USAID holds training camp for FATAs photojournalists

The United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), sponsored a six-day “photo camp” for 15 young aspiring journalists from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).Rodger Garner, USAID Acting Mission Director, formally inaugurated a photo exhibition on Thursday at local hotel that showcases photos by the participants of that training.The camp was conducted in partnership with the Washington-DC based National Geographic Society, whose magazine is internationally renowned for its extraordinary photography. The event was designed to enhance the journalists’ professional photography skills so that they can better tell their stories through visual images.The 15 young photographers attending the workshop hail from diverse economic, social, and cultural backgrounds in Pakistan’s tribal areas and range in age from 19 to 25.The camp was not only a unique opportunity for the participants to learn new skills from world class photographers; it was also a chance to meet other youth from across FATA with a passion for photography and share the stories of their communities.The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. National Geographic photographers Amy Toensing, Tyrone Turner, and Matt Moyer led the workshop.The US is committed to strengthening the quality of independent media in Pakistan. USAID has trained nearly 900 journalists from FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2009 on basic and advanced reporting skills, radio and television production, digital and social media, personal security, and a range of pressing public policy issues like energy production, water contamination, and elections.The USAID is also partnering with universities to strengthen the quality of journalism education in Pakistan. In addition, the U.S. State Department sponsors several professional exchanges programs that allow nearly 100 Pakistani journalists to visit the United States each year.