In part two of this three-part investigation Front Page Africa and New Narratives look at efforts to repatriate women trafficked to Oman and efforts to bring traffickers to justice. Monrovia – After a harrowing six months in Oman Sarah and Kolu, victims of human trafficking, returned home in early March. Their families were vexed with…
Success Stories
Door Closes on Oman as Destination for Trafficked Women
Monrovia – In separate chilly mornings in September and October 2021 Sarah and Kolu defied the weather to travel to Roberts International Airport with one thing in mind: a trip to “paradise,” where all their sufferings and hardship would end. The pair, cousins in their 20s whose names FPA/NN is concealing for their security, say…
Liberia: 2022, A Bad Year for Victims of Child Rape
Martu Yardolo had just turned 17 when she says she was given a drug hidden in a drink and gang raped by three men. It was the night of her birthday. Yardolo was looking forward to celebrating with her friends. Instead but it ended in violence that has destroyed her world Commentary by Evelyn Kpadeh…
Accused Oman Trafficker Skips Bail, Family Members Jailed Over His Escape
Monrovia – A Liberian man facing a minimum 20-year sentence for trafficking nearly 200 Liberian women to Oman has skipped bail and vanished leaving victims angry. Cephas Selebay, believed to be in his early 30s, worked as an accountant for the Forestry Training Institute in Bomi County before he was arrested in August. By: Anthony…
Police and Public Officials Step Up Attacks on Journalists in Liberia
As the 2023 general elections approach tensions are rising everywhere. No one has felt that more than Liberia’s journalists. Newsmen and women have faced arrest, threats and physical assault. Press freedom advocates say these are designed to intimidate them from doing their jobs. It has worked. Newsrooms across the country report a sense of fear…
Domestic Violence and Gender Based Violence Continue to Plague Liberians
Domestic and Gender Based Violence continue to be major problems in Liberian society including here in Bong County. Of about two hundred and fifty five inmates currently behind bars at Gbarnga Central Prison, seventy are there for sexual violence offences. But anti-violence activists say cases that make it to conviction are just a tiny share…
New Narratives Coverage of Warlord Trial Makes International Media
New Narratives reporters covered the trial of Mohammed Jabateh, convicted of immigration fraud in a Philadelphia court in October 2017. Reporters Tetee Gebro, Jackson Kanneh, James Harding Giahyue provided extensive reporting in Liberia and in the court and Liberian community in Philadelphia. Court art was also done by NN visual artist Chase Walker. Please see…
NN editors launch “African Muckraking” at Global Journalism Conference
If you’re going to the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Johannesburg please come and join us for the launch of “African Muckraking: 100 Years of African Investigative Journalism” edited by Anya Schiffrin, Anton Harber and George Lugalambi. The book features groundbreaking work by our Mae Azango, introduced by our Executive Director Prue Clarke and by Liberian journalist legend…
Liberian students get scholarship U-turn after journalist reports funding collapse
A Liberian journalist taking part in the Foundation’s Wealth of Nations programme has helped force a U-turn after he reported on dozens of students who had had their funding cut by Liberia’s national oil company, NOCAL. NOCAL hit the headlines in June 2015 when it suddenly announced it was close to bankruptcy. The story figured strongly…
New Narratives Reporters Profiled in Valerie Magazine
After the War, Liberian Women Fight for a New Future MONROVIA, Liberia—As a feminist and reporter based in West Africa, I was drawn to Liberia by the promise of women, who played a significant role in rebuilding a nation left shattered by 14 years of civil war. The international face of the West African country…
NN’s Tecee Boley Wins Prestigious Scholarship to South African University
New Narratives is immensely proud that our fellow and Senior Reporter for Front Page Africa Tecee Boley has won the 2014 Konrad-Adnauer-Stiftung scholarship to the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Tecee was one of three journalists chosen from across Africa for the prestigious program. Tecee was one of the first reporters to…
NN’s Robtel Pailey named to Top 99 Foreign Policy Professionals Under 33
WASHINGTON, DC: The Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy are pleased to announce that Robtel Pailey, Opinion Columnist with New Narratives, has been recognized on the 2013 “99 Under 33,” an international list noting the most influential foreign policy leaders under the age of 33. The complete list is available at: www.diplomaticourier.com/99Under33. See…
NN’s Wade Williams Wins German Development Prize for Africa
NN is very proud of fellow and FrontPage Africa Newsroom Chief Wade William who capped a brilliant year last night by winning the German Media Development Prize for Africa at a ceremony in Berlin – on her birthday! The win follows Wade’s success in winning a prestigious Dag Hammarskjold fellowship to the UN last year…
NN Reporting Prompts Govt to Announce Elimination of Female Genital Cutting Day
In the wake of the international uproar prompted by death threats against NN Country Manager Mae Azango, the Liberian government has taken the unprecedented step of announcing February 6 will be “Intensifying Efforts for Elimination of Female Genital Cutting” Day. Before the breakthrough reporting by Azango in FrontPage Africa and NN fellow Tetee Gebro for…
Letter of Support from an Appreciative Reader
Letter from Liberian reader, Flomo Freeman to New Narratives: Today is a very all important one to extend thanks and appreciations to staff and team members at New Narratives media institution. You all are doing an amazing and sacrificial job that many people would otherwise do in a society where many parts remain inaccessible and…
NN’s Mae Azango Wins Committee to Protect Journalists’ International Press Freedom Award
New Narratives is delighted one of our senior fellows Mae Azango has been chosen as one of four international journalists to receive the 2012 Committee to Protect Journalists’ International Press Freedom Award. The award recognizes Mae’s courage in reporting earlier this year on the health risks of female genital cutting in traditional societies in her…
NN’s Proudest Moment: Reporting Prompts Leaders to Herald End of Female Genital Cutting
In a powerful example of the impact support for African media can have, NN’s reporting has prompted Liberian leaders to announce the end of one of the most harmful practices endured by women in Africa. Reporting by NN’s Mae Azango and Tetee Gebro has prompted the Liberian government and traditional leaders to announce they had shut…
NN Reports First Interviews With Gay Men in Liberia
NN fellow Wade Williams and photographer Chase Walker have published the first interviews with openly gay men in Liberia. The story was published as gay rights activists have been attacked and faced death threats in the country. The reporting took considerable bravery on the part of our reporters, the interview subjects and FrontPage Africa editor…
NN and FrontPage Africa Feature Liberia’s First Interview with Homosexuals
At New Narratives we believe discussing issues in a public forum is the first step to finding solutions that will protect the rights of all people. For that reason we are proud that are reporter, FrontPage Africa editor Wade Williams has done the first interviews with gay Liberians to run in the country’s press. Prior to…
US government gives $50K to Liberian rape clinic featured in NN reporting
The THINK rape clinic in Monrovia, featured in New Narratives reporting on child rape, has been granted $50,000 by the US embassy in Liberia to keep up their outstanding work. A 3-year-old rape victim walked into the clinic when NN was reporting there in 2010. Said clinic supervisor Elizabeth Kekula: “We tell leaders that tiny children…
New Narratives fellow Mae Azango becomes the second Liberian woman to win a US reporting grant.
FrontPage Africa reporter Mae Azango has been selected as one of four African journalists to win a prestigious grant from the U.S.-based Pulitzer Center to cover reproductive health issues. Mae will join 3 other African journalists awarded the grants at the International Conference on Family Planning in Senegal from November 28 – December 3. The…