Name of the Event: 2025 United Nations Foundation Polio Press Fellowship
Place: Africa
Mode: In-person
Last Date of Application: 3 January 2025
Link to Apply:
The United Nations Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2025 Polio Press Fellowship for Individual Reporting to Africa.
Upon participating in a series of virtual polio training sessions, selected journalists will receive funding to travel independently to one or more countries in Africa at the forefront of the polio eradication effort to gather stories and interviews with polio survivors, health care workers, community members, families, and health authorities. Preference will be given to reporters interested in traveling to the following countries: Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Madagascar, and Mozambique. However, proposals to travel to other African countries will also be considered.
The goal of this fellowship is to provide professional journalists with the means to travel outside their country of residence to areas affected by polio and gather stories to raise global awareness about the importance of polio eradication work as well as the ways in which polio infrastructure can contribute to broader health goals.
Application Information:
Interested and eligible journalists must submit an application that includes a project proposal and budget. Applications should reflect each journalist’s unique interest in polio eradication and may involve themes such as advancements and innovations in polio vaccination and surveillance; the relationship between gender and polio; barriers to reaching unvaccinated children; and the impact of climate change, misinformation, urbanization, conflict, and other global challenges to polio eradication.
Projects across all media platforms will be considered (including print, photography, audio, and video) for publication by one or more national or international media outlets. This fellowship cannot be used to fund books, feature-length films, or works of fiction or to purchase equipment.
Applicants are expected to demonstrate adequate experience producing and publishing similar news content for reputable global or national outlets.
Journalists from diverse backgrounds and of all nationalities will be supported. While stories may be published in any language, basic English skills are necessary to participate in the fellowship interviews, training, and other required activities.
Freelance journalists are welcome to apply.
Multi-person teams may submit a joint project proposal, however, the maximum award amount per project remains the same.
Funding:
Funding for this press fellowship is made possible through financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Two award categories are available, small awards (under $5,000) or large awards (up to $10,000).
Please apply for the appropriate award category based on your project needs, such as distance/cost of travel and level of production.
Applicants must include a budget proposal with a cost breakdown for transportation, visa fees, accommodation, interpretation, and other travel expenses in their application.
We are not the official organisers of the program. If you have any queries regarding it, kindly contact the organisers at - PolioPressFellowship@unfoundation.org
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