First Lady Esther Lungu has encouraged journalists to work extra hard as it is their role to transform society.
Speaking during the ‘Stay at Home’ and ‘More than a Mother’ media award presentation ceremony at State House in Lusaka today, Mrs Lungu said she recognises the critical role the media and arts industry play to create a better society.
“We recognized the critical role the media and arts industry play to create cultural shift and raise awareness about health, cultural and sensitive issues such as infertility stigma,” she noted.
She consequently congratulated and awarded some deserving journalists under the ‘Merck Foundation’ for championing and raising awareness on sensitive social issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mrs Lungu said Merck Foundation conducted the ‘Stay at Home’ and ‘More than a Mother’ media recognition awards was formed to raise awareness about the important social issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and to raise awareness on how to stay safe and keep physically and mentally healthy during the pandemic lockdown.
The First Lady commended the marked contributions made by the winners in sensitizing their respective communities about infertility stigma and COVID-19.
Mrs Lungu further encouraged Merck Foundation to reward them by becoming foundation Alumni and also providing them with one year access to online educational training programe called Master Class.
“This offer aims at motivating journalists to continue writing and advocating for social, economic and health issues across their countries” she said.
Among the deserving journalists awarded included Jessie Ngoma (Times of Zambia) ,Henry Sinyangwe (Daily Mail) and Violet Mengo (Daily Mail) under the print category.
Others were ZNBC’s Effie Mphande under Multimedia category , Prudence Siabana (Radio Phoenix) and Josias Muuba from Mosi-oa-Tunya Radio under the electronic category.
The Merck Foundation, a philanthropic arm of the Merck Germany , established in 2017 envisions a world where everyone can lead a healthy and fulfilling life .
It aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science , technology women and youth empowerment and building scientific research capacity.
Very wise advice from our mother. We are glad cyber bill is also there to ensure rogues like Zambia watchdog are sternly dealt with. Anyone found spreading tribal hatred via media will face the law with hard labour
HA HA HA PACK YOUR BAGS M8 YOU ARE GOING ON HOLIDAY S00N
ME AS WELL FROM THIS RUBBISH SITE ……..
POOR JOURNALISM BUT I SUPPOSED SPENDING TIME OUT I’VE BEEN SPOILT
Mostly government mouth pieces then? Is it a prelude to reminding them of the biased role the regime expects them to continue playing, leading up to the elections?
Does she know what she is talking about? For a journalist working hard means finding out why Tasila fenced off a State Forest and why she is not being prosecuted for this. It also means finding out why Mrs Lungu went all the way to the United States to receive firefighting equipment that is not being used. The Fire engines could have merely been put on a ship to Lusaka and we could have received them. Working hard for a journalist meanskeeping an eye on who is eating from mwibala while others are starving.
Does she know what she is talking about? For a journalist working hard means finding out why Tasila fenced off a State Forest and why she is not being prosecuted for this. It also means finding out why Mrs Lungu went all the way to the United States to receive firefighting equipment that is not being used. The Fire engines could have merely been put on a ship to Lusaka and we could have received them. Working hard for a journalist meanskeeping an eye on who is eating from mwibala while others are starving in that very same mwibala.
Esther Lungu tells somebody else to work hard? How about you and that corrupt husband of yours do anything at all for the country? Apart from stealing the coffers empty you have done NOTHING!
What are these awards for? Ni lipotingi ya bwanji iyi kasi? You just tell people that some people have won awards? For what??
Really laughable …this Chawama old hen telling journalists to work hard..doesnt she know that most dont even get paid and her lazy husband has crushed them!!
Ester is no position to urge anyone…
MY SYMPATHIES TO ESTHER WHAT A LIVE SHE MUST LEAD