Name of the Event: MSF South Asia Without Borders Media Fellowship

Date: August – October 2024

Working language: English

Last Date of Application: 14 July 2024

Link to Apply:

MSF is opening the call for proposals by journalists, photographers, filmmakers, and newsroom editors to join the 2024-2025 cohort of the Without Borders Media Fellowship. This Fellowship aims to encourage humanitarian and health-related journalistic reporting, and leverages scientific storytelling to draw attention to emerging local or cross-border issues in the South Asia region. Journalists awarded with this fellowship are expected to produce at least one in-depth report by engaging with affected populations and stakeholders. The fellows will have an opportunity to work closely with mentors, who are experts and thought leaders in journalism and public health, as well as medical and operations specialists from the MSF movement.

Who Can Apply?

• MSF welcomes applications from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

• Journalists from diverse backgrounds, including staff reporters, photographers, radio/audio journalists, and television/video journalists working in print, television, and online media (including YouTube), as well as freelancers based in the countries above.

• Applications must be submitted in English. However, applicants are encouraged to additionally publish their stories in the local languages of their region.

Selection Criteria:

• Reporting proposals must be grounded in significant public health or humanitarian crises, in the countries mentioned above.

• Proposals must align with MSF’s work, social mission, and values.

• The current relevance of the story pitch.

• Innovative storytelling idea that has the potential to bring new insights to an issue.

• A minimum of 3 years of professional experience is required for applicants.

• Former fellows are eligible to apply, however, priority will be given to first-time applicants.

What to Expect as a Fellow?

Media Fellows who are selected for the MSF program are provided with comprehensive support throughout their journey. This includes mentorship, subject matter sensitization, and training, as well as access to MSF projects and experts. They also receive funding for reporting costs for field visits, based on reasonable and detailed budgets. Most awards range between INR 50,000 to INR 2,00,000 (or the local currency equivalent). The amount may vary depending on individual circumstances.

The Fellowship award covers a duration of three to five months for the project, with some projects requiring further consideration depending on the application and reporting proposal. Fellows are expected to publish their work before the end of 2024.

Application Guide

As the selection for the Without Borders Media Fellowship is competitive, we ask applicants to provide:

• Story Proposal: MSF expects a concrete proposal including Title of the Proposal, location(s) of reporting, well-researched pitch with references (data, news story, examples) to add context (500-750 words).

• Medium of publication: Print, Digital, TV, Podcast

• Letter of commitment or interest from a media organization(s) that would publish your story(ies) Names and contacts of two professional references.

• Reporting plan: Applicants must share a detailed reporting plan that lists out the preferred start and end dates of the fellowship, field visit dates, locations, risks involved (legal and physical) etc. Pre-reporting by the applicant on the subject will be of advantage to the application.

• List of stakeholders (institutions, organizations, collectives and individuals) that you will contact for information or insight during the reporting process of the Fellowship.

• Three examples (links) of your most relevant stories (to the pitch) published recently.

• List of collaborators in this story, if any (for example stringers, data scientists, illustrators, photographers etc.)

• Tentative date of publication of this story.

• Statement of Motivation (300 words)

• CV or Resume.

• Contact details of two professional references.