12-08-25
PRESS STATEMENT
Media Monitoring Africa (MMA) is proud to announce the 2025 lsu Elihle Awards Top 6 finalists. Launched in 2016, the Isu Elihle Awards have been celebrating and rewarding innovative journalism about children for 9 years now.
An isiZulu phrase meaning “great idea”, this award encourages fresh reporting, innovative approaches, and insightful investigations that seek to give children a voice and elevate the status of the African child. The awards also continue to honor the legacy of Mandy Rossouw through the Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category, which is awarded to the journalist who made the best attempt at holding the powerful to account.
The 2025 entries were opened on the 5th of May 2025 and closed on the 5th of June 2025. An unprecedented number of 178 entries from across 26 African countries were received, with a wide range of incredible stories which centre children being submitted. These story entries were then judged through a two-step adjudication process, the first round of which was conducted by the following members of the MMA team who shortlisted the top 31 finalists:
- Ntombifuthi Kubeka: Project Coordinator – Research and Analysis
- Ntsako Manganyi: Programme Manager – Community Building and Engagement
- Musa Rikhotso: Project Coordinator – Children’s Programme
- Jacques Ndong: Project Coordinator – Policy Programme
The second adjudication round to select and shortlist the 2025 Isu Elihle Awards top 6 finalists was conducted by a set of external, independent adjudicators who are experts on issues relating to children and the media across the African region. These judges were:
- Sudeshan Reddy: Communication Specialist – UNICEF South Africa
- Lister Namumba: Programme Manager – Research, Monitoring and Analysis at MMA
- Moraa Obiria: Senior Gender Journalist – Nation Media Group in Kenya
The 2025 Top 6 Finalists are (in no particular order):
1. Gibson Mhaka from The Chronicle (Zimbabwe)
2. Jasmine Odera from MediaMax Network Limited (Kenya)
3. Joyce Kimani from The Star Newspaper (Kenya)
4. Winifred Lartey from Asaase Radio (Ghana)
5. Mariya Shuaibu from Premium Times (Nigeria)
6. Mokgadi Mogy Mashako from the Mukurukuru Media (South Africa)
MMA extends its heartfelt congratulations to all six finalists for their exceptional commitment to amplifying children’s voices and championing innovative journalism that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of African children. The awards process will now enter its second phase, which includes mentorship from media and child rights experts to provide the finalists with guidance and support as they navigate the challenge of taking their brilliant story idea and turning it into an outstanding piece that can be published in any mainstream media of their choice in their respective country.
Finalists will also receive financial support up to R10 000 to realize their story. This support is intended to elevate the strain of resources that many journalists find themselves in when trying to write and publish a story.
MMA will announce the 2025 Isu Elihle Award winners in November 2025.
For more information contact:
Jacques Ndong – Project Coodinator
jacquesn@mma.org.za | +27 11 788 1278
www.mediamonitoringafrica.org | @Mediamatters_ZA
About MMA
Media Monitoring Africa‘s vision is a responsible, quality media that enables an engaged and informed citizenry in Africa and across the world. MMA aims to promote the development of a free, fair, ethical and critical media culture in South Africa and the rest of the continent. To achieve MMA’s vision, the three key areas that MMA seeks to address through a human rights-based approach are: media ethics, media quality and media freedom.