BOARD OF DIRECTORSArnold Amber
The Newspaper Guild
President
Mori Abdolalian
CJFE Journalists in Exile
Alison Armstrong
Journalist/writer
Bob Carty
CBC-Radio "The Sunday Edition"
Havoc Franklin
CBC Radio
Peter Jacobsen
Bersenas Jacobsen Chouest Thomson Blackburn LLP
Alice Klein
Now Magazine
Donald Livingstone
Promeus
Anita Mielewczyk
Journalist/Law Student
John Norris
Criminal Law Lawyer
Sharda Prashad
Canadian Business
Mary Deanne Shears
Journalist
Kelly Toughill
King's College School of Journalism
Anna Maria Tremonti
CBC Radio "The Current"
Philip Tunley
Lawyer,Stockwoods LLP
Fund for Zimbabwean Journalism Student - Mbonisi Zikhali
"I dream of stating my convictions in a liberal democracy that is free of censorship, supportive of youthful voices and tolerant of divergent views. This is one of the main reasons why I wish to pursue my studies at the graduate level in Canada" ___________________________________________________________________________Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), working with Canadian activist Emily Wilson, has set up a fund on behalf of Zimbabwean journalist Mbonisi Zikhali.
Background about Mbonisi:
Mbonisi is a 27-year-old journalism student from a township outside of Bulawayo city in Zimbabwe. He has experienced intimidation from lecturers when trying to express opinions in his
academic work and from state authorities when writing for an independent newspaper, as well as multiple interruptions to his studies over the past several years due to the political situation
in Zimbabwe. Recently, he was accepted into the highly competitive and well-respected Masters in Journalism program at Carleton University in Ottawa, starting in September 2009. Click here
to learn more about Mbonisi
Emily Wilson, who met Mbonisi in October 2008 in Bulawayo, was inspired by his story and his determination. She has set herself the challenge of raising $20,000 to help Mbonisi pay for his living costs during his two years at Carleton.
The Fund:
CJFE will be collecting funds through Canada Helps for Mbonisi Zikhali until September 30, 2009.
These funds will be used to help cover Mbonisi's accommodation, food, health insurance, books and other expenses while he studies in Canada. Carleton University has generously agreed to cover Mbonisi's tuition costs for both years of the Masters in Journalism program and 200,000 Aeroplan points have been collected through a charitable account in order to cover the costs of his flights.
How To Donate:
To donate, please click on the Canada Helps Giving Link
CanadaHelps is a public charitable foundation (896568417RR0001). It is Canada's only donation portal that provides access to all of Canada's 80,000 charities.
The Current Climate in Zimbabwe:
Zimbabwe is a country that has been in crisis for over a decade, and whose recent history has been marked by soaring inflation rates, political corruption, dismantling of the independent media,
massive unemployment, food and commodity shortages, the collapse of essential services, and violent clampdowns on civil society.
Click here to learn more about Zimbabwe