MSP October-December 2018 Quarterly Report

The program has a life of project funding of $14,963,605 and focuses on strengthening the Mozambican media sector. The geographic focus of the program is Mozambique, with a specific emphasis on Maputo and Nampula provinces. The program's primary objective is to establish a free, open, diverse, and self-sustaining Mozambican media sector that provides high-quality information to citizens, promoting debate, accountability, and development. To achieve this objective, the program is divided into seven result areas, including Professional Capacity of Journalists, Business Operations and Sustainability of Media Outlets, Journalism Education, Community Radio, Advocacy & Alliances, Gender/Gender-Based Violence, and People with Disabilities & Inclusive Media. During the first quarter of FY 2019, which spans from October 1 to December 31, 2018, the program affiliates, including Midia Lab, h2n, and TV Surdo, undertook various activities to achieve the program's objectives. Midia Lab conducted a field trip to the districts of Chókwè, Mabalane, Mapai, and Chicualacuala, resulting in the production of two blocks of the Jornal da Malta, one on hunger and another on girls' challenges in Mozambique. Midia Lab also received a visit from Carlos Mesquita, Minister of Transport and Communications, who congratulated the organization for promoting ethical journalism and observing the principle of originality in news reporting. The organization also produced institutional videos for Save the Children, documenting food security and income generation programs in the districts visited by the trainees. In addition, Midia Lab conducted a photography intensive course, which equipped participants with skills to make a difference in the journalistic market and tell stories through the use of photography. The training was given by Ricardo Franco, a photojournalist and documentary photographer from Portugal. The organization also produced videos to document activities implemented under the Sustainable Irrigation Development Project (PROIRRI), which aimed at building irrigation systems to increase agricultural production and improve the conditions of farmers in the provinces of Manica, Sofala, and Zambézia. h2n, another program affiliate, shared 23 programs with radio stations during the month of October. The contract between h2n and the radio stations ended during this quarter, and the organization is expected to implement new selection dynamics to create more competitiveness and make better choices of motivated candidates to work in the field. Overall, the program affiliates made significant progress in achieving the program's objectives during the first quarter of FY 2019, with a focus on strengthening the professional capacity of journalists, improving business operations and sustainability of media outlets, and promoting community radio and advocacy & alliances.