Student becomes the master: MaM Volunteers are training IOM staff in Sierra Leone

Over the years, IOM Sierra Leone has always tried to, with limited resources, document the amazing work we have done across the country. Capturing photos eligible for reporting purposes has been a challenge. Since 2019, Sierra Leone happens to be one of seven countries that is part of the Migrants as Messengers (MaM) project. The project is tapping into the authentic stories of returnee migrants to change behavior around migration decision making. A key pillar to execute this strategy is the digital content creation. Through a series of exhaustive trainings, MaM Volunteers became ‘new experts’ on how to take captivating pictures, shoot a creative video, or produce qualitative podcast. The office wants to forge the iron when it is hot and asked two Volunteers to help capacitate IOM staff members on photography to enhance their reporting capacities.

The result: 16 staff members received a training on the basic elements of photography, a practical exercise, and a review session. Staff members were trained both on taking photos with a smartphone and a professional camera. Who is to say, this can be a new stepstone in the careers of both the Volunteers and IOM staff.