THREE FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR SECOND THOMSON FOUNDATION YOUNG JOURNALIST FROM THE DEVELOPING WORLD AWARD
London, Wednesday, November 5. Two Kenyan reporters and one from India have been named as the successful finalists for the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist from the Developing World Award.
This is the second year the prize has been presented as part of the prestigious annual UK Foreign Press Association (FPA) Awards and the winner will be announced at their event on Tuesday, November 25.
The journalists were asked to submit three examples of their work and, following expressions of interest from 39 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central & Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South America and Oceania, an entry list of nearly 100 was reduced to 12 with the trio emerging as the front runners for the prize.
The three finalists are Priyanka Dubey, a freelance journalist from India, who submitted stories that appeared in Tehelka Magazine and Yahoo News (India); Andrew Ochieng a news reporter for NTV in Kenya and Maurice Oniang’o, a TV producer and blogger for MEDEVA (Media Development in Africa).
Priyanka’s submission includes stories on women traffickers; the gang rape of an Indian policewoman and the abduction of two minor girls who were raped and murdered.
Andrew reports on the living and working conditions of rangers in Tsavo – one of Kenya’s wildlife poaching hotspots – the challenges women face raising children in Kenya and tribal conflict in a small town.
The stories from Maurice feature two child soldiers who provide security for their village from Ethiopian raiders; a university student who has set up a feeding program for street families and food waste in Kenya and its effect on the environment.
The award enabled journalists aged under 30 from countries with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of less than $20,000 to enter their work for scrutiny by the Foundation – the world’s longest established international media development organisation – and then the FPA judges.
Each entrant for the award had to submit a portfolio of three published pieces of work produced in the 12 months preceding the deadline for submissions. They could be in any format – print, audio, video, multimedia or a combination of all four.
The journalists who entered were also asked to submit a written statement of no more than 600 words giving a summary of the content of each story and any impact it had on the public debate in the country of publication
The three finalists will be flown to London, spend two nights in the city and attend the gala award night at the Sheraton Park Hotel , along with a host of other potential award winners and leading figures from the world of journalism.
Said Thomson Foundation chief executive, Nigel Baker: “We received nearly 100 entries for the Award this year from all over the world and the range and calibre of stories has been inspiring.
“The judges will have their work cut out to find an outstanding winner from the final 3 who have all produced submissions with stories that have had an impact on, and reflect back to us the challenges that exist, in their communities.â€
Notes to Editors:
The Thomson Foundation is a British charity devoted to encouraging truthful and unbiased journalism as a way of promoting civil society. It has a 50-year track record of training journalists in ethical standards and quality reporting. It works with media organisations, governments, civil society organisations and commercial bodies, principally in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, who wish to sponsor professional standards in communications. The Foundation’s three main areas of work are: training, strategic communications and consultancy. See
http://www.thomsonfoundation.org/
For further information contact Richard Peel, RPPR.
Email: rppr@hotmail.co.uk
Mob: +44 (0)78 0508 3595