Youth Media Action (YMA) is a Liberian grassroots media development initiative that provides training and broadcasting experience to high school students and youths in ten of Liberia’s 15 counties. With a team of young staff led by Liberian journalist Varmah Kamara, YMA coordinates a weekly student-led radio show broadcast nationwide on ELBC, the national state radio station. YMA also runs twice-y
early journalism vacation programs for child broadcasters and recent graduates and an elective journalism program for high schools. Over 3,000 students have passed through YMA’s programs since its launch in 2016. YMA also runs internship and mentorship programs for young people upon graduation from high school and in 2022, YMA launched Liberia’s 1st Youth Reporter of the Year award to celebrate entry-level reporters and promote the excellence of their works. YMA has also worked on advocacy campaigns, including a project in 2019 with Internews to raise awareness for human trafficking. In 2020, YMA also worked with Internews to provide civic education for first-time voters in Montserrado County ahead of senatorial elections. YMA with support from Internews on the USAID Media activity currently runs a five-year media development program in high schools as most of Liberia’s journalists started their careers at high school press clubs. YMA has also partnered twice with the YMCA and thrice with Internews in the National Press Club Exhibition where schools compete for an annual press club trophy. YMA has also developed Liberia’s first Youth Journalism training Manual to address the poor foundation of media education and lack of early journalism and practice by enhancing media development and providing young people with a firm practical background in journalism. Since 2022, YMA with support from the Universal Outreach Foundation, a Canadian-based organization, has been running an after-school program for youths as a creative approach to solving some of the issues affecting them by engaging in practical exercises that improve their literacy skills and giving them clear effective way to express their dreams and concerns whilst introducing them to journalism as a potential career path. When budgets permit, YMA organizes excursions for students to visit areas of national historical significance and natural beauty, enabling them to explore parts of the country they would not otherwise have access to. Under the context of a challenging and under-resourced media landscape, YMA seeks to act as a force to professionalize Liberia’s media sector by providing young people with a firm practical grounding in journalism through training opportunities and media exposure. One of our core aims is to inspire media reforms to enable professional journalism to support a vibrant democracy. YMA places a special focus on mentoring aspiring young female journalists who are currently underrepresented in the Liberian media.
