Merck Foundation and African First Ladies celebrate the winners of “Stay at Home” Media Awards to raise Awareness about coronavirus

The Merck Foundation Media Awards Committee has further introduced a second and a third position and selected more than one winner

Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany announced the winners of “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards for African Countries. The theme of the awards was ‘Raising Awareness on how to Stay Safe and Keep Physically and Mentally Healthy during Coronavirus Lockdown’ with the aim to separate facts from myths and misconceptions. The “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards were introduced in partnership with African First Ladies of Ghana, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Namibia, Niger, Guinea Conakry, Burundi, Central African Republic (C.A.R.), Chad, Zimbabwe, Zambia, The Gambia, Liberia and Congo Brazzaville, Angola and Mozambique.

Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation emphasizes, “I am very proud of our winners. We received a tremendous response from African journalists in form of their entries. I truly believe that Media plays a crucial role in educating and sensitizing our communities about health and sensitive issues such as COVID-19, therefore, through the awards, we are recognizing the distinguished reportage and the exceptional work of journalists who frequently covered this topic in their countries”.

Here are the winners from Southern African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of Malawi, H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA; The First Lady of Namibia, H.E. MONICA GEINGOS; The First Lady of Zambia, H.E. ESTHER LUNGU and The First Lady of Zimbabwe, H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA:

Southern African Countries

Online Category Winners:

First Position:

Tendai Rupapa - The Herald, ZIMBABWE (500 USD)
Keletso Thobega - Botswana Guardian & The Midweek Sun, BOTSWANA (500 USD)
June Shimuoshili - Unwrap.online, NAMIBIA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Faith Mzungu-Vilakati - Daily News, ESWATINI (300 USD)

And

Andrew Mambondiyani - The African Argument, ZIMBABWE (300 USD)

Third Position:

Mercy Malikwa - MW Nation, MALAWI (200 USD)

Print Category Winners:

First Position:

Adolf Kaure - Namibia Media Holdings, NAMIBIA (500 USD)
Henry Sinyangwe - Zambia Daily Mail, ZAMBIA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Violet Mengo - Zambia Daily Mail, ZAMBIA (300 USD)

And

Bridget Mananavire - Independent Senior Reporter, ZIMBABWE (300 USD)

Third Position:

Cliff Chiduku - News Day, ZAMBIA (200 USD)

Multimedia Category Winners:

First Position:

Abdullah Vawda - LENZ TV, SOUTH AFRICA (500 USD)
Selima Henock - Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, NAMIBIA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Denver Kisting - Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, NAMIBIA (300 USD)

And

Aston Gondwe - Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, MALAWI (300 USD)

Radio Category Winners:

First Position:

Rachel Nghimulitete - Namibian Broadcasting Cooperation, NAMIBIA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Jo Jackson - The Children's Radio, SOUTH AFRICA (300 USD)

And

Aunyango Nkhoma - Zodiak Broadcasting Station, MALAWI (300 USD)

Third Position:

Prudence Siabana - Radio Phoenix, ZAMBIA (200 USD)

Here are the winners from West African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of The Gambia, H. E. FATOUMATTA BAHBARROW and The First Lady of Liberia, H.E. CLAR MARIE WEAH:

West African Countries

Online Category Winners:

First Position:

Alieu Ceesay - Q TV, GAMBIA (500 USD)

Second Position:

We are recognizing the distinguished reportage and the exceptional work of journalists who frequently covered this topic in their countries

Hawa Dolly - Liberia News Agency, LIBERIA (300 USD)

Print Category Winners:

First Position:

Ishmael Sallieu Koroma - Concord Times, SIERRA LEONE (500 USD)

Here are the winners from East African Countries:

East African Countries

Online Category Winners:

First Position:

Hillary Orinde - Standard Media Group, KENYA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Arnold Kwizera - CNBC Africa, RWANDA (300 USD)

Third Position:

Geoffrey Kamadi - Scientific African, KENYA (200 USD)

Print Category Winners:

First Position:

Esther Oluka - Daily Monitor, UGANDA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Veronica Romwald Mrema - Jamvi La Habari, TANZANIA (300 USD)
Lydia Atieno Barasa - The New Times, RWANDA (300 USD)

Third Position:

Evelyn Makena Gatobu - People Daily, KENYA (200 USD)

Multimedia Category Winners:

First Position:

Mashirima Kapombe - Citizen TV, KENYA (500 USD)
Dorcas Wangira - Citizen TV, KENYA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Daniel Sebakijje - NBS TV, UGANDA (300 USD)

Radio Category Winners:

First Position:

Mwanaisha Makumbuli - Highlands FM Radio, TANZANIA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Kigongo Issa - Radio Bilal, UGANDA (300 USD)

Here are the winners from French-speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of Central African Republic (CAR), H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA; The First Lady of Burundi, H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE; The First Lady of Niger, H.E. AÏSSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU:

French Speaking African Countries

Online Category Winners:

First Position:

Arsène-Jonathan Mosseavo - Blog Lanoca, C.A.R., (500 USD)
Abdel Aziz Hali - La Presse de, TUNISIA (500 USD)

Second Position:

Alphonse Julio - Global News, BENIN (300 USD)
Boris Esono Nwenfor - Pan African Vision, CAMEROON (300 USD)

Third Position:

Elise Nandrasanela - L'Express de Madagascar, MADAGASCAR (200 USD)
Bahwa Ferdinand - Le Journal.Africa, BURUNDI (200 USD)

Print Category Winners:

First Position:

Issa Moussa - Niger Times, NIGER (500 USD)

Second Position:

Koami Agbetiafa - Niger Le Républicain, NIGER (300 USD)

Radio Category Winners:

First Position:

Salissou kaka - Saraounia FM, NIGER (500 USD)
Boussanga Bissa - Radio Voix Du Paysan, BURKINA FASO (500 USD)

Second Position:

Mokwe Welisane Epse Nkeng Ngoneh - Cameroon Radio Television, CAMEROON (300 USD)

Here are the winners from Portuguese-speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of Angola, H.E. ANA DIAS LOURENÇO and The First Lady of Mozambique, H.E. ISAURA FERRÃO NYUSI:

Portuguese Speaking African Countries

Online Category Winners:

First Position:

Cornelio Rosa - Televisão de Moçambique, MOZAMBIQUE (500 USD)

Print Category Winners:

First Position:

César Silveira - Valor Econômico, ANGOLA (500 USD)
Evelina Muchanga Mavie - Sociedade do Notícias, MOZAMBIQUE (500 USD)

Second Position:

Lídia Manuel Cossa - Jornal Dossiers & Factos, MOZAMBIQUE (300 USD)

Third Position:

Frederico Lucas Jamisse Mossigueja - Jornal domingo-Sociedade do Notícias, MOZAMBIQUE (200 USD)

Multimedia Category Winners:

First Position:

Abdul Remane Alifate Ibraimo - TV Surdo, MOZAMBIQUE (500 USD)

Second Position:

Pascoal Malate - Televisão de Moçambique, MOZAMBIQUE (300 USD)

Radio Category Winners:

First Position:

Jeremias Mondlane - Radio Mozambique, MOZAMBIQUE (500 USD)

Second Position:

Sumali Gilberto Sumagil Picaires - Radio Mozambique, MOZAMBIQUE (300 USD)

Third Position:

Nelson Mainato - Radio Mozambique, MOZAMBIQUE (200 USD)

The quality of work was impressive; therefore, the Merck Foundation Media Awards Committee reviewed the entries from four categories; Online, Print, Radio and Multimedia; under the following groups: 1) East African Countries, 2) West African Countries, 3) Southern African Countries, 4) French Speaking African Countries and 5) Portuguese speaking African countries.

The Merck Foundation Media Awards Committee has further introduced a second and a third position and selected more than one winner, on some occasions, for each of the Four Categories from all the regions.

“The valuable contribution from the winners in sensitizing their respective communities about COVID 19 has encouraged us to additionally reward them all to become Merck Foundation Alumni and provide them with one-year access to online educational training program called “MasterClass”. The MasterClass is an immersive online experience and self-paced learning course in English that can be accessed anywhere with the Internet. This is to motivate passionate journalists to continue writing and advocating for social, economic and health issues across their countries”, added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.