BY FAIZA JIBRIN, NOVEMBER 21, 2025 | 09:30 AM

Fai'za Jibrin, Lake Chad Times reporter, is among the journalists participating in the Strengthening Community Journalism and Human Rights Advocacy (SCOJA) Fellowship.

She said the training has broadened her understanding of responsible journalism and strengthened her ability to write impactful stories.

According to her, the sessions on human rights-centered reporting, fact-checking, SGBV, and conflict mapping will play a key role in guiding her future reports at Lake Chad Times

She added that with the Lake Chad Times being a relatively new media organization, the fellowship will help guide the newsroom's work and strengthen its reporters.

'Such training will help build our resilience and add credibility to our reporting,' she said.

The program, which started on November 17, was designed to empower community reporters with practical skills that improve the quality of journalism across Northern Nigeria.

Organized by the HumAngle Foundation with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, the fellowship features a three-day intensive training and a six-month mentorship phase.

The fellows were drawn from nine states across the North-West (Kaduna and Kano), North-Central (Benue, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa), and North-East (Borno, Adamawa, Yobe).

It focuses on fact-checking, conflict mapping, sensitive journalism, storytelling, digital safety, and inclusion – areas considered essential for journalists reporting from conflict-affected environments.

Other participants also expressed how the program is transforming their approach to journalism and advocacy.

The Team Lead of the Scaling Up Nutrition Youth Network Nigeria in Borno State, Huzaifa Abubakar, said the training is timely for journalists working in conflict-affected environments.

'We work in a conflict environment where there are high rates of malnutrition. This training will help us report sensitive issues around malnutrition and food insecurity and navigate the complexity of conflict areas.

'It will also guide us in reporting interviews and community dialogues in a more informed way,' he said.

He appreciated the HumAngle Foundation for the opportunity and added that participants plan to share the training with their colleagues so others can benefit.

An alumnus of the 2023 HumAngle Accountability Fellowship, Abubakar Mukhtar Abba, also shared advice with the new fellows.

He described the program as a career-building opportunity and urged participants to take the training seriously.

Abdussamad Ahmad Yusuf, a Human Security and Policy Analyst with the HumAngle Foundation and the coordinator of the SCOJA training in Borno State, explained the purpose of the initiative.

He said that Northern Nigeria faces multiple challenges, including conflict, humanitarian crises, and polarization made worse by disinformation.

'We looked at how community journalists can play a role by providing accurate reporting on conflict issues, SGBV, human rights, advocacy, and climate change.

'With that in mind, we mobilized community journalists and human rights defenders for a three-day training that ushers them into a six-month fellowship,' he said.

Abdussamad added that the target of the program is to empower local journalists with the right skills to counter misinformation, improve accuracy, and contribute to peacebuilding in affected communities.

For Faiza, the mentorship phase will provide an opportunity to apply the training directly to her reporting, particularly on issues affecting women, children, and vulnerable groups in Borno State.

'This training was an eye-opener that moved us from being mere reporters to becoming disciplined, ethical agents of change in our respective communities,' she said.

Over the next six months, fellows are expected to produce in-depth human rights stories with expert guidance.

'I believe I am now fully committed to the next stage of the Fellowship: producing high-quality, impactful reports as expected,' Faiza assured.

The SCOJA Fellowship continues to play a vital role in supporting journalists who work in underserved communities, fostering a new generation of reporters committed to accountability, empathy, and storytelling that drives positive change.