Programme
Tales from the Baobab
Open for entriesAn annual Afrocentric short story competition for writers under eighteen, from Zimbabwe, across Africa and the global African diaspora.
The Foundation’s flagship talent discovery programme. Tales from the Baobab looks for voices capable of contributing to Africa’s cultural and intellectual landscape, not simply technically proficient writers.
Themes
What to write about
The programme deliberately emphasises authentic African perspectives rather than externally imposed narratives. We are not only looking for technically proficient writers. We are looking for voices worth hearing.
- African history
- Cultural heritage
- Traditional knowledge
- Contemporary social realities
- Innovation and entrepreneurship
- Environmental stewardship
- Community values
- Future African imaginaries
Eligibility
Who can enter
Open to writers under eighteen from Zimbabwe, and progressively across Africa and the global African diaspora. One entry per writer for each Perspectives collection.
Entries in Shona and Ndebele are welcome alongside English. Say which language you are writing in when you submit.
Rules
The entry rules
Tales from the Baobab is open to writers under the age of eighteen. Entries must be the writer's own original work, written in the language of entry, and not previously published.
Length and format
Stories must be between 3,000 and 5,000 words. Upload a Word (.docx), PDF, RTF or plain text file of no more than 4 MB. Do not put your name inside the manuscript, because judging is blind.
Consent
A parent or guardian must give consent before an entry can be judged. The platform emails them a link once you add their details.
Rights
You keep copyright in your story. If your story is selected for publication, the Foundation will agree the specific licence with you and your guardian before anything is published.
Judging
Every entry is read in full and scored against a published rubric by assigned judges who do not see your name. Decisions of the judging panel are final.
Rules version v2. The version you accept is recorded with your submission.