By Hussaini Garba Mohammed

In a press statements issued on early 2022, by Girlie Sibanda, from the Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) and UNICEF, with head office in JOHANNESBURG- South Africa, the press release stated we are excited to announce the lsu Elihle Awards 2022.

The phrase, Isu Elihle is isiZulu for “great idea”. As the name suggests its awards competition that encourages fresh thinking and innovative ideas for African journalists to come up with great story ideas on issues face children. These awards also encourage journalists to hold to account those in power to address these issues. Over the past six years these awards have gained a lot of traction across the continent as we have received applications from twenty countries, according to the statement,

 MMA’s awards seek to give children a voice and highlight the status of children in our continent. Journalists behind these ideas will each receive guaranteed financial support of ZAR 10 000. MMA will also offer support to the finalists to develop their concepts. The final stories will be ranked, and the final cash prizes will be awarded as follows: ZAR 25 000 (Overall Winner); ZAR 15 000 (2nd place); ZAR 10 000 (Third Place).

Project coordinator Girlie Sibanda said, “these Awards have made a huge impact to storytelling as journalist are focusing more on telling the stories of an African child , we are looking forward to all the great ideas we are going to receive this year.”

About MMA

Media Monitoring Africa‘s vision is a responsible, quality media that enables an engaged and informed citizenry in Africa and across the world. MMA aims to promote the development of a free, fair, ethical and critical media culture in South Africa and the rest of the continent. To achieve MMA’s vision, the three key areas that MMA seeks to address through a human rights-based approach are: media ethics, media quality and media freedom.

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better

Finally the Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) together with UNICEF announced the 2022 Isu Elihle Awards finalists on the 23rd of August 2022 at 4:00. Find the name of the finalists including their bio-data and pictures.

Isu Elihle 2022 Top 6 Finalists

Waji Kiga Elis

Waji Kiga Elis Banmia is an experienced Cameroonian backpack Journalist and a fact checker who currently works for the country’s State broadcaster the Cameroon Radio and Television – CRTV, Adamawa Regional Station.  As a versatile journalist, Elis believes in the power of the media in changing narratives and shaping attitudes and behaviors in society. Over the years he has covered several stories in Cameroon’s 10 regions and abroad acting as a Camera operator, Video/Sound editor, and reporter. Through his documentaries and reports on the education of the girl child, gender-based violence, and kidnapping for ransoms in the Northern parts of Cameroon, he has been able to drive positive change and frame debates on these issues. Elis has also carved a niche in reporting political and peacebuilding stories that have established bonds within various communities.

As a fact checker, he has published and contributed to the writing of numerous fact-checking reports that have silenced fake news concerning children in Ngaoundal, the Adamawa region, and other sensitive topics across Cameroon.

Elis has worked as a Journalist/Editor at Mediafrique radio Douala where he was in charge of creating and supervising news content on daily basis. He has also worked as a volunteer for several private radio stations in Yaoundé, prominent among them being Magic FM.

Apart from being a Backpack Journalist with a strong desire to impact society through factual, soul-touching, and compelling packages, Elis is equally a communication researcher. His knack for qualitative and quantitative research earned him a role as a communication researcher/data collector at the Cameroon National Institute of Statistics. Detailed and verified data he gathered in different households is today helping the government to take accurate decisions for the improvement of the population’s well-being.

Waji Kiga Elis is the holder of a BSc honors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea. He also has a diploma as the pioneer badge of backpack Journalist trained at the CRTV Audio visual Heritage Training and Conservation Institute. He has a burning passion for reporting on peace, justice, and strong institution.

Rolivhuwa Sadiki

My name is Rolivhuwa Sadiki and I am a 28 year-old South African freelance journalist. I hail from a rural community called Maniini just outside Thohoyandou in the province of Limpopo. I hold a BA in Media Studies from the University of Venda and an honours degree in the same field from the University of Limpopo.

I started out my journalism career as a freelance journalist trainee in 2018 at Mukurukuru Media – an African newspaper agency owned by award-winning journalist, editor and photographer Lucas Ledwaba. It was at the time when the now defunct VBS Mutual Bank was at the brink of collapsing and I had the opportunity of interviewing some of the depositors who had been banking with VBS for the longest time.

During my stay at the agency, I had the pleasure of writing hard news and in-depth feature pieces. I would tackle just any beat from politics, business, health, law, land and agriculture just to mention a few and that led to my by-line being featured in national publications such as the Sowetan, DRUM, City Press, Daily Maverick, Sunday Independent, New Frame, Mail & Guardian as well as smaller publications including Inside Metros, Inside Education and Vutivi Business News.

From March 2020 until March 2021, I was an intern at the South African Advancement for Science and Technology (SAASTA) under their Youth in Journalism program for Science and Technology where I was placed at UnivenFM, a campus-based community radio station at the University of Venda. I was responsible for producing science and technology content within the Vhembe district. I also assisted in the news department where I compiled and edited news for live radio bulletin. I would also deliver the news live on air as a news anchor.

In December 2021, I was awarded the Inaugural Kgalemelang GBV Media Fellowship by intersectional feminist organization, Soul City Institute for Social Justice where I had to write a feature piece on the topic of statutory rape under the mentoring of award-winning journalist Pontsho Pilane. The story was published by Health-e.

I am passionate about writing and consider myself highly ambitious. I love reading and being successful. I am definitely a global citizen.

Lourdes Walusala

Lourdes Walusala is an award-winning multimedia journalist with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), a state-run media organization that broadcasts in English, Kiswahili, and most local languages in Kenya. She has ten years of hands-on experience in radio production, health journalism, and global health storytelling.

Outside formal employment, she is an active member of the Association of Media Women in Kenya and the International Association of Women in Radio and Television. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Media Practice for Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex in the UK and several fellowships.

Ruyange Jean-Fraterne

I am a passionate writer and web activist who advocates for social justice and equal rights.

As the winner of the best French-speaking blogger contest organized by Radio France Internationale, Mondoblog 2017, I use storytelling as a way to motivate young people to take their responsibilities seriously.

A passionate poet and lulled by writing since my early childhood, I have been scratching my desires and fears since the school bench. This is how I won the DRC prize at the “Journée du Manuscrit Francophone” 2016 (#JDMF2016). Also, I am the author of the anthem of the Université Libre des Pays des Grands-Lacs where I studied law.

Currently based in Kampala, I am the editor-in-chief of Bonjour Kampala, the only French-speaking radio station in Uganda. Spreading love and peace is the mission I assign to my feather.

Nicole Tau

Nicole Tau is a dedicated investigative journalist at MNN Centre for Investigative Journalism, helping them expose corruption, wrong doing and exploitation through investigative journalism. Nicole believes in the power of writing to influence change and make real impact in the world and investigative journalism has the power and grit to exert change and hold those in power accountable as well as be the voice for the vulnerable and the powerless.  Nicole considers journalism as a form of activism, and as such, she is committed to addressing and bringing to light issues such as social injustices, human rights violations, heinous crimes against children and the environment, corrupt practices and systems that are harmful to society, and advocating for the implementation of policies that should have addressed and mitigated those issues.Since joining MNNCIJ, Nicole has been part of its Advocacy event which was based on a Sinking school feeding project story that she did which raised awareness on the deplorable state of Lesotho’s school feeding scheme.

This year in February, I was also fourth, out of five, runner up in a climate and environment competition hosted and sponsored by the British High Commission in Lesotho for my story titled Lesotho’s water authorities threaten regional water supply. In addition following my story titled NGO Boss Accused Of Diverting Projects Funds To Form A Party, the said boss was then dismissed by the organization in line with some of the most apparent findings from the story. Nicole is also a member of the Media Institute of Southern Africa-Lesotho (MISA) as well as its Media Advocacy committee member. Nicole Tau has a Bachelor of Arts in English Language, Literature, and Linguistics. She is also a published author, with a tale titled Epiphany appearing in the book Likheleke Tsa Puo, and she won first place in Writers Space Africa-Lesotho with a piece titled Old Souls. Nicole’s goal with her writing in all its forms is to effect change and enhance the lives of the less fortunate by enlightening, educating, and bringing the truth to light.

Thomas Bwire

An award-winning journalist with 10 years of experience. He now also works as a features contributor with National Public Radio (NPR) Radio based in the US. He also co-runs a media digital platform Habari Kibra. He holds a BA in Mass Communication from Mount Kenya University.

With awards like The ISU ELIHLE in 2019, CNN Multi-Choice in 2013, Internews StoryFest 2012, and Children Legal Action Network (CLAN) under his belt, Thomas brings a wealth of journalism experience and network to the team of Habari Kibra.

Thomas has also participated in a yearlong International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) September 2017-September 2018 Fellowship reporting on Early Childhood Development (ECD). This fellowship program has cultivated a deeper interest to continue reporting on ECD stories to date.

Thomas mentors upcoming journalists so that they too can become better storytellers for the job market, especially within informal settlements in Nairobi.