The GPU on the 26th and 27th April 2022 held a two-day training of media managers on project management and fundraising.
The training, held at the Baobab hotel, is aimed at improving the revenue generation capabilities of private media houses in the Gambia and introducing media managers to project management and fundraising strategies, which may inject much needed funds into their institutions.
In total, 16 media managers from across the print, online, radio and TV were trained by experienced and knowledgeable resource persons.
The modules covered in the training included Initiating a Non-profit Project, Project Implementation and Reporting, Fundraising Concepts and Terminologies), Tools and Approaches to fundraising.
Jebel Ceesay, Program Manager of the GPU stated that these trainings were part of a 3-year project aimed at building the revenue generating and project management capacity of the media funded by the Gambia Media Support and the Civil Society in Development (GAMES/CISU) project which the GPU is implementing.
“The Gambian media has expanded exponentially in the past few years, which has presented challenges on the sustainability of these budding media houses, in a market where they get no government subsidies or subvention, and in a market with little advertising money to go round. This situation has resulted in many media houses struggling financially especially with regards their operations.” he stated.
As such, the GPU deemed it necessary to develop training activities on fundraising and project management to help media houses device new ways to generate income to sustain and grow their budding media houses.
Participants in the training include Binta Jawo of Gainako Media who claimed that she gained a lot from the training, which would be useful to her media house increasing its revenue streams.
“I learnt so much from the contributions and discussions especially from the veteran media managers”, she said. “I also loved the presentations on fundraising which spoke a lot on media houses building a brand and marketing themselves for better financial outcomes” she concluded. The training is supported by GAMES and CISU.