Moxii Africa, formerly known as Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), an organisation which seeks to advance access to credible, transparent information that empowers all, has announced the opening of entries for the 2026 Isu Elihle Awards, an award programme that recognises outstanding journalism on children’s issues, promoting ethical, solutions-focused reporting across the continent. The initiative encourages alternative approaches to reporting on children, while fostering a media environment that highlights critical issues affecting young people across the continent.
The awards programme, launched in 2016 by Moxii Africa has been supported by other organisations, including Save the Children International, the Swedish International Development Agency, and the Media Network on Child Rights Development (MNCRD), and funded by UNICEF since 2020, derives its name from the isiZulu phrase “Isu Elihle,” meaning a great idea, beautiful idea, or neat solution.
The awards encourage alternative approaches to reporting on children and aim to create an environment that enables journalists to expose and highlight issues affecting children in the country and the continent.
Previous Isu Elihle Awards winners are not eligible to apply, with Moxii Africa defining winners as journalists who previously placed among the top three finalists of the Isu Elihle Awards. Journalists whose story ideas are selected among the top six finalists will be required to provide a letter of support from their preferred media house confirming that the story will be published by that mainstream media outlet, failure of which may lead to disqualification. Organisers also noted that all stories must be published or broadcast strictly through mainstream media outlets only.
The Award is open to professional journalists, whether directly employed or freelancers, working across Africa. Entry is free, while employees and immediate family members of Moxii Africa, as well as adjudicators, are not eligible to participate.
The competition is conducted in English, and all entries and story ideas must, therefore, be submitted in English, with each applicant limited to one entry. Media houses can have multiple journalists participating in the competition.
Entries must follow the instructions provided on the official competition entry form and be submitted on or before June 4, 2026, at 23:59 CAT, after which no extensions or concessions will be granted. Late, incomplete, illegible, or fraudulent submissions will be disqualified, and Moxii Africa reserves the right to reject entries that fail to comply with the rules without further correspondence.
A panel of independent judges with expertise in children and media will adjudicate the competition, with the panel determined solely by Moxii Africa and including children as part of the judging process. Handwritten applications will not be accepted, and all submissions must be completed online through the official application form.
The judges reserve the right to transfer entries into other categories, including the Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category, while their decisions will remain final and no correspondence will be entertained regarding the outcome of the adjudication.
The top six finalists selected by the judges will proceed to the final story-writing or production phase, during which Moxii Africa will provide financial support to help journalists produce their stories within the stipulated timeline, although finalists will remain individually responsible and accountable for all expenses incurred and must provide invoices and supporting documents for all production-related costs, with any irregular expenditure potentially leading to disqualification and repayment of funds already spent.
Moxii Africa will provide prior notice and fully cover travel and accommodation costs for finalists required to travel for the awards or related activities, while finalists will be responsible for arranging visas and other required travel documentation and must also remain available throughout the programme and participate fully in all scheduled activities listed in the Isu Elihle Awards timeline.
Finalists must acknowledge that participation in the awards does not establish any employment, agency, joint venture, or partnership relationship with Moxii Africa. The top six finalists must also provide a letter of support from their preferred mainstream media house confirming publication or broadcast of their stories, failure of which may result in disqualification.
Moxii Africa defines a mainstream media outlet as an established and widely recognised organisation that regularly disseminates news and information to large audiences through traditional or digital platforms while adhering to conventional journalistic standards and maintaining significant public reach and influence, and if a finalist changes publication outlets, the replacement organisation must still meet these standards and receive written approval from Moxii Africa at least two weeks before the deadline, otherwise the journalist may be replaced.
Applicants are required to submit original and current story ideas that have not been previously published or submitted to media houses in final form. Journalists are also expected to maintain a high standard of work and acknowledge Moxii Africa in the published story using the statement: “This reporting was supported by Moxii Africa, formerly, Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), as part of the Isu Elihle Awards.”
Participants and media houses enter the competition at their own risk. Moxii Africa and its affiliates shall not be held liable for any injuries, accidents, fatalities, or damages incurred during participation or while travelling for research purposes. Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of all competition rules and guidelines, and confirms that any violation of these rules may result in disqualification.
Moxii Africa also cautioned participants against the misuse of artificial intelligence tools in news reporting and stated that journalists are expected to use AI ethically and responsibly, maintaining transparency, full human oversight, privacy protection, especially for children, avoiding algorithmic bias, and ensuring AI enhances rather than replaces core journalistic practices. Violations of the AI principles may result in disqualification.
Key dates include May 4 to June 4, 2026 for story idea submissions; June 8 to July 7 for first-round adjudication process conducted by a panel made up of children, child rights experts, and independent media practitioners; July 9 to August 10 for finalists’ announcement, online, across social media platforms, and where possible, through mainstream media outlets; and mentorship, August 12 to October 13 for story production and publication; October 14 to November 5 for second-round adjudication; and November 19, 2026 for the announcement of final winners. The timeline may be subject to change, according to the organisers.
The second stage will focus on producing and publishing the full stories, with the top six journalists receiving financial support of up to R10,000 each to research and develop their concepts into publishable news items to be published or broadcast through mainstream media organisations of their choice, although journalists will be solely responsible for approaching media houses and securing publication or broadcast agreements should their story ideas make the top six.
The top six published stories will undergo a final adjudication process, with only the top three guaranteed cash prizes, while a fourth conditional prize known as “The Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category” (MRC) will only be awarded if one of the top six stories meets the category’s required criteria, and the value of the Mandy Rossouw prize will depend on the quality of the published story.
The awards offer prizes of R30,000 for the overall winner, R20,000 for the first runner-up, R15,000 for the second runner-up, and between R10,000 and R20,000 for the Isu Elihle Mandy Rossouw Accountability Category, which will only be awarded if a qualifying story meets the required criteria.
It is also possible for one of the top three winners to be selected as the winner of the Mandy Rossouw Category, in which case they would receive two cash prizes, while it is equally possible that the MRC may not be awarded to any participant, depending on the judges’ decision.
Applicants are required to submit only one entry in English, ensure their story ideas are original, newsworthy, and focused on issues affecting persons under 18 years of age, while also maintaining ethical standards, giving children a voice, exploring policy and legislative issues where relevant, highlighting possible solutions, challenging stereotypes, and adopting innovative or investigative approaches to child-related reporting.
Journalists are also expected to adhere strictly to ethical practices and principles throughout the planning and execution of their stories, as Moxii Africa stated that violations of children’s rights in any form will not be tolerated. Entries should demonstrate fresh, innovative, and unique approaches to children’s issues or include strong investigative angles on child-related topics.
Entries must also show that journalists can complete their stories within the stipulated timelines, while submissions should clearly explain the issues being explored and demonstrate the ability to engage and capture audiences, including through stories that introduce a children’s perspective to topics not commonly associated with children, such as the economy, land issues, investment, or trending news events.
Stories are further expected to highlight possible solutions to the problems facing children, challenge common negative stereotypes about children’s roles in society, particularly within gender debates, and examine relevant legislation or policy issues connected to the topic being explored.
Story ideas submitted can be made in any format, including print, video, radio, or even digital.
Click here to access and complete the application form.
For more information about the award and to read the application rules and guidelines, click here.
Visit the Isu Elihle AI Guide to read the AI Guideline for the Isu Elihle Award.
