The 2007 Environmental Reporter of the year award went to ZBC’s newsnet reporter Garikai Chaunza.

Chaunza won a holiday voucher on full board at Azambezi River Lodge, 2 return air tickets to Victoria Falls and one billion dollars cash. He also got 2 return Blue Arrow tickets to any destination in Zimbabwe, a certificate, miniature and annual floating trophy, NetOne Easy call line with airtime, neck tie, cap, 2 golf t-shirts and a NetOne 2008 diary.

The first runner up was Dorothy Mavolwane from ZBC as well followed by Tsitsi Matope from the Herald and the lastly Nevson Mpofu who is a stringer for the vernacular paper Kwayedza. These awards are held annually and have proven to maintain their consistency when others that used to host such occasions are either closing shop or abandoning this noble gesture. This may be due to the effects of the worsening economic situation in the country. Environment Africa together with NetOne and Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) year in year out have been the major sponsors of the awards and they have held its dignity in terms of the awards given to reporters.

“At list if other businesses could take from Environment Africa, they would see what it is like if they are to award somebody for the good work they will have done. Not what we see others do especially our own NJAMA awards which are organized by our very own Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ),” said one reporter from the government media.

Chaunza’s whole prize package amounted to a cash value of fifteen billion dollars, something that an average journalist in Zimbabwe cannot do with their monthly salaries. While to reporters like Tsitsi Matope, Sifelani Tsiko and Chaunza writing has been out of passion others are now targeting all news beats that have with them annual awards with hoards of cash prize packages. Other such awards include the Auxillia Chimusoro Awards where reporters get to win money in forex. Also of target have the Betty Makoni Girl Child Network Awards that started last year.

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