In November 2023, Oorvani Foundation launched the Citizen Matters – Urban Environmental Reporting Fellowship. This project has been supported by Wipro Foundation.
Six early career journalists were selected from among a large cohort of applicants. They are Sejal Patel, Akansha Deshmukh, Nuzhat Khan, Apoorva Singh, Jyotsna Richhariya and Anuj Behal (Profile images above, from top-left)
The programme will enhance their skills in environmental reporting and draw attention to the environmental challenges facing Delhi-NCR, providing a comprehensive overview of systemic issues and their interconnectedness. As part of the fellowship, fellows will attend talks and training sessions conducted by experts, receive guidance from mentors, and engage in peer learning groups. Over a three-month period, they will produce compelling stories on environmental issues that affect the residents of the Delhi-National Capital Region and explore responses to these problems.
The programme kicked off on 22nd Nov with an introduction and overview session. The fellows had their first learning session on Air Quality and Climate Change facilitated by Dr Sarath Guttikunda, a Professor at IIT Delhi and founder/director of UrbanEmissions.info and Anoop Poonia, a consultant at URJA (United Residents Joint Action, Delhi).
Other learning session topics will include Urban Development and Environment, Multimedia storytelling and a panel discussion on Water, Waste and Commute. These sessions will help them place each topic in context, get insights into how the issues intersect with other aspects like planning, health, community needs etc. They will help identify gaps in local coverage and spot interesting angles to explore.
We look forward to them share their findings; look out for their impactful stories on Citizen Matters!