Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono overcame the country’s controversial media laws to produce a documentary about the many Zimbabweans suffering with and dying of HIV/AIDS that won the 2008 CNN Multi-Choice African Journalist of the Year Award.

His documentary, entitled “Pain in my heart,” was selected from nearly 2,000 entries. He was one of 23 finalists at an awards ceremony held in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday evening.

His documentary, which examined the challenges faced by Zimbabweans with HIV/AIDS, was also recognized in February when Chin’ono was awarded the 2008 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellowship Award.

Chin’ono told reporter Carole Gombakomba of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that he feels honored to have won the prestigious award despite the many obstacles he faced to produce the documentary, including Zimbabwe’s repressive media laws.

The winner of the CNN MultiChoice competition, cosponsored by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, receives a cash prize of $7,000 plus a laptop computer and printer.

More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...