The Golden Baobab Prize
Encyclopedia
The Golden Baobab Prize is awarded annually to African writers of children's literature
and young adult literature
. The Golden Baobab Prize accepts entries of unpublished short stories written by African citizens irrespective of age, race or geographical location. The prize is awarded annually to African citizens who submit a short story geared toward children and/or young adults in one of three categories. There are three prizes awarded: Junior Category (stories for readers aged 8 – 11 years), Senior Category (stories for readers aged 12 – 15 years) and a Rising Writer prize for a promising writer aged 18 years and under. Entry into the prize is by email submission of unpublished works in English. Established in July 2008, the Golden Baobab Prize is an African literary award that aims to encourage the writing of African literature for children and young adults. Its mission is to identify African literary giants of the next generation and produce classic African stories that will be appreciated for years to come.
In addition to introducing African authors to new audiences, the Golden Baobab Prize’s website features at least four different African illustrators a year: this is done with the hope of establishing an annual African illustrator prize to recognize the works of talented African children’s illustrators.
The Golden Baobab Prize is an initiative of The Golden Baobab Foundation for Education, a nonprofit organization registered in Ghana. The prize is supported by the African Library Project
and The Global Fund for Children
. The organisation operates with a global team of volunteers, lead by co-founder Deborah Ahenkorah from Ghana. In 2009 the inaugural 2008 winners were awarded $800 each, this was increased to $1000 for the 2009/2010 awards in the Junior and Senior categories.
Junior Category: Lauri Kubuitsile - Lorato and her Wire Car (Botswana)
Senior Category: Ivor W. Hartmann - Mr. Goop (Zimbabwe)
Rising Writer: Aisha Kibwana - Strange Visitors that took her life away (Kenya)
2009/2010
Junior Category: Mirirai Moyo - Diki, the Little Earthworm (Zimbabwe)
Senior Category: Lauri Kubuitsile - Mechanic’s Son (Botswana)
Rising Writer: Aisha Kibwana - Strange Visitors that took her life away (Kenya)
2010: Jay Heale, Nana Ayebia Clarke, Muthoni Garland, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Cynthia Pon, and Meshack Asare
.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
and young adult literature
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
. The Golden Baobab Prize accepts entries of unpublished short stories written by African citizens irrespective of age, race or geographical location. The prize is awarded annually to African citizens who submit a short story geared toward children and/or young adults in one of three categories. There are three prizes awarded: Junior Category (stories for readers aged 8 – 11 years), Senior Category (stories for readers aged 12 – 15 years) and a Rising Writer prize for a promising writer aged 18 years and under. Entry into the prize is by email submission of unpublished works in English. Established in July 2008, the Golden Baobab Prize is an African literary award that aims to encourage the writing of African literature for children and young adults. Its mission is to identify African literary giants of the next generation and produce classic African stories that will be appreciated for years to come.
In addition to introducing African authors to new audiences, the Golden Baobab Prize’s website features at least four different African illustrators a year: this is done with the hope of establishing an annual African illustrator prize to recognize the works of talented African children’s illustrators.
The Golden Baobab Prize is an initiative of The Golden Baobab Foundation for Education, a nonprofit organization registered in Ghana. The prize is supported by the African Library Project
African Library Project
The African Library Project is an all-volunteer organization that starts libraries in rural Africa. U.S. volunteers organize book drives and ship books to a library in Africa. ALP partners with governmental and non-governmental organizations in sub-Saharan Africa...
and The Global Fund for Children
The Global Fund for Children
The mission of The Global Fund for Children is to advance the dignity of children and youth around the world. GFC pursues its mission by making small grants to innovative community-based organizations working with some of the world’s most vulnerable children and youth, complemented by a dynamic...
. The organisation operates with a global team of volunteers, lead by co-founder Deborah Ahenkorah from Ghana. In 2009 the inaugural 2008 winners were awarded $800 each, this was increased to $1000 for the 2009/2010 awards in the Junior and Senior categories.
The Golden Baobab Prize Winners
2008/2009Junior Category: Lauri Kubuitsile - Lorato and her Wire Car (Botswana)
Senior Category: Ivor W. Hartmann - Mr. Goop (Zimbabwe)
Rising Writer: Aisha Kibwana - Strange Visitors that took her life away (Kenya)
2009/2010
Junior Category: Mirirai Moyo - Diki, the Little Earthworm (Zimbabwe)
Senior Category: Lauri Kubuitsile - Mechanic’s Son (Botswana)
Rising Writer: Aisha Kibwana - Strange Visitors that took her life away (Kenya)
The Golden Baobab Prize Judges
2009: Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Kathy Knowles, and Professor Osayimwense Osa.2010: Jay Heale, Nana Ayebia Clarke, Muthoni Garland, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Cynthia Pon, and Meshack Asare
Meshack Asare
Meshack Asare is a popular African children's author. He was born in Ghana and currently resides in Degenfeld, Germany.-Life:Asare studied Fine Arts at the College of Art in Kumasi, and between 1967 and 1979 he was a teacher in Ghana...
.