The managing director of the Managing Director of the Media Academy for Journalism and Communication-MAJaC, Mr Sang Mendy, is currently in London, England to attend the Chevening Africa Media Freedom Fellowship (CAMFF) programme.

Sang is among the first two Gambians to have been selected for such prestigious fellowship programme. Sang and 22 others from Africa will spend eight weeks in London looking at studying areas such as freedom of speech, economic prosperity and good governance. The programme will also focus on professional development of the values of good journalism and how to make journalism more effective to enhance reach and impact.

Hosted by the University of Westminster and funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office the eight-week programme is designed and implemented for mid-career journalists, media regulators, journalism educators and communication professionals from Africa with demonstrable leadership skills in their fields of expertise.

The 23 participants from two cohorts (2020/2021) are drawn from 11 Sub-Saharan African countries including The Gambia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Burundi, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

In the next two months, the Chevening fellows will undertake vigorous exchange of evidence-based policy debates, share practical experience, attend seminars and deliver talks on international issues as well as embark on fieldwork and research work. Mr Mendy and Camara are expected back in the Gambia in July upon completion of the programme.