Two senior reporters made history by being awarded the first Journalism Fellowships for Childhood Obesity and NCD Prevention on December 15.
Marlon Madden of Barbados TODAY and Regina Selman Moore of The Barbados Advocate were selected to receive the Fellowship, which was launched in May 2021 through a partnership between the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB).
Pre-COVID research shows that an alarming 31 per cent of children in Barbados are obese or overweight. It is especially critical that young people, parents and policymakers be informed on how to tackle this health crisis that is inextricably linked to the extremely high prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Current statistics indicate that eight out of every ten deaths in Barbados is due to an NCD.
An analysis of media coverage in Barbados between June 2021 and March 2022 revealed that articles by Madden and Selman-Moore highlighted childhood obesity, the increasing challenge of NCDs, and its impact on the social, economic and financial sectors.
General Secretary of BARJAM Emmanuel Joseph congratulated the journalists and applauded the initiative.
“The Association is delighted and celebrates with Regina and Marlon on being chosen for the fellowship. I thank you both for your good work against all the odds, because journalism can be a thankless job as a lot is demanded of us, with very little returns,” said Joseph.
He also thanked the HSFB for the collaboration and urged the two journalists to capitalise on the fellowship and to continue drawing attention to the issue of childhood obesity, as it is a matter of life and death. He noted that the fellowships are key to bringing this concern into public discourse and raising awareness about the issue. “We look forward to the transformation that reporting on childhood obesity (and NCDs) will bring to the local landscape,” he said.
The journalists will each be awarded Bds$1, 200 to support their six-month fellowship, which began on December 1, 2022. During this period, the journalists are challenged to produce evidence-based in-depth articles and stories that further explore the various aspects related to childhood obesity and NCDs at the national and global level, and continue to sensitise Barbadians to the issues.
Offering her congratulations, Chief Executive Officer of HSFB Michelle Daniel stressed that the media continues to be an important partner in advocacy efforts for childhood obesity.
“We have noted some very dedicated journalists who understand the metrics of a situation as alarming as childhood obesity and are able to present this information in easily comprehensible ways. Our public cannot be informed about the factors influencing childhood obesity without the support and input of the media. We are heartened to award professional and dedicated journalists to be on the right side for our children as we continue this battle,” she said.
The presentation to the winning journalists took place at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados.
(PR)
