Next Journalism:
tanzania literature

Deadline: 11 May 2011

Winner will travel to the East African nation to document the Impact of microfinance on women; Contest entry period officially began on April 13 and runs through May 11.

In celebration of its “Banking on Women” campaign, Opportunity International, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to savings accounts, small business loans and financial services to people working their way out of poverty in the developing world, today launched its Tanzania Correspondent Contest.

The first-place winner of the Tanzania Correspondent Contest will travel to the United Republic of Tanzania with Opportunity International’s Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO). There, the contest winner will use his or her creative writing skills, photography know-how and/or video production expertise to help the non-profit tell the story of how women in the East African nation can become leaders and change agents within their communities, when given access to small business loans and other financial services.

For impoverished women, secure banking services have remained largely out of reach due to a lack of proper identification required to open a bank account. For many, an Opportunity International bank card is their first step toward establishing formal identification. To give women in the developing world safe, secure access to banking services, Opportunity deploys cutting-edge technologies such as smart cards and biometric fingerprint readers. With biometric fingerprint technology, Opportunity is able to ensure that no one else, not even her spouse or his relatives, can take money out of her account. To access her savings, a client simply inserts the card and presses her finger to the screen. Greater control over her family’s resources can lead to expanded economic opportunities and a stronger voice in family and community matters.

About the Tanzania Correspondent Contest

Opportunity International’s Tanzania Correspondent contest is open to all U.S. residents, aged 21 and older. The contest entry period is from Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 3:01 p.m. (CT) to Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. (CT). Contestants can enter by visiting http://www.facebook.com/opportunityintl and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the essay entry form.

Submitted entries will need to include a 100 words, or less, essay explaining what the contestant hopes to learn from Opportunity’s clients, if the contestant were to travel on the Opportunity International Insight Trip. The essay should also address how the contestant would use story-telling skills, such as photography, video production, and creative writing, to document the impact that Opportunity’s programs and services are making on the women of Tanzania.

Ten runners-up in the contest will be announced on May 13, 2011. Runners-up will be notified by e-mail within 24 hours of their selection. Between 12:01 a.m. CT on May 14, 2011 and 11:59 p.m. (CT) on May 25, 2011, the public will vote to determine the contest winner, online at http://www.opportunity.org/contest.

The three contest entries with the most votes will be announced as winners on the Opportunity International website within 24 hours of the contest’s conclusion. Winners will also be notified by e-mail within 24 hours of the voting deadline with corresponding details for first, second or third-place, respectively.

The first place winner will visit Opportunity International’s operations in Tanzania during the organization’s YAO Insight Trip that is scheduled for July 31, 2011 - August 6, 2011. The prize includes roundtrip coach airfare, hotel, ground transportation in Tanzania, all meals, translator services, emergency evacuation insurance, and partner and staff costs. The second place winner will receive two tickets and hotel for Opportunity International’s Microfinance Conference, scheduled for October 14-15, 2011 in San Francisco. The third-place winner will receive a $100 Opportunity International gift card, which they can then use to fund a small business loan for one of the organization’s clients, by visiting http://www.opportunity.org/contest.

Official contest rules are available at http://www.opportunity.org/contest.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: suzanne@id8marketing.com

For submissions: click here

Website: http://www.opportunity.org

Company: Group Africa Publishing

Job Title: Writer

Location: Nairobi - Kenya

Employment Type: Part Time

Job Description

We are looking for a freelance writer (from Tanzania, Botswana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Rwanda).

The person must be self-driven and able to work without any supervision. Some journalistic background is required. We want someone who can write well in English. You will be required to carryout interviews and approach the relevant organizations on subjects related to mining, agriculture and construction. This is a part time job. If you can fit in this position, please go ahead and send us your resume.

Position Requirements

• Skills / Qualifications Required: must have good journalistic skills
• Minimum Education Level required: College
• Minimum Years of Experience required: 1 to 2 Years

Deadline: 1 March 2011

The East African Business Council in partnership with East African Community is proud to announce a Call for Entries for the East Africa Media Award competition 2011.

Intended to be annual, the objective of the Award is to reinforce the critical role of the media in East Africa in moving forward the agenda of EAC integration; and to reward, recognise and encourage journalistic talent across all media disciplines in the various aspects of the EAC cooperation.

Winners of the inaugural Award will be announced at the 4th EAC-EABC Media Summit, scheduled to take place from 14-15 March, 2011 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Categories:

Submissions in the following categories are open to all practicing journalists/commentators from all the East African Community Partner States:

1. EAC Secretary General Award: (Overall winner, honouring the Best Media, whether print or electronic, that has been consistent in its coverage of EAC integration Agenda)
2. EAC Umoja Award: (honouring the Best Reporter in issues of EAC Regional Integration)
3. EABC Chairman’s Award: (honouring the Best Reporter in reporting business issues and furthering the interests of the EAC business community)
4. EAC Green Award: (honouring the Best feature Writer in matters of Environmental concern in the EAC)

Rules of Entry:

Journalists should submit three of their best articles/radio/video clips on a relevant subject of the East African Community Integration per category. Articles should be submitted in English or Kiswahili, the official languages of East African Community as spelt out in the EAC Treaty.

Work (s) submitted in any other language should be accompanied with the appropriate translations. Entries must contain complete contact information: name, address, phone and e-mail.

Eligible work(s) must have been published or aired between September 1, 2009 and February 1st, 2011. Deadline for entries is 01 March 2011. Entries which were submitted in 2009 for the period between April 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009 when the Awards were first announced will be considered.

Entries should be submitted to the East African Business Council Secretariat via E-mail: media@eabc.info or registered post to:

East African Business Council
Department of Marketing and Communications
Olorien House, Kijenge, Perfect Printers Street
P. O. Box 2617 Arusha, Tanzania. Tel: +255-27-2543047

An article on The Citizen dated November, 11, 2010 said:

The competition require journalist to write, take photographs and produce radio programs about gender related HIV/Aids issues, highlighting policy measures and programs by the government and its agencies as well as the private sector involvement into the HIV/Aids response.

There is no updated competition guidelines yet on the AJAAT website. But we're posting the old guidelines for your reference:

# Journalists wishing to participate in the competition must be currently living and practicing in Tanzania

# The entries of features/news and programmes must only focus/target VCT and should be detailed with adequate educative information

# They must demonstrate originality and not copied work from other publications.

# Participant should demonstrate that he/she has exhaustively worked on the bit to the maximum

# They can submit a maximum of THREE entries

# The entries must have been published or aired within the period of the competition

# They should be those that have been published in newsletters, magazine, newspaper or aired in local TVs or radio stations

# They should be published or aired in either English or Kiswahili

# Only original clippings or items will be accepted

We will post updates for the 2010 competition when available.