Kabul private university launches fund to support journalists

KABUL (Pajhwok): A private higher education institution in Kabul has established a fund for journalists to provide economic and educational support to the country’s fraternity.

The opening ceremony was held at Bakhtar University today (Monday) in Kabul, in which officials from a number of media outlets and organizations supporting journalists were present.

At the opening ceremony, Mohammad Hanif Farzan, Head of Journalism Faculty, said taking into account Islamic, national, social, and moral teachings, they decided to support journalists financially.

He emphasized the capacity of journalists should be strengthened from a scientific, technical, legal and professional perspective.

They are committed to using the financial and educational fund for journalists to take a certain amount from the salaries of professors, students’ fees, and the university’s personal budget and provide it to journalists monthly so that this money can be used to meet the economic needs of one of the journalists.

“From this fund, we are ready to recruit journalists who are facing economic difficulties or whose education is incomplete, free of charge, to Journalism Faculty and provide them with educational support”: he added.

According to Farzan, through a transparent mechanism and with colleagues from media institutions and media officials, donations collected through this fund are made available to one or two qualified journalists every month or every two months.

Meanwhile, Abdul Qadeem Viar, head of Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, explained more focus should be placed on the education of journalists to provide more cadres to society.

There are various institutions supporting journalists, and this fund should be focused more on education of journalists, Viar added.

Hojatullah Mujadedi, Afghan Free Journalists Union Director, said Bakhtar University should focus more on improving the capacity and education of journalists, because some journalists need to pursue a career in journalism.

He emphasized support for the fund.

Creating such funds could, to some extent, alleviate the economic problems of journalists, Fawad Nazari a journalist told Pajhwok Afghan News.

He emphasized the creators of this fund and those responsible should return the right to its rightful owner and provide assistance to real journalists in a fundamental way.

Journalists face many problems, and many of them work in the media for little or no pay, he explained.

hz/ma