Story on degraded Kampala wetlands wins top media award

Kampala, Uganda | LOUIS JADWONG | A Special Project feature story by Annika McGinnis and Fredrick Mugira exploring how urbanization has destroyed a critical Kampala wetland, has won the 2018 Uganda WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) media awards overall prize.

The story project “Swamp City – How urbanization destroyed a critical Kampala wetland and why it matters”, was run on the geo-journalism platform Info Nile and by Uganda’s leading media house  The New Vision in February.  The story on the Nakivubo Channel was produced with funding and technical support from africanDRONE and Code for Africa, who used used digital imagery from Google Earth. (LINK TO STORY)

InfoNile is a geojournalism platform mapping data on water issues in the Nile River basin of Africa with journalism stories to promote trans-boundary peace. AfricanDRONE is a community dedicated to fostering a network of operators, professionals, journalists, activists, and legislators on the continent.

“In our story, we were able to show practically, with images, how much the Nakivubo wetland has deteriorated in 14 years between 2002 and 2016,” Mugira said after receiving the awards at a colourful ceremony organised by Uganda’s key stakeholders in the water sector at the Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala, on Friday.

On top of their overall prize of sh4 million, Mugira and Annika McGinnis had earlier taken home the Multi-Media category, and its sh1.7 million prize. Aaron Kabirizi, Director, Directorate of Water Development (DWD) in the Ministry of Water and Environment, handed them their prizes.

TV’s best is an 11 year old

The third edition of the annual Wash Awards also had another highlight, when an 11-year-old won the Television category.

Lynette Nalule, a P6 pupil at Modern Junior School who hosts Ffe Abato (Kids show) on BBS Terefayina was announced winner in the TV category after her investigative story that called for sanitation support and clean water for her fellow children in a community living at Bussi island in Wakiso district. (read full story here )

OVERALL WINNER: Fred Mugira & Annika McGinnis @newvisionwire …… #Drones #Digital #NakivuboChannel #Conservation #WashAwards2018 ?? #WashAwards #Water #Uganda ?? #Journalism #Sanitation #Media #Health @lydmirembe pic.twitter.com/LFOQ8NQEei

— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) October 26, 2018

THE 22 nominated

Twenty two journalists from across the entire country made the final nomination in Print Investigative, Print New Feature, TV News Feature, Radio investigative feature, Radio news feature, Multimedia and online categories.

The overall winners and first runner-ups in each category took home a cash prize of sh1.7 million and sh700,000 respectively.

The media was again recognized as a crucial partner in improving the status of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Uganda.

Last year’s overall winner was also from The New Vision, journalist Ronald Mugabe was named overall winner of the 2017 WASH media awards.

All the nominees explained what motivates their coverage of sanitation issues, saying it is a subject that affects life at the lowest levels in the country, which is part of their audience.

About WASH media awards

The Uganda WASH media awards (UWMA) is an initiative of the ministry of Water and Environment together with Civil Society Organisations in the water sanitation and hygiene sector, and private sector to reward excellent  reporting on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in Uganda.

The award are a deliberate effort to promote coverage of WASH issues on the local, national and international media and have a positive influence on decision makers, the private sector, civil society as well as individuals.

Entries in the different categories were received and evaluated by an expert panel of judges composed of veteran journalists.

The event is organised by the ministry of Water and Environment together Uganda Water and Sanitation Network (UWASNET),  International Water and Sanitation Center (IRC),Water Aid Uganda, Water for People, Unicef, SNV, National Hand Washing Initiative, World Vision, HAI Agency, OXFAM, GIZ, Fields of Life, AMREF Health, Plan international,  Kampala Capital City Authority KCCA, Nataional Water and Sewerage Corporation NWSC, Water Mission Uganda, World Vision,  Hai Agency

UGANDA WASH MEDIA AWARDS winners – 2018

LAST YEAR

#ICYMI: Media gets top marks for raising #sanitation awareness https://t.co/fig1G6mopT #WashAwards #water #Uganda pic.twitter.com/bpwWEKHgVx

— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) October 30, 2017