Conference trains communicators to tell Africa's stories
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose Bobiotche
Bruno (right) and John Kaumba photograph a student assembly at the
Munyarari United Methodist Mission Center near Marange, Zimbabwe.
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Bobiotche
Bruno (right) of Côte d'Voire and John Kaumba of the Democratic
Republic of Congo photograph a student assembly at the Munyarari United
Methodist Mission Center near Marange, Zimbabwe, as part of a
two-and-a-half-week training conference sponsored by United Methodist
Communications and held at United Methodist-related Africa University in
Mutare, Zimbabwe. Nearly 30 representatives from 13 African countries
took part in the course of study to hone their communications skills and
help build a global network for the United Methodist Church. A UMNS
photo by Mike DuBose. Photo #06-775. Accompanies UMNS story #423.
7/17/06 |
July 17, 2006
By Tim Tanton*
MUTARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) -- For Marie Manisha, whose homeland
of Burundi is still recovering from war, good communications is
essential to life itself.
"Without communication, there is no life," she said, speaking in French.
She and 27 other United Methodist communicators received
intensive training in photography, videography, Web page design, news
writing and computer software programs during a June 14-30 conference
held at Africa University by United Methodist Communications.
The conference was organized as part of the Central
Conference Communications Initiative, which was approved by the 2004
General Conference to nurture and strengthen church communications in
Africa, Asia and Europe. Communications staff surveyed the African
bishops in 2004 and met with African communicators in 2005 at the
university to identify needs. Training and equipment topped the list.
With her newly learned computer, photography and video
skills, Manisha can share information about her church and country. She
hopes those skills will change lives. "Without communication, we are
lost in this world," she said.
The event brought together, for the first time, church
communicators from 13 African countries for training and relationship
building at the United Methodist school near Mutare.
"We see this program as a means of strengthening our
communications network," said Konah Parker, the communicator for the
denomination's Liberia Annual Conference and president of the United
Methodist Association of Communicators-Africa Region.
He enjoyed learning PowerPoint, Excel and Web design and,
like other participants, took to photography with enthusiasm, schooled
by workshop instructors on the use of new digital cameras provided by
United Methodist Communications.
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose Isaac
Broune (right) conducts interviews for a story about a volunteer
program at the Munyarari United Methodist Mission Center near Marange,
Zimbabwe.
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Isaac
Broune of Côte d'Voire (right) conducts interviews for a story about a
volunteer program that provides school uniforms for students at the
Munyarari United Methodist Mission Center near Marange, Zimbabwe. Broune
was taking part in a two-and-a-half-week training conference sponsored
by United Methodist Communications and held at United Methodist-related
Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Nearly 30 representatives from 13
African countries took part in the course of study to hone their
communications skills and help build a global network for the United
Methodist Church. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Photo #06776. Accompanies
UMNS story #423. 7/17/06 |
"From just being a camera holder walking around, I am going back to Liberia as a professional photographer," he said.
Phileas Jusu, a journalist and church communicator, from
Freetown, Sierra Leone, wants to project an image of the church and its
work there that people aren't aware of. "For me, this training program
particularly has not only improved my skills, it has opened new doors
for me because with the new skills and equipment, I will now actualize
my dreams," he said.
Like Manisha, many participants didn't know how to
operate a computer mouse at the beginning of the conference, but two and
a half weeks later, they were designing Web pages and online
newsletters.
Classes were led by 15 instructors from the United States
-- including United Methodist Communications -- England, Ghana,
Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique.
Louis Loma Otshudi, director of communications for the
Central Congo Area, cited his new knowledge of software, photography and
videography. Speaking in French, he said: "After this training, I am a
changed person."
The big picture
For some areas, particularly parts of Africa, basic
communications infrastructure is minimal or nonexistent. The
communicators at the training event described a chronic lack of Internet
connectivity or even accessible roads. In areas where the
infrastructure is working, limited financial resources have made church
communications difficult.
Some parts of Africa, such as Burundi, are still
recovering from war. "Before the war, communication was good," Manisha
said. "During the war, it was a disaster. There was an office but not
equipment."
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose Instructor Fidelis Zvomuya (right) shows Teddy Nabirye (left) and Phileas Jusu how to operate a digital camera.
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Instructor
Fidelis Zvomuya (right) of Zimbabwe shows Teddy Nabirye (left) of
Uganda and Phileas Jusu of Sierra Leone how to operate a digital camera.
The photography class was part of a two-and-a-half-week training
conference sponsored by United Methodist Communications and held at
United Methodist-related Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Nearly
30 representatives from 13 African countries took part in the course of
study to hone their communications skills and help build a global
network for the United Methodist Church. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.
Photo #06-777. Accompanies UMNS story #423. 7/17/06 |
The same was true in Rwanda, according to Sinanga
Juvenal, coordinator of United Methodist schools in Rwanda and president
of the lay leaders there. "It is only now that it has come out from the
war. Everything was looted."
The equipment he is receiving from United Methodist
Communications "will promote communications in Rwanda, in our conference
and beyond our conference," he said, noting that it will be easier to
share ideas and to produce newsletters and journals.
United Methodist Communications is working with bishops'
offices throughout Africa to set up communications centers. Through
partnerships with U.S. annual (regional) conferences, centers have been
fully funded for Zimbabwe, South Africa, North Katanga (in part of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo), Central Congo and Côte d'Ivoire.
A fully funded center would include a computer and video
and photography equipment, as well as a monthly salary of $500 to $600
for a communicator.
Many of the communicators hold down other jobs while
serving the church. Parker, for example, works as a commercial
driver--using his own car--in Monrovia. Jusu said he is leaving a secure
job as the deputy managing editor of a newspaper in Freetown so that he
can be more effective in serving the church as a communicator. And
Teddy Nabirye is a graduate teacher at a secondary school in Nsambya,
Uganda.
The training conference helped some participants realize
being a church communicator can be a full-time job. The Rev. Bruno
Bobiotche of Côte d'Ivoire leads nine congregations and is in charge of
Protestant broadcasting on the state-owned radio station. He said he
planned to talk with his bishop about becoming a full-time communicator.
If Jesus were doing ministry today, he'd be using a
laptop and a cell phone, said Simon Gunuza of South Africa. Lifting his
new camera, he added: "This is a blessing from him."
Building a network
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A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose Simon
Gunuza (from left), Lynette Regede, Lloyd Nyarota, Konah Parker and
Daniel Mhone practice digital photo editing techniques.
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Simon
Gunuza of South Africa, Lynette Regede of Zimbabwe, Lloyd Nyarota of
Zimbabwe, Konah Parker of Liberia and Daniel Mhone of Malawi practice
digital photo editing techniques. They were students enrolled in a
two-and-a-half-week training conference sponsored by United Methodist
Communications and held at United Methodist-related Africa University in
Mutare, Zimbabwe. Nearly 30 representatives from 13 African countries
took part in the course of study to hone their communications skills and
help build a global network for the United Methodist Church. A UMNS
photo by Mike DuBose. Photo #06-778. Accompanies UMNS story #423.
7/17/06 |
Along with acquiring skills, the communicators at the
Mutare event emphasized the importance of the new relationships they had
built with one another.
"Relationships are very important," said the Rev. Betty
Kazadi Musau, assistant director of communications for North Katanga.
"... We have to invest in those relationships. It's a gift from God."
"We have got now a lot of friends," Otshudi added. "There is a unity in the church as we have seen each other face to face."
Taylor Walters, an Indiana United Methodist who worked
last year in the North Katanga Area, has developed an online discussion
board that the group can use to stay in touch, and it includes a
translation program for English, French and Portuguese.
As the conference drew to an end, the communicators
presented a variety of projects showcasing what they had learned –
videos, PowerPoint presentations, newsletters, stories, photos. The
material was drawn from field trips the group took in the area.
Dauda Goding of Nigeria shared a radio script he had
written based on interviews with an AIDS expert and two women living
with AIDS. Part of the conference had focused on the importance of
empathy in relating to people with AIDS -- an eye-opening lesson for
some of the communicators, who said their views were changed. "I am
trying to show that living with AIDS is not the end of life," Goding
explained to the group.
Participants said they plan on developing stories on such
topics as prison ministries, feeding programs, youth activities and
water projects.
"They're understanding the transformation that can take
place as they begin to tell the story more effectively, both in their
annual conference episcopal areas and globally," said Barbara Nissen,
co-coordinator of the Central Conference Communications Initiative for
United Methodist Communications.
*Tanton is managing editor of United Methodist News Service.
News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Related Audio
Konah Parker, Liberia: "We can use the skills"
Konah Parker, Liberia: "Communication in Liberia is important"
Teddy Nabirye, Uganda: "I want to tell church stories"
UMNS Photo Essay
Telling Africa's Stories
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Resources
Central Conference Communications Initiative
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