The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) in collaboration with PARIS21 is holding a five-day training on data visualization and infographics.
The training, which kicked off on Monday this week in Northern Rwanda’s Musanze District, is bringing together NISR’s data visualisation team, journalists from the Rwandan media and professionals in graphic design.
As the concept of conveying information through infographics and data visualisation is gaining a tremendous ground in the statistical community, NISR is engaging people to visualize the statistical information it produces.
In order to institutionalise the practice of using infographic in statistical publication and in journalistic stories in Rwanda, it is essential bringing together a team with mixed skill sets to contribute regulary in the statistical data dissemination process.
The training aimed at helping journalists better write stories that contribute in the policy process in an easy manner. The journalists in Rwanda therefore need to develop capacities in visualising data.
The training has empowered journalists with the skills on how to find data and use it to support stories as well as visualising the data to maximise their stories’ impact.
“I have once again been given a chance to think about how to find data from NISR’s website and retrieve it for use in my daily story writing,” said Mr. Eugene Kwibuka, a senior news reporter with The New Times newspaper in Kigali.
Mrs. Diana Munuku, a director in a private communications compagny, confirms that the training equipped her with data visualisation skills. “As a content aggragator and designer, I previously faced chellenges in interpreting the data I wrote about or encountered. I will now give clients much more than just text and pictures,” she said.
As a result of the training, journalists are now aware of the role of their engagement with the National Statistical System and are ready to provide recommendation on how to further deepen the linkage between the media and NISR’s work.
By: Jean Paul TUGIRIMANA / PR & Communications Manager