24-year-old Siaway Miapue of Kool FM has won the first Liberian young journalist award, organized by Youth Media Action (YMA) with funding from Internews-Liberia through the USAID Media Activity project.
The award which identifies young reporters between the ages of 16-25 years who have practiced for two years and demonstrated passion for learning, commitment, brilliance, and career potential is aimed at recognizing and celebrating outstanding young talent in the Liberian media.
Out of the 23 applicants received from Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa, Bong, Grand Kru, and Nimba counties, five young journalists from high schools and mainstream media were awarded for their exceptional and investigative articles.
Journalist Miapue’s story, titled ‘Illegal Mining, Limited Logistics Threaten Conservation at Sapo National Park,’ is about rampant illegal mining activities within the protected Sapo National Park in Southeast Liberia, the country’s largest protected area rich with valuable plant and animal species.
The story, which was done with grant support through Internews’ Liberia Media Activity Investigative Fellowship, being implemented by the Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP), sheds light on the detrimental impact of illegal mining activities and the logistical constraints park rangers faced that posed a serious threat to the conservation efforts within the park.
As a result of Mapue’s investigative story, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) in collaboration with traditional leaders of the area, closed 24 illegal mining camps occupied by thousands of illegal miners and declared it a “No Go Zone” for them and the Park, which is one of Liberia’s most valuable assets, is now saved.
The awardee was presented a brand-new HP laptop as the Young Journalist of the Year award prize.
Laymah Kollie of Women’s TV and Emmanuel Kollie of ELBC became First and Second Runner Ups, respectively, winning one digital audio recorder, each.
Also, student Adell Wollee of Kings and Queens International School in Montserrado won the High School Journalist of the year award, while Maurene Brown from Grand Bassa’s Seventh Day Adventist High School in Buchanan finished as runner up. They both walked away with one smartphone, each, to climax the young journalist award ceremony.
YMA Executive Director, Varma Amara Kamara reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to providing a firm media foundation to youths through quality media training and broadcasting exposure.
“As you may be aware, Youth Media Action has not only moved from Montserrado County but has been establishing over 150 high school press clubs across Liberia and developed the country’s first youth journalism manual for high school press clubs aimed at providing young people with a firm practical background in journalism,” Kamara said.
“We have also successfully held the national press club exhibition, a news presentation challenge for the 4th time, the child broadcasting program, and the vacation journalism school amongst others.”
He added that youth journalism is the future, and as such, there need for local and international organizations to invest more to create a more professional and independent media sector in the country cannot be over emphasized.
He asserted that the award is to stimulate young journalists’ passion, motivate them to the right and ethical forms of journalism and promote quality content delivery and independence in the Liberian media.
The Youth Media Action Executive Director thanked Internews Liberia, USAID, and ELBC for their continued support and the vetting committee for a transparent and credible process.
Speaking on behalf of Internews, the program officer of Internews Kenya, Musa Sangarie thanked Youth Media Action for the initiative while he reiterated his organization’s support for media development in Liberia.
“We are happy and impressed to be working with Youth Media Action in terms of working with young people who epitomize citizen journalists to counter misinformation and disinformation to become responsible citizens and contribute to national development,” Sangarie added.