"In April 2006, the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) embarked on a three-year journey in peer to peer mentoring. Through Project SjCOOP (Science journalism COOPeration), 16 experienced science journalists from 15 African, Arab, European and North American countries became companions to ... sixty of their colleagues in 33 African and Arab countries for two years. It was essentially a mentoring project at a distance, across multiple cultures, across countries and continents. The SjCOOP project led to the creation of seven associations of science journalists and made African and Arab science journalists true partners in the international community of science journalism. In this guidebook, Kathryn O’Hara, who gave the initial training in mentoring to the SjCOOP mentors, shares the lessons learned in the mentoring process and looks into the complex mentor-mentee relationship which is always full of surprises." (Foreword, page 3) more

"SjCOOP1 objectives were to (1) develop a network of professional science journalists in Africa, North Africa and in the Middle East; (2) put in place national and regional associations of science journalists; and (3) strengthen the World Federation of Science Journalists as a supportive partner of ... science journalists in the developing world. In 2009, at the end of SjCOOP, networks of science journalists are now in place in Africa and in the Arab World. Each network is made of one regional association complemented by national associations. The African network includes nine national associations (6 created by SjCOOP) with a total membership of 408 journalists. The Arab network is mainly represented by a pan-Arab association with two national associations (created through SjCOOP) representing some 215 journalists. [...] Twelve associations from the developing world are now official members of the World Federation of Science Journalists and eight are twinned with associations in Asia, Europe and North America. This new global network in science journalism creates an incentive for better reporting and increased recognition of science journalists in the developing world." (Executive summary, page 6) more