Another Award

As journalists, sometimes when we write stories that are broadcast on radio, TV or published in newspapers or magazines, we think, nobody is watching, but there are people always watching what we report.

 

This is what first came to my mind when I was told that I had been selected as the best Electronic Journalist in the Media Strategy HIV Awards of the Malawi government's Ministry of Health made public on Friday, August 27, in the commercial city of Blantyre.
 

I was among five journalists who have been awarded in the competition whose entries were called for way back in 2008.This gives me pleasure that my work as a reporter is being recognized.

This is my second award in a short space of time having been recognized best 2009 Business Journalist of the Year by the Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute for  Southern Africa.

Winners in the competition were given cash prices.

The awards are part of the ministry’s Media Strategy on HIV and AIDS launched in 2003, according to deputy director of information Mr. Aubrey Sumbuleta.

Mr. Sumbuleta said during the award ceremony that the aim is to enable journalists understand issues of HIV/AIDS at the same time helping them to write stories that have impact on their audiences.

Minister of information Mr. Simon Vuwa Kaunda, who was the guest of honor, said the media has a role not only to disseminate HIV and AIDS information, but make people stop risky behaviors, and talk freely on the pandemic.

According to one of the five judges that scrutinized stories, Mr. Levi Zeleza Manda, a journalism lecturer at the Polytechnic in Blantyre, the stories that merited honor needed to prove that they had impact, the writer showed courage, gender balance, and commendable general presentation in terms of grammar.

I was recognized for a story that traced two women from Mchinji, a district located in central Malawi to prove the possibility of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV where proper measures are followed. Temwa Mhango of Radio Tigawane was my runner-up.

In the photo journalism category the winner was Emmanuel Simpokolwe of the Lilongwe-based Guardian News Paper who shot pictures about living positively – living a comfortable life despite being HIV positive.

In the print category there were two winners-  Henry Mchazime – runner up with his story about  the other side of domestic violence,  “what HIV aids does to exacerbate the spread of HIV”.

An overall winner is Lucus Botoman, who wrote about women of Chikwakwa Village in Balaka going for HIV test voluntarily. Both are from Blantyre Newspapers Limited.