Sterling One, Other Launch Sustainability Media Workshop

The Sterling One Foundation, has partnered with Microsoft Nigeria, Sterling Bank, The Sun Media, Oando Foundation, Coca Cola and other private sector organisations to launch a transformative capacity-strengthening workshop, with the goal of empowering media to escalate the urgency of the climate change crisis through their reporting.

This forward-thinking event themed ‘Achieving the SDGs: Strengthening Media Capacities for Effective Reportage’ commenced in Lagos with a two-day advocacy training aimed at equipping media professionals and journalists in Nigeria with the skills and knowledge required to amplify narratives on climate adaptation and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Marking the International Day for Climate Action, Sterling One Foundation underscores its commitment to fostering sustainable development and environmental stewardship by launching this initiative.

The workshop served as a response to the global challenge of climate change, which poses a significant risk to human health and well-being, affecting various aspects of society, economics, and the natural world.

 CEO of the Sterling One Foundation, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe underscored the vital importance of enhancing media advocacy on climate change during her address.

 She conveyed that the training was more than just a conventional capacity-building exercise; it served as a resolute call to action.

“With only seven years remaining until 2030, complacency and the status quo are no longer sustainable. It is now imperative for both the media and private sector working with stakeholders to proactively address the challenges posed by climate change. In line with this commitment, the Sterling One Foundation has taken on the responsibility of providing comprehensive training to over 100 journalists, utilising both in-person and virtual formats, with a specific focus on the northeastern regions of the country,” she said.

The two-day media capacity-strengthening workshop featured in-depth sessions covering an array of topics, including editorial issues, the art of effective climate reporting, and sustainable environmental practices.

Microsoft Nigeria’s Country manager, Ola Williams, expressed her satisfaction with the training’s achievements and its anticipated societal impact.

She also underscored Microsoft’s collaboration with various sectors and foundations that share the organisation’s mission of effecting positive change by providing nationwide training opportunities to empower individuals.

Sterling One Foundation (SOF) is a registered non-profit focused on tackling the root causes of poverty in Nigeria, and Africa through interventions and social impact programmes across five critical sectors namely: climate action, health, education, and youth development, gender equality and empowerment, and food security.

The Foundation’s programmes adopt a central theme of prioritising partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).