable experiences was speaking with a firefighter about the specifics of putting our peat fires! She loves getting the chance to leave her comfort zone, challenge herself, discover, and learn. One day, Liubov would like to work with an international organisation such as the United Nations, Reporters Without Borders, or the Green Climate Fund.
Stories by Liubov:
– Droughts and political negligence left Crimea struggling for water
– Fighting the smouldering threat of peat fires in Russia
– Welcome to the Telegram climate misinformation jungle
In this episode of Climate Tracker Weekly, Liubov shared insights into how young journalists in Russia still write great stories even in her country’s authoritarian environment, Siberia’s fires, and how to deal with climate change deniers, even among so-called “scientific experts.”
Liubov’s Newsletter: Russian Oil firms might use Wind Power to Pump Oil…and to make you feel good about it.
Seema Prasad, India
Journalist
Seema is a freelance journalist based in Bangalore, India. She’s covered health, civic issues, and lifestyle. She believes her curiosity and perseverance are her strongest assets as a journalist. Seema has a post-graduate diploma in journalism from the Times School of Journalism and believes the most important role of a climate journalist is to highlight the devastating impacts of climate change.
Seema used the mentorship to explore different facets of climate change in India, such as stories about the Indian Ocean, marginalised communities, and health. She’d like to become a full-time climate change and health reporter in India and share the critical stories about linkages between these two very serious issues.
Stories by Seema:
– Indian ocean climate monitoring needs improvement, scientists say
– Marginalized Communities Bear the Brunt of Climate Change in India
– Climate mitigation policies worldwide often do not address health impacts, study finds
In the episode of Climate Tracker Weekly, Seema shares her hope for the future of climate journalism in India, even in what seems to be a shifting political climate.
Seema’s Newsletter: There are 67 coal mines for sale in India.
Marta Silvia Viganò, Italy
Content creator and reporter
Currently a Mundus Journalism student, Marta is Italian and European journalist, who eats hummus, writes stories about the environment and social issues and tries to go beyond anthropocentrism one article at the time. She was one of six finalists of the Megalizzi-Niedzielski prize for aspiring journalists.
Marta aims to be a gatekeeper that stresses the challenges the climate crisis poses, how they are intertwined with social and political issues and what solutions are out there to implement. Her proudest moments as a journalist comes from telling the stories which impact people’s lives.
As a fellow, Marta loved getting the chance to experiment with different storytelling techniques to share climate stories. She is excited to learn more about data journalism and multimedia and has goals to start investigating the European Union’s commitments and actions to tackle the climate crisis.
Stories by Marta:
– “There’s no coal, there’s no mess, it is good that way”
– Can the Internet really help tackle deforestation?
– Catholic circular economy: an Italian story
In her Instagram Live, Marta discussed the global environmental impact of the European pork industry with Dario Caro, Assistant Professor at Aarhus University. Tune in here.
Marta’s Newsletter: Italy’s emissions down by 10% in 2020.
Vivian Chime is a journalist from Nigeria with experience in the print and broadcast media, where she has covered beats on politics, health, gender, human rights, and environment. She is passionate about journalism because of the power it wields in making for a better and functional society.
Vivian is an alumni of the University of Nigeria, having studied Mass Communication.
As a journalist, Vivian has a passion for collaborations and is really looking forward to working alongside and learning from her fellow mentees! She believes it is important to draw on links between countries.
Vivian shares “I am proud to have gone through the Climate Tracker Fellowship and then received a job offer in my country as a climate change reporter. This will ensure I stay on the path of climate journalism. It’s an advancement I am excited about.”
Vivian has goals to venture into the field of documentary film production in the near future and she hopes to engage more in convergence media and demystify climate issues in her country.
Stories by Vivian:
– Heavy downpours causing erosion, threatens homes and livelihoods in Nigeria
– From Nigeria’s farmer-herder crisis to conflicts in the Sahel, is climate change aggravating conflict in Africa?
Vivian’s Newsletter – How has Thailand and Nigeria kicked off 2021’s energy challenge?
In her Instagram Live, Vivian chatted with Nigerian Climate Activist, Olumide Idowu, asking the overall question: Is Nigeria on course to achieving its Nationally Determined Contribution?
Jody Garcia, Guatemala
Journalist
Jody is a journalist based in Guatemala. She likes to tell stories about justice, go to court hearings, cover citizen demonstrations and travel to Guatemalan communities to report on how they are fighting to defend nature and their lands from large extractive companies that are affecting the environment and the social structure. She loves the opportunity she’s getting through the fellowship to collaborate with journalists from other countries as well as leaping into publishing stories in English.
Jody is looking forward to continuing her publishing in international media outlets and tell the stories of Guatemala to the world.
Stories by Jody:
– David vs Goliath in Guatemala: how palm oil companies encroach on indigenous land
– Oil industry in Guatemala: millionaire money losses and threats to the environment
Jody’s Newsletter: Indigenous Guatemalans win the rights to block Big Mining
In her Instagram Live, Jody interviewed Andrea Ixchiú, human rights activist, to know more about how indigenous communities in Guatemala are defending the land and facing big economic interest around nature, and what is the State’s response.
Nanticha Ocharoenchai, Thailand
Environmental writer, filmmaker and climate activist
Nanticha, also known as Lynn, is using storytelling as a key tool to show the world that nature is good and people are good, through writing and filmmaking.
Bored with the usual charity messages many NGOs use to create environmental awareness and action, she is experimenting with new creative techniques to incorporate fun and adventure into conservation, carrying on from her climate activism. Based in Bangkok, she started Climate Strike Thailand and is WWF-Asia Pacific’s Communications Consultant.
Lynn’s excited to one day produce an environmental documentary for outlets such as National Geographic.
Stories by Lynn:
– New crowdfunding campaign to install solar panels on schools across Thailand
– Lost homes and sunken memories
In her Instagram Live, Lynn chatted with Maria Poonlertlarp, Miss Universe Thailand 2017 and co-founder of SOS Thailand.
Lynn’s newsletter: How has Thailand and Nigeria kicked off 2021’s energy challenge?
We’re really proud of these ladies and look forward to working alongside them for the next 3 months as they produce amazing climate stories and use new media in innovative ways. Stay tuned!