Kumasi, Ghana – July 31 2026
The second day of the Catholic Sisters Communicators Network Ghana (CASCON-GH) Media Training equipped participants with practical skills in story writing, media ethics, interviewing, and photography to enhance their digital communication ministry.
The July 31 training session also equipped about 40 Sisters from 22 Women Religious Congregations in Ghana with knowledge on how to effectively tell the stories of their Congregations.
The training from July 29 to August, 2026 is being organised by the Management of CASCON-GH with funding from the Conrad Hilton Foundation.
The morning session was facilitated by Ms. Jennifer Kwakyewa Akuamoah, an experienced Communication Specialist with a rich background in broadcast journalism, strategic communications, research, and media production.
Drawing from her professional experience, she guided participants through the principles of effective storytelling and responsible journalism.
Being part of the Global Newswatch Media and Communications team, Ms. Akuamoah explained that every compelling story should answer the five Ws and one H—What, Why, When, Where, Who, and How.
She emphasised that these six in elements form the foundation of quality reporting, helping communicators produce stories that are accurate, complete, relevant, and engaging.
She encouraged the Sister Communicators to understand their target audience before writing, stressing that the audience’s age, educational background, language, and interests should shape the style, tone, and content of every story.
Speaking on interviewing techniques, she highlighted the importance of preparation, research, and curiosity.
Participants were encouraged to research their subjects thoroughly, prepare purposeful questions, and remain professional throughout interviews by asking thoughtful follow-up questions while gently steering conversations back to the topic whenever interviewees attempted to avoid key issues.
Addressing today’s fast paced digital media environment, Mrs. Akuamoah reminded participants that credibility is a communicator’s greatest asset. While social media allows information to spread rapidly, she urged the sisters to prioritise verification and accuracy over the desire to publish first.
“If you cannot verify the information, don’t publish it,” she advised, encouraging participants to build their reputation on truth, integrity, and ethical communication.
She also discussed the importance of visual storytelling, explaining that photographs, captions, colours, and design work together to communicate a message.
Participants were encouraged to maintain consistent branding, proofread all communication materials carefully, and take full responsibility for every stage of the communication process from planning to publication.
In the afternoon, Mr. Derrick Attitsogbui Klu, also from the Global Newswatch Media and Communications team, facilitated a practical photography session, reminding participants that photography is more than simply taking pictures.
“It is a ministry that preserves the life and mission of the Church,” he emphasised .
He explained that photography could enable Religious Congregations to document significant events, tell inspiring stories, and showcase their apostolic works through websites, newsletters, and social media platforms.
Participants were introduced to the fundamentals of photography, beginning with the meaning of photography as “drawing or writing with light.”
They learned why visual storytelling is essential in preserving the Church’s history and engaging audiences through meaningful images.
The session covered the major parts of a DSLR camera, including the lens, camera body, viewfinder, LCD screen, shutter button, mode dial, memory card, and focus controls.
Through practical demonstrations, the sisters learned how to handle a camera correctly, maintain proper posture while shooting, and care for their equipment.
A major highlight of the training was understanding image quality and file formats.
Participants explored the differences between RAW and JPEG images and were encouraged to shoot in RAW + JPEG to allow for both quick sharing and professional post processing.
Mr. Attitsogbui also introduced the three pillars of good photography – light, focus, and composition.
He demonstrated techniques such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry, and various shot types, including full, medium, close-up, and extreme close-up shots.
The Sisters further gained practical knowledge of the different camera shooting modes, including Full Auto, Semi-Automatic, and Manual modes, while also learning the importance of proper file management, regular backups, respecting privacy, obtaining consent when photographing children and vulnerable persons, and using images responsibly in today’s digital age.
As part of their practical assignment, the Sister participants were tasked with producing a portrait, a group photograph, photographs of people at worship, and images of group activities to reinforce the photography skills learned during the session.
Indeed, the three-day training, being held at the Centre for Spiritual Renewal, Kumasi, continues to build the capacity of Sister Communicators by equipping them with practical skills in storytelling, photography, website administration, and digital communication to effectively proclaim the mission of the Church and the apostolic works of their congregations with professionalism, creativity, and integrity.
By Sr. Vera Tina Woelinam, HHCJ ( Catholic Sister Communicators Network, Ghana- CASCON-GH)
