as a deadline closes in, a door opens

Dear sisters in Voice of the Future,

I have made preparations for my feature story for the past 3 weeks already, doing research, going to the field and interviewing key people for the story, but alas, i still might not be able to make it to the deadline. My feature story is about diaspora and how diaspora could help stem back the tide of women migration in my country. The voices of the diaspora women involved in the story is very important so i cannot leave them out.I have already contacted two of the key women migrants involved in the story and have asked them for an interview. But connecting to them has been difficult because they are usually busy and are going out most of the time and have minimal access to the internet. That is why until now, i am still waiting for their answers to my interview questions.

But despite not making it to the deadline, i am still happy to inform the group that being one of Voice of the Future Correspondents has opened a new door to me. Right now, i am in the middle of a conference among women radio journalists from several Asia Pacific countries called Women Making Waves for Peace project sponsored by Isis International Philippines. I spoke to them as a journalist , sharing my understanding and experiences in Engendering Peace Journalism. And part of the experiences i am imparting is the experience of writing stories about women issues that i am doing for VOF.I would not have the confidence of standing before them, if i wasn't enriched by the inputs i got and the exchanges we have had in our journey in online journalism.