Kenyan journalist bags international award for telling taboo stories on Infertility!
Kenyan Journalist feted with an International Award for helping people with Infertility
By Peninah Akinyi
Bareness and infertility is a sensitive discussion especially in African customs. Lacking a child can be a nightmare and some people suffer community and family stigma.
Mercy Tyra Murengu who works at Milele fm and a member of the Uasin Gishu Journalist association has decided to venture into telling the stories of celebrities and people living with infertility.
Her efforts to share the stories of this people were recognized when Tyra won an award with Merck foundation -More than a Mother.
The foundation has been giving awards to journalists publishing stories of infertility in Africa.
According to the Media Personality who has won at least 16 awards after being in journalism for 11 years, reporting on global health and gender issues ,gives her the Fulfillment that only comes after satisfying a true Passion ;Being the Voice to the voiceless.
” I appreciate everyone who helped me along the way in filing these stories, sometimes I would break down, sympathize with my sources but still would make sure their voices are heard ,I dedicate the award to those who helped through this journey ,” Said Tyra.
Mercy Tyra adds that special awards category is reserved for those people who have been reporting on the issue of lack of children.
Tyra says she has specialized in global health and gender reporting.
While she was in the field she met different people.
“Men don’t like discussions around infertility and many people in the society blame women when couples fail to bear children, ” she added
Tyra says some men want to come out and speak about struggling with lack of children but they fear because the society is judgmental.
Some African customs isolate men who don’t have kids from participating in community issues making many of them not talk about infertility ,they would hide their status all together.
” I am very passionate about health stories and now am their voice. I go to the gynecologists and ask questions on their behalf,” she says .
Mercy educates the society about infertility and the solutions available for people struggling with it such as adoption and Invitro fertilization IVF treatment.
Africans look at infertility as a taboo living many people struggling yet they could find help.
The Mediamax journalist says she submitted her story when a chance came up on how celebrities are abused online for infertility.
“Celebrities entertain us but some of them go through a lot, for lack of children and so I decided to report their stories,” she narrates.
Tyra other stories include “Tamaduni potovu zinazomdahlilisha mwanaume gumba katika jamii”.
Mercy who is doing her master’s degree at the Aga khan School of Media and Communication to grow her career believes “It is not about being the best, it’s about being better than you were yesterday, “.
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