Call for Submissions: 6th Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature
The 6th edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature is now open for submissions. Established in 2019 to honour the memory of Wakini Kuria, this prestigious award seeks to recognize outstanding stories for young readers. If you’re of African descent with a compelling story for children aged 6 to 12, this call is for you. Previous winners have included talented writers from Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Lesotho, Ghana, Malawi, and Kenya.
For this edition, the theme is “Guardians of Peace,” and submissions should be in the children’s literature genre, not exceeding 1,200 words. The winner will receive a certificate and $200, with second and third place also receiving certificates and cash prizes. Submissions opened on March 15th, 2024, and close on July 1st, 2024. This call is exclusively open to writers of African descent.
Important things to note:
- Ensure your entries have not been previously published;
- Poetry submissions will not be considered for this edition.
- Previous winners are also ineligible to submit.
For more information and to submit your story, visit the official 2024 African Writers Awards website here.
Bongiwe T. Maphosa
Bongiwe Maphosa is a writer whose fiction and poetry offers fresh, imaginative perspectives on the human condition. Her work has been published in prominent literary spaces, including Isele Magazine, Akowdee Magazine, the AVBOB Poetry Anthology, Journal of African Youth in Literature (JAY Lit), and more. She was also nominated for the 2025 Best of the Net Anthology. Bongiwe is one of six writers selected for the inaugural Caine Prize Online Editing program and serves as a content writer, peer reviewer, and tier three awards judge for JAYLit. Bridging inner reflection with speculative worlds, she continues to carve out a distinctive voice within contemporary African literature for a growing global audience.
