Journalists Bios Climate II
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George THOMAS/Siby KATTAMPALLY (India) George Thomas, AKA Siby Kattampally, has 25 years experience as a journalist in India and abroad, for which he has received numerous awards for excellence. He was a John S. Knight Fellow at Stanford University, an accredited correspondent to the US presidential election in 1992, and reported from Washington on the India-US nuclear negotiations in 2006. Siby currently works as a senior editor at Malayala Manorama , India’s second largest daily, and regularly writes for the empowerment of marginalised and underprivileged communities. He also serves as executive secretary of the Kerala Press Foundation and the NGO Green Earth Movement, and is also involved with drama presentation having directed two short films. An inherited field helps to cultivate his farming interests through organic rice farming in his native village.
Ruth VILLARAMA (Philippines) For the past seven years Ruth has been involved in documentary production for television and multimedia in the Philippines and abroad. Having begun with producing video projects for international organisations, Ruth has since covered the denuding environment in the Philippines and been commissioned by the ILO-UNDP to expose child labour practices, for which her production group received an award at the 2007 UN film festival in New York. Currently, Ruth is completing documentaries for National Geographic-EDB, Mediacorp, Singapore,- highlighting environmental and humanitarian issues in the Philippines – and Voyage Film Media , for whom she is the CEO and Senior Editor.
Yury ELDYSHEV (Russia) Yury graduated from Moscow State University in 1968, going on to complete a post-graduate qualification at the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1972. Since then, he has served as deputy editor-in-chief of the Russian Academy of Sciences journal, Priroda (Nature) and director of the Russian, CIS and Baltic countries office for the British scientific journal, Nature. In 2005 Yury published Modern Biotechnology: myths and reality (Moscow, 2005), and has produced numerous articles about science and technology. Yury is currently the deputy editor-in-chief for the popular Russian scientific and educational journal, Ecologia i Zhizn (Environment and Life).
Orlando MERCADO PhD (Philippines)Orly Mercado has been actively involved in politics and media for most of his life. During his Political Science degree he served as a radio/TV announcer for Manila’s Republic Broadcasting System, moving on to ABS-CBN where he became head anchor of the popular Radio Patrol programme. Throughout his political career he has maintained the Philippine’s longest running public service programme helping the country’s indigents and poor, for which he received numerous awards. Orly’s reportage of contemporary events and uncompromising social commentaries led to him being detained in the 1970s during martial law declared by President Marcos.Serving as Senator for two consecutive terms gave him an opportunity to campaign for environmental causes in the Philippines, including a total ban on commercial logging, and subsequently an invitation to chair the Green Coalition, an environmental NGO. He also represented the Philippines in the UNCED Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro, 1992, and was an active member of the Parliamentarians for Global Action, New York. Orlando is currently a communications faculty member at Kobe College, Japan, and is President and CEO of Radio Philippines Network TV, channel 9.
Aliya TONKOBAYEVA (Kazakhstan) Aliya graduated from the Environmental Management Department of Karaganda State University in 2002 with a degree in Environmental Management. During this time she was also active in producing resources for environmental education, editing the youth magazine Me and the Earth and co-authoring manuals on environmental education.Since her graduation Aliya has worked as an Information Manager in the Resource Centre of Eco-Forum (coalition of NGOs), and in 2005 co-authored a public report on the the Aarhus Convention in Kazakhstan. Aliya has served since 2006 as the National Coordinator of the Digital Informational Network on Environment and Sustainable Development in Central Asia and Russia, a project initiated by the European UNDP. Since January 2007, Aliya has expanded her information specialisation to include work for the UNDP, Kazakhstan .She is a practicing vegetarian and aikido student, as well as an active bicycle user.
Dinesh LAKHANPAL (India) A journalist turned film maker, Dinesh has worked on more than 40 documentaries and worked as both Associate Director and Director on a number of full length feature films. Several of these documentaries have won Dinesh International and National awards and been screened at international events and conferences including; ‘Woods Were Lovely, Dark and Deep’ and ‘Food for All – The Spiritual Dimension’ - which was a commission for the UN World Food Programme to campaign for a hunger free world. Dinesh has contributed several articles to major publications in India on socio-economic, political and arts related subjects. He has recently completed a documentary entitled ‘They Never Knew’, highlighting the issues of migration, human-trafficking and HIV/AIDS.
Arsenio began his journalism career at the turn of the millenium, writing articles for newspapers in Mozambique about environmental issues such as land erosion and climate change, as well as highlighting the spread of malaria through mosquitoes in Africa. Arsenio has continued to develop his expertise on environmental issues through workshops in Mozambique, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya, and is also undertaking a Law degree at the Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique.Arsenio is currently the National Coordinator of African Media and Malaria Research Network, which is a collaboration between African journalists and scientists working towards the eradication of malaria in Africa, and a journalist for Mozambique’s major daily newspaper, Noticias .
Cheng Tan LI (Malaysia) Cheng Tan joined the Malaysian English daily, The Star , shortly after graduating in Journalism from the University Sains, Malaysia, in 1988. She has spent her career covering environmental issues, working for seven years at the news desk before joining the features desk, where she continued to write extensively on a wide range of environmental issues. Cheng Tan is currently assistant editor at the features desk, continuing to cover environmental features on top of other copy editing work. Apart from her editorial duties, Cheng Tan assists in planning and organising The Star’s environment-related projects, such as World Environment Day - celebrating environmental and recycling campaigns.
Vasile BOTNARU (Moldova) Since completing his studies in the 1980s, Vasile has spent his career working for a number of publications and agencies in his native Moldova and Russia. Starting as a correspondent at Viaţa satului, Vasile has gone on to work as coordinator, editor, director, stringer and chief for organisations including the Parliament of Moldova’s Sfatul Tarii (Country’s Assembly), BASA Press news agency, PRO-TV, Radio Liberty and Associated Press. Vasile is well-regarded for his journalistic merits, having received numerous awards during his career from both governmental and independent organisations.Vasile has also served as a member of the Broadcasting Council, Moldova, and from 2002-2004, taught journalism related subjects at the Free International Department, University of Moldova. He is currently the CHISINAU Bureau Chief for Radio Free Europe , an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central and Southwestern Asia.
Emile Koffi Séna KENKOU (Senegal/Togo) Emile graduated from the Centre d’Etudes des Sciences et Techniques de l’Information de l’Université, Dakar, in 1995. Subsequent to his studies, Emile moved to Togo to work as a journalist and reporter for radio and television between 1996 and 2004, at which time he returned to Dakar to work at the regional office of Plan International, an international NGO that defends the rights of children. Furthering his involvement in children’s rights, Emile returned to Togo to oversee the coordination of a project involving media coverage of this issue until January, 2007. Since February 2007, Emile has been head of the Communication Office of the UNDP, Togo , and is currently Vice-Secretary General of the Media Network for Environment and Water.
Mbimba, generally known as Elvis Mbimba, studied Communication and Sociology at the University of Douala, Cameroon. Since his graduation in 2000, Elvis Mbimba has worked as a journalist for Cameroon State media (CRTV), where he is currently the Deputy Head of the Society and Culture Division.
Victor MUBWIGIRI (Burundi) Victor has worked as a journalist specialising in environmental issues since 1991, when he joined the Burundi News Agency . After almost ten years, Victor moved on to become Director and Editor-in-chief for Notre Terre (Our World) newspaper in 2000, where he continues to concentrate on environmental aspects. He has attended a number of previous training workshops for environmental reporting in Burundi, Uganda and Egypt.
Nicholas READER (Senegal) During his near ten year career as a journalist, Nicholas has served as Analyst for the International Crisis Group in New York and East Asia, International Editor of Legal Business magazine, and corresponded for agencies including Panos and the Christian Science Monitor. Nicholas is currently a reporter in the West Africa Bureau of IRIN News, Dakar, where her wrties, commissions and edits humanitarian news and analysis from throughout the sub-region.
Khalid Abdel Aziz SAYED (Sudan) Khalid has worked within the Sudanese media since completing a Post Grad Diploma in Communication from the University of Khartoum, Sudan, in 1997. Since then he has worked as correspondent, editor, head of news and Deputy Editor-in-chief for a number of Sudanese newspapers including Alray Alakhar, Khartoum Daily, Aladwaa, Al Sudani and Afia Darfur. Khalid has also volunteered his skills to the Sudanese Environmental Conservation Society, an NGO working towards sustainable development, serving as Coordinator and later Head of Communications until 2004. Khalid has continued to cultivate his expertise in environmental and development reporting through numerous workshops in Sudan, Egypt, Kenya and the UAE. He currently works as Deputy Editor-in-chief and journalist for the Afia Darfur monthly newspaper.
Gisèle Da-Matha – ADISSODA (Benin)
Gisèle has worked as a journalist focusing on politics and feminine issues in Benin since her graduation in 1975 from Zaire University. Until 2006 she served as Communications Counsellor to both the President of Benin, and the subsequent Prime Minister following the country’s democratic transition in 1990. Her political involvement has led to participation at several international conferences for Chiefs of State.
Didier began his career practicing law after his graduation in 1992, diversifying into journalism several years later. He trained in print journalism at La Gazette du Golfe, moving on to work as Editor at Echo magazine and then the newspaper, Républicain. Throughout his career, Didier has furthered his expertise through numerous international workshops dealing with international development and environmental reporting.
Chinedum Emmanuel UWAEGBULAM (Nigeria)
Chinedum has worked as a journalist for over 14 years, focusing on promoting public awareness and participation on environmental and developmental issues. He is a Linguistics graduate, holds an MA in Public Administration and a Diploma in Environmental Journalism. He has continued his professional development through several skill development programs in Nigeria, United States, Ghana and Sweden.
Dalia has worked as a journalist since 1994, devoting her coverage to environmental issues since 1999. Her reports focus mainly on national environmental issues in Egypt and how they influence the livelihoods of Egyptians and the Nile Basin. Dalia is currently the Environment Editor for the newspaper, Al Ahram Hebdo , and North Africa coordinator for the African Network of Environmental Journalists – a UN Environment Program initiative. She was awarded Reuters-IUCN Environmental Media Award in 2006, recognising her contribution in raising global awareness of environmental and developmental issues.
Suncica has been developing her specialisation in communication since graduating in French Language and Literature from Zagreb University in 1998. She has since gained an MA in European HR Development Studies, for which she received recognition for her thesis, and diversified into Public Relations qualifications, including a diploma from the London School of PR in 2006.
Daniel has worked as a journalist in Venezuela since 1997. During his course in Social Communication at university he worked as journalist and assistant editor until 1999 for the ‘Strategy and Business’ sector of C.A. Editora El Nacional, Caracas, after which Daniel worked as Editor/Director of Content for the group, Ven Business in Caracas, coordinating the news section of its financial sector.
Madeleine is a Development Economics graduate with an MA in International Development and has been reporting on development and environmental issues throughout her career. She has worked as journalist, editor and news editor for a range of publications in London including The Times, Sunday Times, Guardian and the Observer, and in South Africa for Financial Mail, Business Report and the Mail & Guardian.
Jutus graduated from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication, Nairobi, ten years ago. Since then, he has worked as a journalist for several publications including Islam Online and the Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation , for which he was awarded the Perpetual Award for Excellence in Journalism from the African Centre for Communication Education. Justus has focused on social, political and environmental issues in Kenya, and has attended various workshops on Globalization, Climate Change and Population and Health and the Environment.
Wezi TJARONDA (Namibia) Wezi has worked as a journalist since 1994 after obtaining a BA in Humanities, and has worked in Namibia and her home country, Malawi. She writes about the environment, agriculture and children’s issues and is currently Senior Reporter for the New Era newspaper, one of two daily English language newspapers in Namibia. Alongside her reporting career, Wezi has continued to diversify her talents through a home based textile and hand made jewellery business.
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Arsenio MANHICE (Mozambique)
Mbimba Ndonda Elvis PATIENCE (Cameroon)
Didier Hubert MADAFIME (Benin)
Dalia Abdel Salam El DESSOUKY (Egypt)
Suncica PLESTINA (Croatia)
Daniel Ricardo HERNANDEZ (Venezuela)
Madeleine WACKERNAGEL (Kenya)
