A woman in Maputo buys a bag of sand—a popular snack – from a street vendor. It’s a dangerous health risk, as Muchanga explained in an award-winning piece. (Photo by Mercedes Sayagues)

Muchanga was the first to focus on elderly women whose families accuse them of witchcraft—often as a way to avoid the cost of elder care. (Photo by Mercedes Sayagues)

Trash-clogged gutters force rainwater to back up into streets that become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. (Photo by Mercedes Sayagues)

Muchanga (left) interviewed residents from flooded communities about the diseases and poor sanitation that often follow rainstorms. (Photo by Mercedes Sayagues)

Salane Muchanga’s most recent award honored her health reporting on a community that has prevented flooding—and the ensuing health risks. (Photo by Mercedes Sayagues)

The journalists who showed up for training on health issues have almost no formal training in the basics of journalism, let alone how to cover health news. Knight Fellow Mercedes Sayagues, standing, conducted the training session. (Photo by Emanuel Pereira)

Makonde men are a study in contradictions: fully involved in child care and health, many are unwilling to donate blood for female relatives in need. (Photo by Mercedes Sayagues)