In the last four years, Food For Mzansi has shined bright at the African Digital Media Awards, winning 11 of these international awards. This year, sister publication Health For Mzansi gets its own moment in the sun with a nomination for the best Gen Z initiative in the continent-wide celebration of efforts to reach a younger audience who most frequently get their news from social media.
“Just being nominated is a huge deal for Health For Mzansi. I am over the moon that the publication is making a big enough impact to be recognised globally in just 11 months,” says Health For Mzansi head of news, Noluthando Ngcakani.
Health For Mzansi is up against Maghreb Arabe Presse in Morocco and Media24 in South Africa.
Making its own mark
Presented by WAN-IFRA, the global organisation of the world’s press, it is considered the most prestigious awards for digital news publishers on the African continent. In its existence of nearly four years, Food For Mzansi has won 11 global media awards, including Africa’s best digital news start-up in 2019.
Speaking to the inspiration behind Health For Mzansi, Ronelle Louwrens, CEO of YehBaby, the Food For Mzansi Group’s digital partner, she says, “I grew up with a mom and gran drilling healthy habits into me. To feel good is a gift and that starts with our relationship with ourselves and food. Our publication is fun and accessible because we want everyone to have the info to change habits and thrive.”
Ngcakani notes that Gen Z is one of the most connected audiences in the world and needed their own safe space.
“We are honoured at the opportunity to create a space where Gen Z feel seen and heard and unashamed to ask questions about their health.”
Health For Mzansi head of news, Noluthando Ngcakani
Global panel of judges
Food For Mzansi’s Pan-African Summit on Youth in Sustainable Agriculture was also nominated in the best digital advertising category. The summit attracted virtual attendees from no less than 15 different African countries with an in-person audience in Pretoria. It was also used as a launch pad for FoodForAfrika.com, Food For Mzansi’s Africa-wide sister publication.
In the competition category for best use of online video, Food For Mzansi was nominated for No room to hide: Climate change in the Cape Winelands. It focuses on the effects of climate change on one of the world’s leading wine regions.
“This year has truly been a rollercoaster ride for our team. Besides our flagship agriculture news publication, we also gave birth to Health For Mzansi and FoodForAfrika.com. When the nominations list came out this morning, we were a little emotional because everyone has worked so incredibly hard,” says Ivor Price, editor-in-chief and co-founder of the Food For Mzansi Group.
Food For Mzansi Group co-founder and strategy director, Kobus Louwrens, adds, “We’re especially pleased with the recognition the editorial excellence of our new publications are receiving. Our mission is to create a stable of niche products that develop new audiences and make a meaningful social impact.”
Twenty-five judges reviewed entries from across the continent for this year’s African Digital Media Awards. This included Joan Mwai from The Standard Group in Kenya, Nic Newman from the United Kingdom-based Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Danyelle White from The Salt Lake Tribune in the United States, Fanny Bonjean from Le Parisien in France, and Katarzyna Ostrowska from Puls Biznesu in Poland.
“This year we had a record number of entries submitted. Amidst another challenging year, it was inspiring to see so many incredible projects,” said the WAN-IFRA Digital Revenue Network in a release issued earlier today.
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