The AGILE project, co-funded by the European Union (EU), supports independent media in countries where media freedom is under threat. The Community Journalism Training activity is a four-day, hands-on training course designed to strengthen the ability of journalists, bloggers, and community communicators working with local radio stations in Northern Uganda to produce reliable and engaging multimedia content for local audiences.
A 2025 regional mapping conducted by CFI under the AGILE project (Mapping Information Environments for Marginalised Communities in Central and Eastern Africa) found that 87% of Ugandan respondents have a working radio at home, confirming that radio remains the backbone of information access in the country, particularly where digital connectivity is uneven. However, this ecosystem is under growing pressure: following the sharp 2025 decline in US development funding, many community radios that relied heavily on this support now face an uncertain future, with the loss of each station also meaning the loss of a trusted local voice that keeps disinformation in check. This training programme builds on those findings, focusing on essential skills that are highly sought after but often inaccessible to practitioners outside major urban centres.
Over four days, the programme will equip participants with practical skills in basic journalism and ethics, storytelling and local story identification, mobile journalism (video and audio using smartphones), and podcast production. The sessions will also introduce simple AI-assisted tools for editing, transcription, and captioning. A peer-exchange session will foster connections between participants and support future collaboration.
Each participant will produce at least one story, short video, audio recording, or podcast draft, which they can then further develop and submit to AGILE Community Journalism Projects subgrants available after the training.
The training will be delivered in English with translation into Acholi. Attendance on all four days of the training course is mandatory. Participants are selected based on clear and transparent criteria. Participants living within 30 km from the training venue are provided with transport compensation for round trips. Non-resident participants living more than 30 km outside of Gulu are provided with accommodation and travel support.
Please note that only retained candidates will be contacted.
Eligibility criteria
To apply for this workshop, you must:
- Be based in Uganda, with a focus on Northern Uganda
- Sufficient proficiency in English or Acholi
- Access to a smartphone
- Available for the full 4-day training
- Motivated to develop a story idea or community project during and after the training
- Priority given to individuals from underrepresented communities, including women, people with disabilities, rural populations, and economically disadvantaged groups with limited access to professional training
Evaluation grid
| Profile, skills and expertise
Relevance of background (journalism, media, communication, civil society, or community engagement); education or training (formal or informal), sufficient proficiency in English or Acholi. Open to diverse pathways to ensure inclusion. |
30 |
| Experience
Previous experience (professional, academic, or community-based) related to media production, public communication, or work with communities whose perspectives are underrepresented. Formal journalism experience not required. |
30 |
| Motivation
Reasons for applying, commitment to learning, relevance of the training to applicant’s work or community role, potential to apply skills and develop a story or project afterwards. |
40 |
| Total |
100 |
