Nominated for Outstanding Africa Reporting

Since 2011, the BIGSAS Journalist Award has been granted to journalists whose work fosters a deeper understanding of Africa among German-speaking audiences. The entries shortlisted for the 2024 award also enhance awareness of the complex developments and rich cultural, political, and social diversity of the African continent. The 2024 BIGSAS Journalist Award, with a prize of €3,000, will be presented on the University of Bayreuth campus on 7 November 2024, with winners announced on the same date.

BIGSAS Journalist Award Shortlist

1. Yves Bellinghausen: "King's Hunt in the Slum", brand eins, November 1, 2023
   Born in 1993 in Cologne, where he also grew up. After finishing secondary school, he spent a year peeling onions in Buenos Aires before studying political science and philosophy in Marburg, Frankfurt am Main, Stellenbosch, and Madrid. He’s written about the famous anniversary celebrations in a nursing home as a local reporter for the Oberhessische Presse and crafted punchy headlines for the online desk at the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung. In 2021, he completed the 16th year of the Reutlingen School of Journalism. Currently, he works as a freelancer for brand eins and DIE ZEIT and hosts the Funk podcast Scambit.
   
   

   This reportage presents the extraordinary story of Tunde Onakoya, a young man from a slum in Lagos, Nigeria—as he describes it himself. Onakoya discovered the game of chess as a young boy. The piece reveals how he used chess to create a better life for himself and now, as an adult, is determined to give children who grew up under similar circumstances the chance to follow a similar path to success through chess. As it turns out, chess can have a surprisingly positive influence on young people’s development, and Onakoya is keen to harness this potential systematically. To that end, he founded the now internationally renowned organisation Chess in Slums Africa.

2. Annick Eimer: "Kiziba's University Graduates", DUZ Magazine for Science and Society, March 25, 2024

   Annick Eimer is a journalist specialising in science and topics related to higher education and research policy. Since 2022, she has been a regular contributor to DUZ – Magazine for Science and Society, where she focuses on international research policy. Annick Eimer holds a degree in biology. She honed her journalistic skills through an additional science journalism programme at the Freie Universität Berlin and at Spiegel Online. Her work has appeared in Zeit Wissen, Die Zeit, Spiegel Online, Der Freitag, and Deutschlandfunk, among other outlets.

   Only six per cent of refugees worldwide have access to higher education. Access to education is especially difficult for those living in refugee camps. In the Kiziba Refugee Camp in Rwanda, young people now have the opportunity to study at an American college.

3. Annick Eimer: "Newly Positioned", DUZ Magazine for Science and Society, March 25, 2024

   
   Germany aims to regain influence in Africa, with policymakers increasingly turning to science as a key instrument. This places researchers in the role of actors within a challenging environment shaped by postcolonial structures and geopolitical conflicts of interest. However, there are promising initiatives aimed precisely at breaking these patterns.

4. Franziska Grillmeier: "Death at 45 Degrees" (Photos: Vincent Haiges, Katy Fallon), ZEIT X, June 10, 2023

   Franziska Grillmeier, born in 1991 in Munich, reports as a freelance journalist from border regions around the world. Her work appears in ZEIT, taz, Süddeutsche Zeitung, WDR, The Guardian, and BBC, among others. Her journeys have often taken her beyond Europe’s borders. She was a member of the investigative collective for the “Das neue Moria” report on new reception camps for ZDF Magazin Royale and part of the documentary podcast “Memento Moria.” Her book Die Insel. Ein Bericht vom Ausnahmezustand an den Rändern Europas (C.H. Beck) was published last year by C.H. Beck.

   The journey across the Sahara to the Mediterranean stretches thousands of kilometres, and for many refugees, it ended – even before the recent coup in Niger – just past Agadez, in Niger. There, in one of the hottest regions on earth, likely more people perished than in the Mediterranean. This in-depth investigation highlights the dark side of the EU's so-called “migration agreements” with West African countries and paints a complex portrait of migration along the lifelines of individual people, for whom freedom of movement became increasingly restricted due to new legislation, making routes for work migration and asylum increasingly perilous. The investigation began at a traffic light in Berlin, where the author met Azizou Chehou on his way to a conference. He remarked that no one could say exactly how many perish in the desert. Six months later, Franziska Grillmeier travelled to Niger with photographer Vincent Haiges, while Katy Fallon began fielding press inquiries in Brussels.

5. Fritz Habekuß: "The Sea Rescue", ZEIT Magazine, June 6, 2024
   Born in 1990. Studied science journalism with a focus on biosciences and medicine, interned at SPIEGEL in Washington, D.C., and has written for Süddeutsche Zeitung, ZEIT Online, and SPIEGEL Online. Joined the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT in Hamburg in 2013, working as an editor in ecology, environment, and climate, with a particular focus on international reporting. Co-author of the nonfiction bestseller ÜBER LEBEN – Zukunftsfrage Artensterben: Wie wir die Ökokrise überwinden (Penguin Verlag). Host of the discussion series “Entering the Anthropocene” and co-host of the podcast “Wunderkammer.” Starting in September 2024, will serve as DIE ZEIT's first global environment and climate correspondent, based in Nairobi.

   Sixty years ago, British colonial officials introduced Nile perch to Africa’s largest lake, Lake Victoria. This decision fundamentally altered the ecosystem and the lives of local fishers. Hundreds of native fish species became irretrievably extinct. Yet, for people in one of East Africa’s poorest regions, the Nile perch initially brought prosperity. Today, however, stocks are severely depleted, and the boom has come to an end. The effects are evident. Dunga, a village in Kenya on the lake’s eastern shore, bears the visible traces of this shift. Hardly anyone catches Nile perch here anymore, though most locals still see the fish as a blessing. Through the story of three generations in a Kenyan fishing family, this report narrates the history of Lake Victoria, from the rise and fall of fishing to the enduring impact of colonial-era decisions on the present day. It also highlights the resilience and adaptability of the local community. Although the original trade in fish fillets has significantly declined, local traders have found new markets for fish products, proving that the story of the Nile perch is far from over.

6. Birte Mensing: "With Green Energy into the Future", Frings – the Misereor Magazine, November 2, 2023
   Birte Mensing lives in Kenya and reports as a freelance journalist for various German and European media outlets, covering East, West, and Central Africa. Previously, she worked at the ZDF studio in Nairobi. Her focus is on justice issues, particularly in politics, economics, and the environment. The 30-year-old trained in journalism at the Evangelische Journalistenschule and studied European Governance in Münster and Enschede, Netherlands. She is currently expanding her knowledge in the “African Politics” programme at the School of Panafrican Thought, based in London.

   Kenya has a vision, repeatedly outlined by President William Ruto: by 2030, all energy for the national grid should come from renewable sources. Already, 91 per cent of Kenya’s electricity is sourced renewably, primarily from geothermal and hydropower. Additionally, by 2030, every household should have access to electricity. Currently, the figure stands at around 78 per cent, nearly universal in urban areas, with lower rates in rural regions. People in rural areas are disproportionately affected by climate changes, such as prolonged droughts. Access to electricity could help these communities adapt to new conditions. Kenya’s Climate Action Plan outlines an increased future reliance on geothermal, solar, and wind energy. Furthermore, it aims for 10 per cent of the land to be covered with trees. This requires not only tree planting but also a shift from firewood and charcoal, commonly used for cooking, to alternative sources like biogas. Another goal in the climate plan is to reduce CO₂ emissions from the transport sector.

7. Ruona Meyer: "How a Startup in Senegal Manufactures Regional Baby Food and Distributes it via Social Media", RiffReporter.de, January 27, 2023

   Ruona Meyer is a Nigerian-German investigative journalist covering social and political issues in West Africa. She is a media trainer with over 19 years of experience in the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany and is currently pursuing a PhD in cross-border investigative journalism. Since 2015, Ruona has lived in Trier, Germany, and serves on the jury for the European Journalism Centre's Climate Journalism Award and the IJ4EU Freelancer Support Scheme, which funds collaborative teams across Europe. She became Nigeria’s first nominee for an International Emmy (2019) for her BBC-published documentary on the cough syrup trade.

   As part of RiffReporters’ "Lessons From Africa" series on sustainable development goals and tech-driven solutions from Africa, this article on Senegal’s first organic food startup explored the use of popular technologies to serve customers in Africa and young parents in Europe. In addition to on-site reporting in Senegal, covering markets, farms, and the startup founders, the article shed light on the challenges faced by German baby food startups and promoted dialogue between African and German readers. All photos and multimedia content were also created by the author.

8. Samuel Misteli: "Thousands of Young Kenyans Write Papers for Students in North America and Europe – Now Artificial Intelligence is Ruining Their Business", Neue Zürcher Zeitung, August 13, 2023
   Born in 1984 and raised near Solothurn, Switzerland. Studied history and political science in Basel and Bern. After graduating, worked as a research associate in a project on the history of European-African relations at the University of Lucerne. Held visiting scholar positions in Berlin and New York. Completed internships in 2016 and 2017 at *NZZ Folio* and the foreign news desk. In spring 2018, interned with the daily newspaper *Página Siete* in Bolivia. Joined the NZZ foreign news desk in May 2018, focusing on South Asia, the Iberian Peninsula, and Latin America. Since October 2021, Africa correspondent based in Nairobi.

9. Paul Munzinger: "Clearing the Path", Süddeutsche Zeitung, March 14, 2024
   Paul Munzinger, born in 1985, studied history and politics and attended the German School of Journalism (DJS). He joined SZ in 2015, where he was in charge of education policy from 2017 to 2023. He has been reporting from Africa as a correspondent since 2023. He lives in Cape Town.

   In Europe, many are appalled that the coup government in Niger is allying itself with Russia and allowing migrants to cross the Sahara again. And in Agadez? They are celebrating. Scenes from a country where refugees can be sent back into the desert.

10. Christian Putsch: "Heavy Legacy", WELT am Sonntag, November 19, 2023
    Christian Putsch (45) has been working as an Africa correspondent for 15 years. His deep connection to the continent is reflected in his articles, which appear in ‘Welt am Sonntag’ and other publications. These deal with political and social issues. In his work, he endeavours to understand and convey the stories behind the news in order to offer a differentiated picture of African realities. He is aware of the fact that any research can only be a fragment. His aim is to create a deeper understanding of the complexity of this dynamic continent.
    

    The article is dedicated to the multifaceted legacy of Nelson Mandela as revealed through the voices of his former cook, his daughter Makaziwe, students and former liberation fighters. These protagonists bring a variety of perspectives to bear on the transition years and the political landscape of South Africa today, a debate that has once again become explosive following the recent elections. Nelson Mandela, whose work is deeply rooted in the principles of justice and reconciliation, remains an icon of hope. But how does his legacy resonate in the hearts of fellow travellers, how has it shaped their future lives? And what impact does it have on young South Africans who were born after his presidency? All these voices weave a complex picture of South African society today. This in-depth reflection allows us to see Mandela's social legacy in a light that illuminates both his undeniable achievements and the unresolved challenges he left behind. I am convinced that this story offers new insights into the current realities of life in South Africa. Accordingly, I would be delighted if the reportage were to meet with your interest.

11. Bettina Rühl: "Ed-Tech in Ghana: Mobile Computer Lab and an App Increase Equal Opportunities at Schools", RiffReporter.de, April 28, 2023
    Bettina Rühl is a freelance journalist specialising in Africa. She has lived in the Kenyan capital Nairobi since April 2011 and has been back in Cologne since 2022. Her features, reports and reports appear in various ARD radio programmes, magazines and newspapers. She has received numerous awards for her reporting from and about Africa and was honoured with the Federal Cross of Merit in 2020. Bettina Rühl is chairwoman of the correspondent network weltreporter.net.

    In many villages in Ghana, there is neither electricity nor the internet. The children who grow up there can hardly learn how to use computers practically and they have less access to knowledge due to the lack of internet. Nevertheless, they all have to pass the same final exams at the end. A Ghanaian start-up wants to end this injustice with mobile IT infrastructure and a learning app that works offline. The initiators are Martin Bruce and Josephine Godwyll. In 2017, they were still studying in Kumasi, a city in the centre of Ghana. Together with other students, the two spent their semester breaks volunteering in villages, helping out in schools, health centres and rural development programmes. They realised how little access the children there had to ICT. In order to change this, Bruce and Godwyll initially had a learning app developed that introduces pupils to STEM subjects (i.e. technical and scientific subjects) in a fun way. The ‘hero’ of the app is Ananase, a character from traditional tales in Ghana. It is important to Bruce and Godwyll to connect learning material and lessons with the children's world of experience. The pupils should also be encouraged to find solutions to problems in their everyday lives. Once the learning app was ready for use, Bruce and Godwyll had mobile computer labs developed so that the hardware could also be available in village schools.

12. Bettina Rühl: "Skilled Workers Wanted: A Cologne Company Trains African Programmers for Europe", RiffReporter.de, November 24, 2023
    Digitisation is not making progress in Germany, partly because there is a lack of IT specialists. In some European companies, African specialists are already providing a remedy, and they are doing so from their home countries: They live and programme in the Ghanaian cities of Kumasi and Accra, or in the Rwandan capital Kigali. They are employed by the German start-up AmaliTech, which places the programmers with European companies on a project-by-project basis. Among others, Harrison Amoah, who programmes an e-commerce platform for a European car manufacturer, has his say in the text. Martin Hecker is the founder and managing director of the non-profit organisation AmaliTech, which is based in Cologne. Hecker sees the many young people on the African continent as a ‘huge talent pool’. According to UN estimates, this will continue to grow in the coming decades, while the population in European countries is already declining significantly and the shortage of qualified young people on the labour market is already being felt today. Amoah and his colleagues say they are glad that they don't have to go to Europe to earn money, but can stay in their home country and in their cultural environment.