Gambian journalist Sheriff Bojang Jnr has bagged two international prizes in the 2011 Radio for Peacebuilding Africa Awards (RFPA).
RFPA is a US and Brussels-based Search for Common Grounds (SFCG) project that promotes the effectiveness of radio across Africa, and peace through the radio.
RFPA recognises high-quality radio programmes that contribute to peace in Africa and this year’s categories were Youth, Gender and Jury’s Special award. The jury included media and peacebuilding experts from sub-Saharan Africa as well as from Europe and the United States.
In the Gender category, Sheriff won the first prize for his powerful half-hour documentary ‘Rape and Gender-Based Violence in Senegal’. The programme addressed the issue of rape and other forms of violence against women in Senegal, including the physical and psychological consequences for the victims as well as the issue of impunity for perpetrators.
According to the jury, the documentary “has a very good format and the testimonies capture the attention of the listener”.
In the same category, Sheriff’s second documentary ‘Fifty-fifty: FGM’ won the third prize. The jury described it as “a very well structured programme with a good format.” The programme focused on the sensitive issue of female genital circumcision on young girls.
He produced and presented both documentaries for Dakar-based West Africa Democracy Radio where he works as programme producer.
Other awards were won by radio producers from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Cameroon and Somalia.
Sheriff Bojang Jnr, former reporter with Daily Observer and Independent newspapers in The Gambia, is now based in Dakar, Senegal.
He currently works as correspondent for various international media including Radio France International, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Chinese News Agency (Xinhua), NewAfrican magazine, France 24 TV and occasionally for the Guardian newspaper in London.
