"In the newspaper but also in the country, science and technology are not a priority," says Jean-Ren Bompolonga, who writes a science and technology column for the general information independent daily Le Phare in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He sees this lack of priority as a challenge and he is obliged to convince his colleagues about the interest those issues can represent for readers and therefore for the newspaper.

The main challenge is to interest readers.

"I try to focus on something readers can notice on the ground without too much effort," he says.

It is all a matter of focus, says Mr Bompolonga. For example, when he covered a conference on the mineral resources of the DRC, he chose to focus on the difficulties scientists have when pursuing mineral research.

"The map which geologists now use was designed in 1976," he explained. The inaccuracies in this map are easy for readers to understand. "Readers can have a map in their workroom, in their house, in libraries and in books which they possess, and they can build therefore an idea of the problem."

Another way to interest readers is to link science to current events. When the Nyragongo volcano erupted in Goma earlier this year, "readers needed information about this eruption and about the volcano. I interviewed a geophysicist who had worked on the volcano previously" who provided important background, says Mr Bompolonga. The interview took up more than a half-page in the newspaper.

"It is current events which interests readers and not themes," he says.

Mr Bompolonga says this approach attracts readers and therefore advertisers. "In every country, including the DRC, scientists and the main beneficiaries of their work - manufacturers and other entrepreneurs - are very present. Today, because of the economic crises, they are economically weakened. But with a stable economy and peace in the country, I strongly believe Le Phare will be the main beneficiary of the scientists and the manufacturers’ advertisement," he says.