Excellence does not always reside in the brilliance of a single moment, but often in the consistency of effort. It is this professional rigor that the jury of the "AJSPD Prize" wished to recognize this Saturday, November 22, 2025.

Awa Faye, journalist and deputy editor-in-chief of Seneweb, took first place in the Online Press category. This achievement is all the more impressive given that her submission, comprising six articles, was the only one accepted in this category. The jury president, Ibrahima Bakhoum, was full of praise for the winner's work. He emphasized the methodology employed by the Seneweb journalist. According to him, the difference lay in her approach and immersion. "Look, for example, at the first prize winner in online press; she worked for three days," Ibrahima Bakhoum pointed out during the ceremony. He continued his analysis: "What particularly impressed the print media jury, especially in online press, was that the same journalist wrote several articles over three days, each with a different angle."

A ceremony marked by commitment

This award ceremony took place in the CIGASS conference room. The Association of Journalists for Health, Population and Development (AJSPD), in partnership with the Gates Foundation, organized the awards presentation for this journalism competition. The initiative has a specific objective: to promote reporting on the fight against malnutrition, a scourge that persists in Senegal and the sub-region. The organizers wanted to encourage media professionals to commit to a better understanding of these vital issues. The competition generated considerable enthusiasm. Submissions were open from October 1st to 18th, 2025. Journalists who are members of the AJSPD responded enthusiastically, representing the categories of Radio, Television, Print Media, and Online Media.

In addition to Awa Faye for online journalism, other colleagues were also recognized for their work. In the Radio category, Josette Kaly and Salimata Aw received awards. For Television, the honors went to Ndèye Fatou Wade and Fatou Binetou Konté. Finally, in Print Media, Samba Diamanka and Youssoupha Mine distinguished themselves. The first-place winners received one million CFA francs. The runners-up received 500,000 CFA francs. Each winner also received a laptop computer.

The plea for field journalism

Beyond the awards, this ceremony served as a platform to defend the essence of journalism. The jury president delivered a powerful plea for field reporting. Ibrahima Bakhoum urged the new generation to leave the comfort of newsrooms. "It's simply about being in the field. You know, the best aren't necessarily those who sit still; the best are sweating it out in the field, spending sleepless nights in the field, being out in the sun in the field, everywhere. When I talk about it, I know what I'm talking about," the journalist emphasized.

For him, the mission of education and awareness requires proximity. It is necessary to go to the communities and understand their realities. "Journalists must learn to leave Dakar and even when they are in Tambacounda, to leave the newsroom, when they are in Diourbel, to leave the newsroom, to go and see far and wide, because communities, wherever they are, in their cultural, political, economic, sociological, ethnic diversity, etc., must be visited, they must be given a voice," insisted the president of the jury.

He also warned against the ease of sedentary journalism: "If you journalists are content to just report, report, or comment and opinion, obviously, everyone is capable of giving opinion too."

The genesis of an initiative serving the well-being of communities

In his address, Eugène Kaly, president of AJSPD, recalled the context of this mobilization. It all began with an agreement signed in January 2024 with the Gates Foundation. "The objective was to travel throughout the country, to go everywhere, to do reporting, and to finish in the Diourbel region focusing on the issue of malnutrition. That's where we brought all the journalists: 25 journalists from Dakar and, I believe, 7 local journalists. That makes a total of 31 journalists," explained Eugène Kaly.

The association's president, however, refuses to call it a competition in the strict sense. He prefers to speak of promoting the noble genre of reportage. "I want to reiterate that this isn't a competition, because we're all members of the association. It's simply about rewarding and valuing the genre of reportage. [...] In our newsrooms, the reportage genre is increasingly dying out," lamented the man who is also a journalist at Le Soleil.

Eugène Kaly defined his organization's mission as development journalism, aiming to raise awareness and provoke a response from the authorities. "Often, what we do is alert the authorities, go into the field, expose the problems, meet with the people, the most vulnerable communities, and tell the Ministry of Health, 'We are in the health district of a village in Ziguinchor, for example. And here, there is no ambulance.' The objective is also to provide solutions where the authorities are not present," he stated.

Diourbel: epicenter of a health crisis

The choice of the Diourbel region for the final phase of these reports was no accident. The indicators there are, to say the least, alarming. The malnutrition rate is close to 17%, while the national average is around 8 to 10%. Mamadou Dieng, the regional health director for Diourbel, welcomed this media initiative: “As you know, we are in a region where malnutrition prevalence rates are very high, above the national average, and where there are several contributing factors that are fundamentally linked to communication, namely a lack of information, a lack of knowledge, and very often a lack of understanding of the practices aimed at eradicating this malnutrition.” According to the medical authority, the press plays a crucial role in filling a communication gap. “The journalists' association has truly made a decisive and significant contribution to meeting the communication challenge,” he stated.

He detailed the dramatic consequences of this situation on children: “We all know that this malnutrition in these children leads to overall developmental delays, including cognitive development, psychomotor development, growth retardation, but above all, academic difficulties.” The regional health director advocates for local solutions. He calls for a return to locally sourced products. “Many foods today are imported, sometimes processed foods, which are expensive and beyond the reach of households. Local dishes, on the other hand, are often affordable for these households and are very rich in nutrients,” he argued.

A national priority

The Ministry of Health and Social Action, represented by Dr. Mohamed Lamine Ly, Technical Advisor No. 2, endorsed this approach. Media involvement is seen as essential. "I can assure you that malnutrition is one of our greatest scourges," he acknowledged. He continued, "Because, as you have seen in the Diourbel region, they have exceeded the national rates. But throughout Senegal, we are facing this problem of malnutrition, which obviously leads to children's vulnerability and makes them even more susceptible to disease."

The technical advisor congratulated the AJSPD for its proactive approach. "It is certainly a reality that affects everyone, but it still needs to be documented to better convince people to adopt health-promoting behaviors," he concluded.

Persistent structural challenges

The award-winning reports highlight the many structural factors that fuel malnutrition in Senegal. Limited access to nutritious food remains a major cause. Poverty, food insecurity, and gender inequality exacerbate the situation. The available data, disseminated by AJSPD, calls for urgent action. Only 9% of children under two years old receive the minimum acceptable food intake. Only 41% of infants are exclusively breastfed during their first five months.

The government has nonetheless launched significant initiatives. The Multisectoral Strategic Nutrition Plan (PSMN) is one example. The National Protocol for the Management of Acute Malnutrition (PECMA) is another. These efforts are complemented by international commitments such as the Nutrition for Growth initiative. Community-based interventions also exist through the Nutrition Strengthening Program (PRN) and home visits. However, continued mobilization is essential.

A tribute to the pioneers

The ceremony was also a moment of reflection and recognition. Posthumous awards were presented to two prominent figures in journalism. The late El Hadji Bachir Sow, a former journalist with the national daily newspaper Le Soleil, was honored. The late Alassane Cissé, a journalist with RTS, also received this tribute. Both were former presidents of the AJSPD (Association of Professional Journalists of Senegal). Their awards were presented to representatives of their families.

Ibrahima Bakhoum was keen to pay tribute to their memory by mentioning the legacy they leave to the younger generation. "When I saw this work by the association of journalists in health, population and development, it obviously made me think of someone we talked about a lot today, named El Bachir Sow, from the sixth graduating class, and others, Alassane Cissé as well, whom I know well. So, I say it's very good that this mission, that this work, is being perpetuated," he said.

The AJSPD hopes to make this prize a permanent fixture. Eugène Kaly hopes to repeat the experience next year. He is calling on partners to support this initiative. The ball is now in the court of technical and financial partners to ensure that these essential reports with a strong community impact do not go unnoticed.