Writer and freelance journalist, Mr Daniel Whyte, has been selected as one of the four fellows to participate in the 2020 Global Sustainable Solutions Stories Fellowship.
Oluwatomisin Amokeoja reports that the fellowship is a six-month paid media mentorship-fellowship combo offered by Climate Tracker in partnership with One Earth.
Whyte announced the selection through the micro-blogging platform, Twitter, tweeting, “so glad to be one of the four journalists selected worldwide for @ClimateTracking and @oneearth Sustainable Solutions Stories Fellowship!”
To be selected for the fellowship, Whyte told Media Career that he had to prepare a pitch on a sustainable solution to an issue in Nigeria and his focus was on the Agriculture sector. He is expected to write one story per month over six months.
He advised prospective applicants for such programmes to always tailor their application to specifically meet the requirements.
In the selection message to Whyte, Climate Tracker stated that the committee was very impressed with his experience and pitch, adding that it received a “really great response to the competition, with pitches coming in from awesome journalists all over the world.”
The Communications Officer of Climate Tracker, Dizzanne Billy had earlier stated while calling for applications that journalists selected will start a six-month journey with the organization, writing and publishing powerful sustainability stories focused on local solutions in their country/region.
According to the statement, Climate Tracker will work along with the journalists, coaching and mentoring them, as they produce one original story every month of their time as a Fellow. All stories will include original photos with interaction and guidance from their mentor throughout the Fellowship.
“It is not only a great opportunity to build your network around the world and engage with journalists beyond your country/region, it’s a fantastic chance to gain hands-on experience in reporting on climate change and sustainability issues and publishing on both Climate Tracker and One Earth websites.”
The Director, Chris Wright said the organization has “since 2015 delivered cutting edge training, innovative media campaigns, and brought incredibly talented teams of young reporters to the UN climate negotiations.”
“We have delivered in-person training in more than 30 countries, hundreds of online webinars, and awarded travel scholarships to more than 350 young journalists. We have run participatory media research in over 20 different countries, and are developing a unique data-analytics tool to give journalists the best possible chance to cut through national debates.”
According to the information available on One Earth’s website (https://www.oneearth.org/about), the One Earth Initiative is focused on creating a vision for the world that is possible by 2050, one in which humanity and nature coexist and thrive together. This vision is based on three pillars of action 100% renewable energy, protection and restoration of 50% of the world’s lands and oceans, and a transition to regenerative, carbon-negative agriculture.
The beneficiaries who fall between the age group 18-35 have at least one year of journalism experience; hunger to improve as journalists; history of writing quality solutions stories and ability to take good quality photos.
Whyte writes for African Liberty, Stears Business, The African Progressive Economist (APRECON), HumAngle, The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) and The Cable.
Focusing on government and development studies, he joined 34 others selected across Africa as 2020/2021 Writing Fellows of African Liberty.
Notable among his works are: Obesity in Nigeria amidst the COVID-19 lockdown; Fresh Graduates Fear COVID-19 May Worsen Unemployment Situation In Nigeria; Nigerian Students Want E-Learning As COVID-19 Ravages;”Daughters Who Walk This Path” as a bildungsroman about feminist assertiveness; Can Confidence in the Nation Drive Development for Nigeria? and Fake scholarship scheme pulls down website after TETFund’s disclaimer.
He bagged his first degree in English and Literary Studies from the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).
In 2019, he made the British Council Scotland’s list of 100 rising global media stars joining other Nigerian representatives at the Future News Worldwide programme in London.
Twelve Nigerians currently write for Climate Tracker. They include Caleb Adebayo, Ayomide Atitebi, Kolawole Talabi, Emeka Ulor, Alabede Surajdeen, Jennifer Ugwa, Oladeinde Olawoyin, Ridwan Bello, Niyi Oyedeji, Hamzat Lawal, Esther Agbarakwe and Wale Bakare.