African journalists wield power to shift narrative for ensuring wildlife thrives in Africa

African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) Zimbabwe Country Director has told journalists attending a week-long workshop on environmental journalism in the digital age in Zimbabwe's capital Harare that they wield the power to shift the narrative for ensuring wildlife thrives in modern Africa.

“With the stroke of your pen, you determine who makes or breaks the headline. That is why your role in bridging the conservation voice is very critical,” said Mufute.

She said it was for this reason that she was filled with immeasurable pleasure to know that she was speaking to the right audience: social influencers – content creators who dictate what families, the youth, children, and leaders on the continent watch.

“In order to cultivate transformational leadership through storytelling you need to realize the power of the pen, camera lens, and notepad you wield when you craft that message for public consumption,” said Mafute.

“Once Africans begin to see more news and content on nature and wildlife, the conversation will definitely begin to change immensely.”

On the other hand, Mufute said, as it currently stands, coverage on environmental issues has improved immensely, while thanking journalists for that.

She said, “But you have only scratched the surface. In order to alter the narrative, we need a TITANIC SHIFT – African conservation leadership MUST reverberate from every corner in Africa so as to tilt and reset the African mindset.”

Mufute said, as an African conservation organization, African Wildlife Foundation has been very intentional with cultivating the authentic African voice through storytelling.

“This is because, storytelling is one of the fundamental aspects of the African history and origin,” she said.

“Long ago, our forefathers and ancestors deeply valued storytelling because it enabled the passing on of traditions, myths, and cultures.”

She called on the journalists to make sure that the stories they write should not be about wildlife and tourism but the connection to agriculture, energy needs, food security, water, our own politics because mismanagement of wildlife does not stay in the bushes.

“Biodiversity is the mainstay of socio-economic development, providing and replenishing essential goods and services that we all depend on for sustenance and wellbeing. Our food production systems and sources of livelihood, including economic sectors such as agriculture, tourism, health, energy, and manufacturing, all depend on biodiversity,” she said.

“If there is one thing that I hope that this moment can teach us, it is that things cannot return to “normal”. And it is up to you to ensure that they don’t.”

Over thirty journalists from different countries in southern Africa are attending the week-long training environmental journalism in the digital age in Harare.

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