Deadline: Not Specified
China’s engagement with Africa is rapidly growing, but is the media in Africa keeping pace with these changes or giving the relationship the attention it deserves? Wits Journalism China-Africa Reporting Project is offering grants to African journalists interested in unpacking the China-Africa relationship. They are looking for proposals for original, topical stories about China’s presence and influence in Africa.
Grants
- The grants are intended to provide funding for travel, accommodation and sundry daily expenses, but will not cover car hire, purchase of equipment or professional fees, or to buy publication space;
- Grants are generally between $300 and $2,000, and must not exceed $2,000;
- Applicants should allow up to two weeks for a response to their proposal;
- Successful grant recipients will be required to sign an agreement which outlines the terms of the reporting project and agreed budget.
Eligibility
- Open to African Journalists;
- Proposals should be clearly structured, stating briefly at the outset what the story idea is, followed by how and where the story will be researched and what it aims to reveal or contribute to the China-Africa debate;
- Proposals will be reviewed by a committee at the Wits Journalism Department, which will have sole and final discretion on the grants as well as the criteria used and any conditions attached to them;
- Preference will be given to proposals with a relatively narrow focus around specific projects or issues. Ambitious and broad attempts to analyse the overall effect of Chinese engagement should be avoided;
- Where possible journalists should identify individuals or communities through which to tell the story. While desk research is important, journalists are encouraged to look for on-the-ground impact and perspectives.
Application Process
- Journalists should draft a succinct proposal outlining their idea and submit to [email protected];
- Proposals will only be accepted in MS Word or PDF formats;
- Proposals Should Include the Following:
- Brief outline of the story idea; what will be investigated, how and where;
- A budget of expected costs (in Rands for South African journalists or US dollars for journalists from other African countries);
- Journalist’s resumé/CV and samples of published/broadcast work;
- Indication of where the article will be published;
- Applicant’s assessment of the risks of the project (if applicable).
NOTE
- The reporting project should be completed within three months of the receipt of the grant funding unless otherwise agreed;
- On completion of the reporting project grant recipients will be required to supply electronic copies of all material produced as a result of the grant.
For more information, visit Wits China-Africa Reporting Project.
