Internews received seven applications in response to the second online call for applications for the TJRC Mentored Travel Grant. A jury composed of Wanyama Chebusiri regional correspondent with the BBC and Vincent Bartoo, bureau chief Standard media group North Rift region, met on July 8th to select the two journalists who will travel to Kisumu to report on the TJRC hearings.
The jury selected the following applications:

 Caleb Kemboi   -Bibilia Husema Broadcasting (BHB) Radio.
Jessica Nyaboke -The Star,

The jury used the following rationale to explain its choice:

Caleb Kemboi- Bibilia Husema Broadcasting (BHB) Radio
The jury pin pointed the fact that the applicant did his research well. It stated he was going to the hearings with an informed mind. Caleb had statistics and a rich background of the story he is going to cover. His scope of operation is centered on the post election violence. Internews should also look forward to social and economic related feature stories as per its objective of highlighting on issues of Agenda four. The jury referred to the areas Caleb will tackle as those that affect the silent majority in the society.

Jessica Nyaboke – The Star
The human focus angle of the story impressed the jury. Jessica brings out the relevance of TJRC’s mandate of truth and accountability in her story. She mentioned how she will focus on human rights violations perpetrated by policemen during the post election violence. Her approach to the story will be the acquittal of the policeman who was captured shooting at an unarmed protester. She intends to inform her audience well by interrogating the court process that led to the acquittal of the policeman.

The jurors’ comments on all the journalists who sent in their applications for this mentored travel grant to Kisumu will be sent to each of them.
The Land & Conflict Sensitive Journalism Project wishes the winners of this mentored travel grant all the best as they pursue their stories in Kisumu. For the ones who didn’t make it, we thank you for your interest. Please note there will other similar opportunities in the coming months.

The selected journalists will be supported by Trainer Isaac Sagala during the field work (July 14-18th) and the production days following thereafter.