Media development office opens in Namibia

Mobile media training.

DW Akademie is Germany’s leading organisation for media development and for more than 25 years, DW Akademie has implemented projects in Namibia focusing on media development in rural areas and enabling young citizens to make their voices heard.
As such, DW Akademie qualifies journalists, encourages networking activities and raises awareness for rural issues. Furthermore, DW Akademie has been developing new media formats, establishing civic media, and enhancing media competences of young people. 

Ute Schaeffer, head of media development at DW Akademie says “We want to support young Namibians to actively use media and thereby bringing attention their causes. At the same time, we qualify journalists and support civic media. Free and professional media are an important lever for development in the entire country.” 

In Namibia, DW Akademie co-operates with well-established partners such as the Namibian Community Broadcasters' Network (NCBN), a network of civic media in the country, as well as the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). In addition, DW Akademie works with the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) to promote transparency and media freedom in Southern Africa. 

Media professionals all over the world benefit from DW Akademie projects and trainings: journalists, information specialists, engineers and managers equally. DW Akademie trains and consults to partners with comprehensive and long-term measures in 50 countries worldwide. Former workshop participants make use of their experiences and knowledge gained through DW Akademie in their journalistic routines. 

Media competence

More than half of Namibia’s population is under the age of 25. Young users need to enhance critical competences in order to make their voices heard and actively partake in societal developments. 

In 2015, DW Akademie joined efforts with the college of the Arts (COTA) in Windhoek, launching the Media and information Literacy Learning initiative (MiLLi). In the framework of this network, multipliers are trained to disseminate critical media competences in local youth projects. More than 60 multipliers have already passed on their knowledge to hundreds of users. Namibian ministries, UNESCO and 30 organisations make use of these offers. 

DW Akademie is a strategic partner of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Since 2014, Namibia is one of the focus countries of DW Akademie, receiving BMZ-funding. As one of the world’s leading institution advocating freedom of speech DW Akademie supports the development of free and transparent media, quality journalism, and offers programmes to boost media skills.