BECOME AN AGENT OF CHANGE! BECOME THE MIRROR OF THE SOCIETY!
Young Writers’ Competition
Welcome to the Become An Agent of Change Young Writers Competition. The Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are collaborating on an advocacy project dubbed #Inclusive Young Voices (#IYV).
The project has seen youth and children with disabilities between the ages of 15 and 24 engage in advocacy initiatives using social media tools to discuss and raise awareness about the challenges and experiences the youth and children with disabilities face. They are highlighting different issues such as education, health, employment, citizenship and participation, economic empowerment, among others. In addition, they are sharing experiences in overcoming disability-related stigma, discrimination, and COVID19.
The #IYV has been hosting in-country youth dialogues on issues of disability in five countries – Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia. We have recruited four youths or children with disabilities per country to attend and participate in the dialogues. The dialogues have been preparing the selected youths and children with disabilities to engage in capacity building and advocacy initiatives to effectively use social media to advocate for different issues that affect them. The issues emanating from the dialogues have been consolidated into ‘Calls for Action’ to be delivered to their duty bearers – members of parliament, counselors, ministers, presidents, and other relevant policymakers – in their respective countries.
The issues highlighted by children and young people from the entire SADC region through a regional essay competition are supplementing those emanating from the activities/events being implemented in the above-mentioned five countries. The Become An Agent of Change Young Writers Competition seeks to provide an opportunity to children and youths with disabilities themselves to use their writing talents to highlight, discuss, and bring the issues that matter to them to the attention of the duty bearers in the region, including the targeted five above.
It’s not too late. If you’re aged between 15 and 24 years in any of the 16 SADC countries and have any form of disability, take on this opportunity and submit creative writing on disability advocacy, expressing experiences and challenges as well as recommendations that youths and children with disabilities face in their respective countries.
Submit a 500-600 word write-up in any form on various issues affecting you or your fellow children/youths. It could be an essay, a story, poetry, or memoir. Thematic topics may include health; education; employment and economic empowerment; citizenship and participation; overcoming stigma and discrimination; disability and COVID19; or any issue that is dear to your heart.
Besides English, we also accept entries in French and Portuguese
PRIZES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL WINNERS
Entries from all the 16 SADC countries meeting minimum requirements will be published on the SAFOD Blog. All winning entries will also be published in an e-book anthology, besides being promoted on various social media platforms.
How to enter
Email your entry to: youngvoices@safod.net
DEADLINE: Extended to Thursday, 31 March 2022