Maseru
Local journalists say they are better prepared to cover money, business, and investment stories after taking part in a two-day training workshop in Maseru this week.
The workshop was organized by the Competitiveness and Financial Inclusion (CAFI) project working together with the Central Bank of Lesotho (CBL). Reporters and editors from different radio stations, newspapers, and online media houses across the country attended.
The goal of the training was simple: help journalists understand investment opportunities, financial inclusion, and how the economy affects everyday Basotho. Organizers also wanted to improve the quality and depth of economic and business reporting in Lesotho.
Many of the participants said the session was an “eye-opener.” Before the workshop, some reporters avoided economic stories because they thought the topics were too technical or difficult to explain to the public.
Now, with new skills and knowledge, the journalists say they are ready to change that.
“We will not disappoint,” said Thabiso Kolotsane, speaking on behalf of the journalists. He said reporters now feel more confident and have promised to share economic and financial news more clearly and accurately with their audiences.
Representing the Central Bank, Moroke Moroke told the journalists that the media has a big role to play as “the mouthpiece of the nation.” He said it is important for reporters to really understand the financial sector so they can give the public correct and useful information.
Moroke gave journalists three main pieces of advice:
- Build your economic knowledge – Journalists should take time to understand how money, banks, and businesses work. This will help prevent mistakes and misinformation from reaching the public.
- Write more feature stories – Instead of only reporting breaking news, he urged journalists to do in-depth features. These stories give reporters time to research properly and explain complex issues in a way people can understand.
- Break down the numbers – By making financial data simple, journalists can help citizens make better decisions about their money, jobs, and daily lives.
Lihaelo Nkaota, Public Relations Manager for CAFI Lesotho, thanked all the journalists for attending and taking the training seriously.
“Journalists must make sure economic news reaches the public on time and in a way that is accurate,” she said. “That is how we support sustainable economic growth.”
Nkaota also thanked the Central Bank and media houses for working together. She said she hopes this workshop is only the beginning of more trainings and stronger partnership in the future.
Officials explained that this training is part of a wider CAFI Lesotho programme. The project, in partnership with the Central Bank, is working to help the media cover business, investment, and financial inclusion stories more effectively across all districts.
With better reporting, organizers believe more Basotho will understand economic issues and be able to take advantage of new opportunities in the country.
