The Custodians of African Literature (COAL), in collaboration with the Avoidable Deaths Network and SEVHAGE Literary and Development Initiative, has announced a call for submissions as part of the International Awareness Day for Avoidable Disaster Deaths (IAD4AD) campaign.
This initiative, now in its second year, seeks to honor the millions of lives lost to disaster deaths by encouraging young creatives to contribute their artistic voices to global advocacy efforts.
COAL invites poets, prose writers, and photographers across Sub-Saharan Africa to submit original works that reflect on preventable losses and raise awareness about the systemic issues leading to these tragedies. Submissions should focus on one of the following themes:
- Maternal Mortality: The death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or shortly after due to pregnancy-related complications.
- Snakebite: A neglected tropical disease that, without proper medical intervention, leads to fatalities and long-term disabilities.
- Silicosis: A severe occupational lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to silica dust, commonly affecting workers in mining and construction.
- Drowning: One of the leading causes of accidental deaths worldwide, particularly in low-income communities.
Submission Guidelines
- The call is open to individuals aged 18–35 from Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Entries must be unpublished, original, and not generated by AI.
- Poetry submissions have no length restriction.
- Prose submissions must be flash fiction and should not exceed 250 words.
- Photography submissions must be high-resolution images, with a maximum of two entries per participant.
- All submissions must focus on one of the specified categories.
Meet the Judges
The panel of judges brings together distinguished voices from various creative and academic fields. Quramo Writers’ Prize winner and JAY Lit’s Managing Editor Ibrahim Babátúndé Ibrahim, multidisciplinary artist Emma Kennedy, award-winning poet S. E. Su’eddie Vershima Agema, Zambian poet and advocate Vanessa Chisakula, and mass media specialist Anre John will collectively assess submissions. Their diverse expertise will ensure a rigorous and insightful selection process.
Prizes and Recognition
- Ten finalists will be selected to receive a cash prize of $50 each.
- Winning works will be published in the official Avoidable Deaths Campaign Anthology, providing a platform for their creative voices.
- Additionally, selected works will be shared with the academic faculty at the Institute for Environmental Futures at the University of Leicester, amplifying their reach and impact.
This campaign offers young creatives an opportunity to use their artistry as a catalyst for change, shining a light on preventable deaths and fostering dialogue on systemic solutions.
To submit your entry, click here.
For more information on the Art for Life Campaign, visit their official website
Best of luck to all applicants!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
