In a bid to strengthen advocacy efforts across Southern Africa, the Southern African Development Community Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) recently collaborated with fraycollege to host an intensive media training workshop. The session aimed to equip participants with the skills needed to effectively engage the media and amplify their messages for impactful advocacy on groundwater management and sustainable development.
SADC-GMI, which promotes sustainable groundwater management across 16 Southern African countries, plays a critical role in addressing water security, a key aspect of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, like many development-focused organisations, communicating their mission to a wider audience and securing long-term support remains a challenge. fraycollege’s tailored media training sought to bridge this gap by equipping participants with the skills to engage with the media strategically, thereby amplifying their message and fostering greater awareness of groundwater management issues.
The two-day training provided participants with essential tools for media engagement, from understanding the media landscape to crafting and delivering key messages. It covered a range of topics, including storytelling techniques and setting the agenda in the media . Storytelling, in particular, was highlighted as a powerful method for making complex scientific and environmental topics relatable to the public, helping audiences connect emotionally with SADC-GMI’s mission.
“I enjoyed the training’s focus on knowledge and data sharing. It has taught me that communication is not just about sharing information. Rather, it is about sharing information which has an impact. We can make communication impactful by using storytelling. We’ve also been presented with tools which we can use to communicate internally and externally,” says Albain Tchangou, the AIP Youth Coordinator and Communication Officer from the Global Water Partnership.
A standout feature of the training was the focus on the importance of audience engagement. “A key takeaway from this training is what we were taught by the facilitators- no one cares until you make them care. Therefore, telling audiences why what you are sharing is important is key,” says Elita Banda, a Communications Specialist with the Lesotho-Botswana Water Transfer Project.
Effective media engagement is a crucial skill for organisations that want to shape public narratives, build awareness, and influence policy. To better amplify their messages, participants were given strategies to engage with the media strategically to foster greater awareness of groundwater management issues.
This media training marks another milestone for fraycollege in its mission to support organisations working toward sustainable development in Africa. By empowering SADC-GMI with the skills to engage audiences and the media effectively, fraycollege is helping to raise awareness about critical continental issues and contribute to the broader achievement of the SDGs in the region.
