From Malaysia to Mexico and from DR Congo to Ukraine, this year’s 12 finalists for the 2026 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year award tell extraordinary stories of courage, survival and war, and investigate corruption and abuses of power from four of the world’s continents. A total of 217 journalists from 56 countries entered this year’s prestigious competition, which is run in partnership with the UK’s Foreign Press Association (FPA).
Journalist Si Err Yap from Malaysia exposes how social media platforms are being exploited by criminals to distribute and trade child sex abuse material in a five-part series for the online news portal Malaysiakini.
In Nigeria, reporter Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu spent seven months researching the rise of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram for HumAngle. Her investigation which explains how Boko Haram was able to build its army and includes interviews with first-generation members of the group and victims. Also from Nigeria, journalist Aaron Atsahyel’s documentary for Trust TV gives a voice to the women and children from one community where 42 men were allegedly arrested by the military 11 years ago and have not been seen since.
Holding power to account remains a central theme of many stories. Ukrainian investigative journalist Heorhii Shabaev put one politician’s business, political and personal connections under the spotlight for Radio Free Europe, while survivors of an adoption scandal dating back to the 1970s and 1980s in Indonesia tell their stories to journalist Rafly Pratama for his investigation published by Migrant Times.
Controversial research which led to new species of reptiles and amphibians being identified is interrogated by science journalist Humberto Basilio from Mexico. In Yemen, the dangers facing fishermen who are diving without safety equipment in order to land a catch are exposed by Afrah Borji in her report for Yemen Platform.
Many of this year’s top 12 give a voice to people whose plight is often ignored. For the Hunna platform, Douha Amrani goes undercover in a garment workshop in Algeria for her investigation into the alleged exploitation of female workers who are students, and journalist Patricia Ngevao from Sierra Leone exposes how childhoods are being destroyed because of the ongoing farmer-herder conflicts. In DR Congo, Alain Kanyombo talks to women working in appalling conditions in mining areas.
Journalist William Kamau’s eight-month investigation for Africa Uncensored reveals how Kenyan and Ugandan job seekers are allegedly being trafficked into Myanmar to work in online fraud compounds and in Nigeria, journalist Ndidiamaka Ede follows one woman’s fight for justice seven years after her husband's disappearance.
“Many of the young journalists in this year’s competition are working in really challenging circumstances and their powerful storytelling shows extraordinary bravery and tenacity,” says Catherine Mackie, Thomson’s Learning Manager. “At times, weeks and months have been spent on investigations which continue to have a real impact.”
The winner of this year’s Thomson Foundation Young Journalist of the Year Award will be announced at the annual FPA Awards ceremony in London in November.
The competition is open to journalists aged 30 and under, from countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than USD20,000.
