- The story featured Caleb Mwangi, a 13-year-old who almost lost his life from being beaten by his teacher for eating extra chapati.
- The award amounts to 1,000 USD (Sh122,300.00)
Image: HANDOUT
BBC journalist Ian Wafula has been awarded by World Health Organization and International Center for Journalists following a feature dubbed 'Corporal Trauma.'
The story featured Caleb Mwangi, a 13-year-old who almost lost his life from being beaten by his teacher for eating extra chapati.
According to a video shared by Ian Wafula on his official Twitter page, Mwangi is seen narrating the ordeal that left him with lifetime marks on his body.
"I was hungry and I didn't have money. I went to the teacher and asked her to give me chapati on credit, and asked her to help me with her phone to call my parents for money. She said no," Mwangi said.
The student said he went ahead and took five chapatis from where his teacher had stored them.
"I saw where she had put the chapati. I took five of them and ate. She came and asked who had taken the chapati and the rest of the children said it was me," Mwangi said.
In the video, Mwangi's mum is also seen narrating how it has been difficult to take care of him
"All these are wounds from the canning. His whole body was like that. He had wounds everywhere, you could not even find where to hold him," she said.
The award amounts to 1,000 USD (Sh122,300.00)
Wafula took to Twitter to announce the cash reward, adding that the amount will cater for Mwangi's school fees in his final year in primary school and medication.
"Some personal news: My documentary “Corporal Trauma” just won the @WHO x @ICFJ Violence Against Children Reporting contest with a cash prize of $1,000," he said.
"A great part of this amount will go to paying school fees for Mwangi’s final year in primary school and his medication."