The Writers Space Africa (WSA) Foundation is a remarkable not-for-profit organization registered in Tanzania.
Its visionary founder, Anthony ‘PenBoss’ Onugba, established the organization with the noble aim of empowering and elevating the voices of writers of African descent.
With its various programs, WSA has created a vibrant community of writers who are not only encouraged to hone their craft but are also provided with ample opportunities to showcase their work to a wider audience.
One of the most notable initiatives of WSA is its two literary magazines.
The first one, WSA Magazine, is a monthly literary magazine that offers a diverse range of genres, including children’s literature, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, poetry, and short story.
The second magazine, PoeticAfrica, is a quarterly trilingual magazine published in English, French, and Kiswahili.
This unique publication aims to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the African continent and provide a platform for African poets to express themselves in their native language.
Apart from its literary magazines, WSA also runs a virtual creative writing academy that has been running successfully for five sessions.
This writing academy provides aspiring writers with an opportunity to develop their craft under the guidance of experienced writers and editors.
The academy has been instrumental in nurturing new talents and helping them to get published.
We are excited to announce three writing awards for African writers organized by WSA. These awards offer a fantastic opportunity for writers to showcase their talent and creativity while inspiring and empowering young writers.
The first award is the 2nd edition of the African Teen Writers Awards. This award is open to early teens aged between 13 to 16 years, and we welcome submissions in two categories: poetry and prose.
Submissions will be accepted from April 1 to July 1, 2023, with one entry per category allowed. The winners of each category will receive a certificate of achievement and a cash prize of $100. There are no specific themes for this award.
The second award is the African Writers Awards, now in its 6th edition. For this edition, we are accepting submissions for poetry only, both structured and unstructured.
The theme for this edition is Artificial Intelligence, and poems should not exceed 24 lines.
Submissions are also open from April 1 to July 1, 2023.
The grand prize for this award is $500, an Amazon e-book publishing contract, and a scholarship for a 3-month creative writing course.
Second and third-place winners will also receive a scholarship for the same course.
The third award is the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature, now in its 5th edition.
We are calling for submissions in the children’s literature genre for children between the ages of 8 and 12.
This call is open from April 1 to July 1, 2023. The winner of this prize will receive a certificate and $200.
The second-place winner will receive a certificate and $150, while the third place will receive a certificate and $100.
There is no theme for this call. However, stories should not exceed 1,200 words, while poems should not exceed 24 lines.
We encourage all eligible writers to submit their entries by visiting https://www.africanwritersawards.com.
The list of judges is also available on the website.
We wish all the participants good luck!
Anthony Onugba,
Chief Judge,
African Writers Awards.