Calling all community journalists, content creators, and storytellers! Scrolla.Africa is proud to announce the launch of the inaugural Climate Media Awards.
Whether you’re reporting from a busy city or a quiet rural village, this exciting competition is open to anyone in South Africa. If you’re telling stories about how climate change affects your community, this is your chance to shine!
The Climate Media Awards are all about sharing the stories of everyday South Africans. As climate change brings more droughts, floods and heatwaves, it’s time to stress how these events change our lives and how we respond to them. From crops failing to rising insurance costs and homes being destroyed, these stories deserve to be told.
Scrolla.Africa, the host of these awards, wants to hear your stories about how extreme weather impacts your community and how you’re adapting to energy shortages and other challenges brought by climate change.
Zukile Majova, Scrolla.Africa’s political editor, puts it simply: “Community media reporting of climate change is crucial to take what used to be an elite debate into an everyday discussion for the ordinary person.
“We are no longer talking about global warming as some event coming 50 years from now. We are living with the effects of climate change in villages and townships from the Eastern Cape to Gauteng and beyond.”
Majova encourages journalists to dig deep and bring diverse perspectives to the forefront.
“Good community journalism on the subject must include diverse opinions, go beyond the science and reflect the urgency of the situation.”
The Climate Media Awards are open to everyone! You don’t need to be a formally trained journalist to participate. If you create content in isiZulu, Afrikaans, or English, you’re eligible.
There are four categories to enter, giving you the flexibility to submit your best work in the format that suits you:
- Best Audio or Video – Submit your story through a podcast, video report, or radio segment.
- Best Written Article – Show off your writing skills in print or online.
- Best Social Media Post – Short, snappy and impactful posts are welcome!
- Judges’ Wildcard – A special category for stand-out entries that don’t fit neatly into the others.
With a total prize pool of R100,000, this is one competition you won’t want to miss. Here’s what you could win:
- 1st Place: R15,000
- 2nd Place: R10,000
- 3rd Place: R5,000
- Wildcard Award: R10,000
Ready to get involved? It’s easy! The competition is open from now until 30 November 2024. Submissions must have been published, posted, or broadcast in 2024 and can be in isiZulu, Afrikaans, or English.
Scrolla.Africa has set up an expert panel to judge your submissions, including Africa Melane from CapeTalk/702 and Tiisetso Motsoeneng from Business Day. They’ll be looking for originality, creativity and content that showcases the real impact of climate change on local communities.
To enter, go to The Climate Media Awards Entry Form. Don’t forget – whether your work is in print, online, or on social media, it needs to be visible to the public.
Check out Scrolla.Africa’s climate stories here.