essay contests nigeria

Essay Writing Competitions in Nigeria 2024

Are you a good essay writer? This page contain a list of essay writing competitions in Nigeria this 2024. Apply and win some prizes

• Call For Application: 2024 EFCC Essay Competition for Young Nigerians

The EFCC invites students from secondary and tertiary institutions across Nigeria to participate in the second edition of its essay competition. This competition encourages students to think critically and propose innovative solutions to social and environmental issues through technology. The com

Published: 10 Aug 2024 Type: Undergraduate Study in: Nigeria Deadline: 09 Sep 2024

NESG 2024 Essay Competition for African undergraduate Students

The essay competition on "Collaborative Action for Growth, Competitiveness, and Stability" invites participants to explore the interconnected dimensions of inclusive development, business dynamism, societal security, innovation, and stakeholder collaboration. Essays should discuss how fost

Published: 29 Jul 2024 Type: Contest Deadline: 14 Aug 2024

• Think Trade, Think Green 2024 Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay Award

The Commonwealth Secretariat is pleased to launch the Think Trade, Think Green: Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay Award Competition. This competition, brought to you by the Trade and Youth teams of the Commonwealth Secretariat, invites young researchers and students aged 18-29 to share their

Published: 26 Jul 2024 Type: Entrepreneurs Deadline: 21 Aug 2024

• Encourage Science Initiative 2024 Essay competition For Nigerian Undergraduate Students

The Encourage Science Initiative Essay Competition is here for 2024, inviting all undergraduate students in Nigerian universities studying STEM courses. This competition seeks to inspire students to think critically about how STEM research funding can drive economic growth and development in Nigeria

Published: 25 Jul 2024 Type: Undergraduate Study in: Nigeria Deadline: 20 Sep 2024

Tracka's 2024 Essay Competition for Secondary School Students

Tracka, a civil tech platform that tracks the implementation of government projects, has rolled out activities to commemorate its 10th anniversary. The organisation will organise the active citizens festival, an entertainment event with the theme ‘Building people, moulding nations’.

Published: 25 Jul 2024 Type: College School Study in: Nigeria Deadline: 05 Aug 2024

Nigeria Malaria and NTDS Youth Corps Essay Competition 2024

The Nigeria Malaria and NTDS Youth Corps Essay Competition is here. This competition invites young individuals aged 15-35 years to join the fight against malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) by sharing their thoughts and ideas through a compelling essay.

Published: 24 Jul 2024 Type: Contest Study in: Nigeria Value: N180,000 Deadline: 30 Jul 2024

• Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) 2024 Annual Essay Competition

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Nigeria is pleased to announce its 2024 annual essay competition, open to all undergraduate students in Nigerian tertiary institutions. This year’s topic is; “The Rise of Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Job and Workforce

Published: 17 Jul 2024 Type: Contest Study in: Nigeria Value: N125,000 Deadline: 20 Sep 2024

Ominira Initiative for Economic Advancement 2024 Undergraduate Essay Writing Competition

Ominira Initiative for Economic Advancement with the support of the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity (IATP) welcome submissions to our first undergraduate essay writing competition on the topic  "Entrepreneurship and Democracy as Catalysts for a Prosperous Nigeria." &n

Published: 19 Jun 2024 Type: Contest Study in: Nigeria Deadline: 05 Jul 2024

2024 Transform Education Training (ITET) Gem Essay Competition

Nigeria has witnessed substantial economic challenges over the last couple of months and years. Reports and lived experiences of citizens have highlighted unprecedented levels of inflation, sharply rising costs of living, and widespread occurrences of acute hardships by households and individuals ac

Published: 14 Jun 2024 Type: Contest Study in: Nigeria Deadline: 24 Jun 2024

Think Canada 2024 Education Annual Essay Competition for African Students

We are thrilled to announce the 1st Edition of the Think Canada Education Annual Essay Competition – an opportunity for young bright minds across Nigeria and Ghana to shape the future of education. Theme "Future Trends in Education Industry: Challenges and Opportunities fo

Published: 11 Jun 2024 Type: Contest Deadline: 21 Jul 2024

Heirs Insurance 2024 Essay Championship

The Heirs Insurance Essay Championship is an annual essay competition open to school students between JSS1 – JSS3 across Nigeria, with the aim of showcasing the creativity and talent of children.

Published: 31 May 2024 Type: College School Study in: Nigeria Deadline: 01 Jul 2024

WIPO 2024 National IP Essay Competition for Students in Nigeria

Every year on April 26, we celebrate the World Intellectual Property (IP) Day to learn more about the role that IP rights play in encouraging innovation and creativity, and ultimately in shaping our world. This year’s celebration is themed “IP and SDGs: Building Our Common Future with In

Published: 28 May 2024 Type: Contest Deadline: 31 May 2024

2024 Patela Care Foundation Cancer Advocacy and Awareness Essay Competition (CAANEC) For Senior Secondary School Students in Nigeria

Proudly supported by Oyo State & FCT secondary school boards, MWAN, NCS, ARCON, POSON and DHF The Cancer Advocacy and Awareness Essay Competition (CAANEC) essay competition for 2024 is now open for senior secondary school students in Nigeria. Organised by the PATELA Care Foundation in collabo

Published: 14 May 2024 Type: College School Study in: Nigeria Deadline: 31 May 2024

Zeribe Nwosu Foundation (ZNF) Annual Essay Competition for Nigerian Students 2024

The Zeribe Nwosu Foundation (ZNF) hereby launch the ZNF Annual Essay Competition for the year 2024. In this essay, authors are to reflect on their own experience or perspectives gathered in consultation with others to articulate the challenges/issues associated with undergraduate education in Nigeri

Published: 22 Apr 2024 Type: Contest Deadline: 15 Jul 2024

Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) Short Essay Competition 2024

The Mixed Migration Review (MMR), the annual flagship report of the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), aims to offer a platform for different voices in the migration debate. MMC is therefore inviting young researchers and writers on migration, from and based in Asia, Africa or La

Published: 22 Apr 2024 Type: Contest Value: USD 1,000 Deadline: 03 May 2024

Peter Drucker Essay Contest for Students & Entrepreneurs Worldwide 2024

The Global Peter Drucker Challenge Essay Contest is an international essay competition held annually by the Drucker Society Europe, in conjunction with the Drucker Forum. The Challenge explores a current topic in management – typically related to the theme of the Forum – in the

Published: 12 Apr 2024 Type: Contest Deadline: 31 May 2024

Coal City University (CCU) 2024 Annual Essay Contest for Nigerian Students

Coal City University Chancellors’ annual essay contest is organized to encourage students develop their writing skills, build confidence, and showcase their creativity. It helps to increase awareness of current global issues among the young population. It aims to encourage and awaken the young

Published: 10 Apr 2024 Type: Undergraduate Study in: Nigeria Value: N500,000 Deadline: 06 May 2024

Immerse Education Essay Competition for Students Worldwide 2024

The Immerse Education Essay Competition provides the opportunity for students aged 13-18 to submit essay responses to a question of their choice relating to a subject of interest. There are over twenty questions to choose from which can be found in the full Essay Competition Guide. 10 winners w

Published: 09 Apr 2024 Type: Contest Deadline: 12 Sep 2024

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PositiveNaija

Nigerian news, history, research, art, forum, competitions and journalism on positivity, progress and excellence.

Call For Entries: 2024 PositiveNaija Essay Competition

2024 POSITIVENAIJA ESSAY COMPETITION

The 2024 PositiveNaija Essay Competition aims to promote: the culture of creativity, innovation, service and excellence; the dignity, safety and prosperity of Nigerians; Nigerian patriotism; impactful scholarship; and nation building.

Title of Essay :

The Pinnacle of Nigerian Excellence!

Objective :

Inform the world on the highest level of Nigerian inventiveness in any area of life with genuine impact on human dignity, safety and national development today.

Eligibility:

• Essay submissions are free – at no cost to the participants
• Open to all persons of any nationality
• Participants and winners of the previous PositiveNaija initiatives can still participate
• PositiveNaija Team and the Advisory Judges are not eligible [ excluding the Volunteers  – who have no involvement in the organisation of the Event]

Essay format:

• Maximum of 1,500 words (excluding references).
• At the beginning or end of the essay, state only your full names, nationality, email and telephone number(s).
• Must be submitted in both MS Word & Portable Document format (PDF).

Essay expectations:

• One (1) essay submission per person.
• Must be original, no plagiarism and not previously published.
• The competition language and the language of entries is English.
• Truth, logical consistency, facts with reliable references, narrative structure/organisation, creativity/initiative.
• Once an essay is submitted, it is considered a final submission and may not be modified, edited, or replaced.

Reward [cash prizes]:

• 1 st  prize:  ₦ 70,000
• 2 nd  prize:  ₦ 50,000
• 3 rd  prize:  ₦30 ,000

Reward [certificates]:  Top 10

Reward [publication]:  Top 10 essays are published on the PositiveNaija website.

• Submission dates by participants: July 1 – 7, 2024.
• PositiveNaija review and submit Top 10 best entries to Advisory Judges: July 10 – August 10, 2024.
• Blind review by Advisory Judges who shall [individually] assess, grade and rank the entries: August 10 – 30, 2024.
• Decision on top 10 entries by Advisory Judges are published (without ranking) on the Competition Page: 1st September 2024.

*Decisions by the Judges are final and are not subject to legal appeal

• Profiles of the top 10 participants are requested and top 4th – 10th are published: September 1 – 4, 2024
• The audience will then determine the final ranking for Positions 4th – 10th with an open and public online vote – multiple votes are allowed: September 5 – 11, 2024.
• PositiveNaija collates; prepares and issue certificates: September 12 – 18, 2024.
• The audience will then determine the final ranking and winner (top 3) with an open and public online vote – multiple votes are allowed: September 19 – 25, 2024.
• PositiveNaija collates and prepares certificates: September 26 – 30, 2024.
• Wole Joshua & Co. audits entire competition process: July – September 30, 2024.
• Overall winner (and essay)/results are declared/published on 1 st October 2024.
• Payments made and certificate issued to winners on 1 st October 2024.

Submission :

Email :   [email protected]

Deadline: 7 July 2024 | 11:59 PM (GMT +1)

Sponsorship:

The 2024 PositiveNaija Essay Competition is open for sponsorship, collaboration or partnership (+2349064503292).

*Account information (Bank name: Access Bank; Account name: Toju Ogbe; Account number: 0006376703)

* Use ‘ 2024 PositiveNaija Essay’ as support description. You can also send an email/sms indicating your support provided.

ANNEX 1 – Voting Rights and Weights

*The Advisory Judges shall grade each entry with a total of 100

*The grades of the Advisory Judges shall have 99% (0.99) voting weight

*The audience (the general public) can vote as many times possible

*The votes of the audience shall have a 1% (0.01) voting weight

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Acceptance of Terms

By participating you declare that you accept these terms and conditions.

For additional information and updates, kindly visit our  Competitions Page .

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Oct 14-16, 2024 Transcorp Abuja, NG

NES #30 Essay Contest

Contest details.

• About The Contest
• Eligibility
• Contest Topic
• What's in it for you?

Entries must be African undergraduates in Tertiary Institutions Entries must be written in English Language and be the original work of the writer Only one (1) entry per participant is allowed The maximum word count is 1,500 per words Plagiarized and AI-generated entries will be disqualified. Referencing should be done using the APA style All entries should be submitted before midnight (WAT) on August 14, 2024.

Collaborative action for growth, competitiveness and stability, top 3 finalists internship/project grant one year priority access to nesg policy briefs, research papers and macroeconomic outlook. a certification of performance top 10 finalists access to nesg learning management system top 50 finalists virtual access to the 30th anniversary.

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UBA National Essay Competition 2024 [13th Edition]

The annual UBA National Essay Competition 2024 is now accepting applications from suitably qualified students for its ongoing 13th edition registration.

Mediangr is delighted to inform you that the 13th edition of the UBA National Essay Competition for 2024 is now open for applications from eligible students. This prestigious competition aims to promote academic excellence and encourage young minds to express their thoughts and ideas through writing. It provides a platform for students to showcase their writing skills and creativity while competing with their peers from across the country.

We encourage all eligible students to take advantage of this opportunity and submit their entries for a chance to win exciting prizes and recognition. The competition is open to all students in secondary schools across Nigeria, and we look forward to receiving your submissions.

Read also: Top 10 Ongoing Essay Competitions in Nigeria with Exciting Prizes .

Table of Contents

Introduction: Unveiling the 2024 UBA National Essay Competition.

The UBA National Essay Competition 2024, targeted at senior secondary students in Nigeria, is organised annually as part of the UBA Foundation’s education initiative, which aims to promote the reading culture and encourage healthy and intellectual competition amongst secondary school students in Nigeria and across Africa

Essay Topic:

Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) take over Human Intelligence? What should students do to ensure AI doesn’t override but enhances their ability to learn through research?

Selection Criteria and Eligibility Criteria:

• – Must be a Nigerian
• – Must be a secondary school student
• – Must submit a scanned copy of your handwritten essay (750 words MAX)
• – Must submit a passport photograph
• – Must submit a copy of a birth certificate, National ID or Passport

Selection Procedure :

Entries received for the competition will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges made up of professors from reputable Nigerian Universities, who will then shortlist 12 essays for further assessment

Following this, a second round of competition will involve the 12 finalists who will write a second supervised essay from which the three best essays will be selected as the three best overall winners of the competition.

Read also: Fidelity Bank Graduate Trainee Program .

The first prize for the UBA National Essay Competition 2024 is an N5 million educational grant to any African University of their choice, while the second and third prizes are N3 million and N2.5 million in educational grants to African Universities, respectively.

Pro Tip: Please note that all incomplete and/or duplicate entries will be disqualified. Ensure your full name is written on your handwritten essay before uploading.

How to Apply UBA National Essay Competition 2024 .

To apply for the 13th edition of the UBA National Essay Competition 2024, interested students should scan and send in their handwritten entries to compete.

• Applicants must upload a scanned copy of their original birth certificates or international passport data page.
• Applicants must upload a handwritten essay (not more than 750 words) on the portal (https://www.ubagroup.com/uba-foundation/national-essay-competition/ ) .

UBA Essay Competition 2024 Deadline

The deadline for submitting the application is Friday, October 20th, 2024 .

Read also: Best Paid Internships Abroad for College Students & Graduates 2024/2025 .

UBA Foundation

UBA Foundation is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the UBA, embodying the group’s CSR objectives which seek to impact positively on societies through projects and initiatives.

Another project anchored by the foundation is the “Read Africa” initiative aimed at encouraging and promoting the reading culture in African youths.

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UBA National Essay Competition 2022 for Nigerian Students (7.5 Million Naira in Prizes)

After School Africa

September 8, 2022

2021 UBA National Essay Competition in Nigeria has commenced with a call for entries. UBA Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.

Application Deadline: 14th October, 2022.

Essay Topic: This year, the topic is

“ASUU Strikes have often cost Nigerian students time. Advise the Nigerian government on how they can reach an agreement with ASUU to improve tertiary education in the country.”

Eligible Countries: Nigeria

About UBA National Essay Competition: Now in its 11 th  year, the essay competition, targeted at senior secondary school students in Nigeria is organised annually, as part of UBA Foundation’s education initiative which is aimed at promoting the reading culture and encouraging healthy and intellectual competition amongst secondary school students in Nigeria and across Africa.

Get Up to $100,000 Student Loan for Your Master in US or Canada - See if you are eligible

Type: Contest

Selection Criteria and Eligibility

• Be a Secondary School Student
• Must submit a handwritten essay (750 words MAX)
• Must submit a passport photograph
• Must submit a copy of a birth certificate, National ID or passport

Selection procedure:

• Entries received for the competition will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges made up of professors from reputable Nigerian Universities, who will then shortlist 12 essays for further assessement.
• Following this, a second round of competition will involve the 12 finalists who will write a second supervised essay from which three best essays will be selected as the overall winners from the 12 finalists emerged from the first round of the competition

Number of Scholarships:  3

Value of UBA Essay Competition: The first prize for the UBA National Essay Competition is a N3 million educational grant, while the second and third prizes are N2.5 million and N2 million in educational grants to any African University of their choice.

How to Apply for UBA National Essay Competition: 

• Applicant must submit their completed contact information (Name, Age, School, Address of school, Telephone Number, Residential Address and Email Address).
• Applicants must attach photocopies of their original birth certificates or international passport data page.

Visit UBA National Essay Competition Webpage for Details

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Entries for 2024 mike okonkwo national essay competition opens april 8.

Entries for the 19th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for all Secondary School Students in Nigeria will open on April 8, to June 15, 2024.

The topic for this year’s competition is ‘Nigeria’s Pathways: Diagnosis and The Prescriptions’.

The entry requirements include an essay of a maximum of 2,000 words, a passport photograph of the student, full name, address, contact telephone number, class, school and name and telephone contact of the principal. All essays should be submitted in Word document format through email to [email protected]

For this year, the winner will go home with N500,000 cash price, a trophy, and a plaque, while the school will get a desktop computer. The first runner-up will get a cash prize of N250,000 with a plaque, while the school gets a desktop computer. The second runner-up will receive N100,000 cash prize and a plaque, while the school gets a desktop computer.

The competition is one of Dr. Mike Okonkwo’s corporate social responsibility activities, aimed at raising the standard of education in the country, as well as sensitising the students by making them analytically minded so as to excel in their world by developing their ability to think through issues. The competition is also part of activities lined up to mark the 79th birthday of Dr. Mike Okonkwo, the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).

Over the years, the competition has succeeded in reshaping the students’ thought patterns and helping them develop problem-solving skills.

The Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition spans over a decade of developing and rewarding the writing skills of Nigerian youths towards national development.

The prizes for this year’s competition will be presented to the winners at the 23rd Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, which has been scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2024, at the Muson Centre, Lagos.

The annual lecture, which started in 2000 has grown to become a major contributor to government policies, as it brings together seasoned men and women to discuss burning national issues. The topic for the essay is also the topic for the annual lecture.

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ReSAKSS Data Challenge 2024 for Data Enthusiasts

Application Deadline: August 20, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 ReSAKSS Data Challenge . AKADEMIYA2063  is launching the fifth edition of the  ReSAKSS Data Challenge ! This competition allows enthusiastic data users to showcase their creativity and analytical skills by using data and other resources on the  ReSAKSS  website and related digital platforms to develop innovative knowledge products or projects that address  Africa’s  development challenges.

The  Annual ReSAKSS challenge  is an Africa-wide – diaspora included – four  (4)-category challenge  encouraging participants to use their  imagination  to generate  innovative knowledge ,  tools,  and  content . Prizes will be awarded to the best entries in the following categories:

Category 1 –  Essays and Reports:  The most innovative research paper, article, essay, or journal article bringing solutions to African issues.

Category 2 –  Visual Arts:  The most innovative infographic, illustration, video

Category 3 –  IT products and services:  The most innovative applications and tools

Category 4 –  High School Projects:  The most innovative high school project

Requirements

• The  ReSAKSS DATA challenge  is an opportunity for researchers and analysts to experiment, discover new tools, and create a community of practice that will work data in the most innovative way.
• It will enable other groups of actors, whether in business, the media, or arts, to create content in their own liner of occupation. It allows civil society organizations to develop content for advocacy. More generally, diverse communities with different backgrounds can come together  use data to generate knowledge , discuss and exchange on their common  interest for data .
• Targeted  participants  include but are  not limited  to  researchers, analysts,  and  students in all disciplines, artists, media specialists, coders, developers, high school teams,  anyone  in Africa  and from  the diaspora  who is passionate about  data  and willing to create an  innovative content, product  or  service  relevant to social and economic development  issues facing African countries .

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the ReSAKSS Data Challenge

Jacaranda FM Business Plan Her Perfect Pitch Competition 2024 for female Entrepreneurs.

Application Deadline: 31 August 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 Jacaranda FM Business Plan Her Perfect Pitch Competition.

Jacaranda FM is once again shining the spotlight on female entrepreneurs with Her Perfect Pitch 2024 . This incredible competition is set to transform one lucky businesswomen’s life, offering over R2 million in business assistance.

Her Perfect Pitch aims to elevate female entrepreneurs, empower women, and foster business success. 

Entry Criteria

To participate in the Competition, the participant must:

• Hold a South African identity document or valid Visa if a foreign person.
• Live in the Republic of South Africa.
• Be a woman in business with a minimum of 50% ownership.
• Be 18 years and older.
• Have a business registered in South Africa.
• Have a business that is at least a year old.
• Provide correct and full personal contact details.

Grand Prize

The grand prize winner will receive:

• R500 000 worth of advertising on Jacaranda FM
• Conceptualisation, production, and creation of a radio advert, plus digital amplification
• Tailor-made business model
• Research consultation
• Branding consultation
• Digital and PR consultation

Top 10 Perks

Each of the top 10 finalists will also receive  R100 000 worth of airtime  on Jacaranda FM!

Entry Process

Elevate your business to new levels of success! Apply today to access exclusive growth opportunities and shape a brighter future.

• Step 1: Create your profile
• Step 2: Complete the application form

You’ll need to set aside some time to do this, as you’ll be asked to submit your financial statements as well as to tell us more about your business, your vision, USPs etc.

• Step 3: Top 30 applicants will be selected

…and invited to a networking session. The Top 30 entrants will also be required to prepare and submit a 2-minute video pitch for their business.

• Step 4: Top 10 finalists will be selected

…and invited to pitch their business live to a panel of judges at the Jacaranda FM studios in Johannesburg.

• Step 5: The top three finalists will be announced on-air by Jacaranda FM.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Jacaranda FM Business Plan Her Perfect Pitch Competition

 Irish Aid SDG Challenge 2024 for Sustainable Solutions

Application Deadline: 8 October 2024 ( 13:00 Dublin Local Time ).  

Applications are now open for the 2024 Irish Aid SDG Challenge. The SDG Challenge seeks to support diverse, transdisciplinary teams to develop transformative, sustainable solutions that will contribute to addressing development challenges under the UN SDGs in countries where Irish Aid works.   

Solutions must demonstrate context-specific expected impact in one of Irish Aid’s partner countries but applicants are also encouraged to consider broader opportunities where solutions may have wider impact and may foster learning for regional and sub-regional use.   

Funding is available for collaborative research teams based in eligible research institutions in Ireland and partner countries. Successful teams will be awarded up to €300k and will work through a series of phases to develop their idea. An overall prize award of €1M will be available to the team that demonstrates the highest potential for transformative impact.

• The SDG Challenge is intended to support highly motivated, transdisciplinary teams committed to developing transformative, sustainable solutions that will contribute to addressing development challenges under the UN SDGs in Irish Aid’s partner countries. It is expected that teams will encompass a range of technical and non-technical skills to address barriers associated with challenge definition and solution deployment, and that they will represent collaborative and equitable partnerships between researchers in Ireland and the partner country.   
• Teams must include expertise in the STEM research area underpinning the proposed solution, but should also include relevant knowledge or experience in complementary areas such as, for example, international development, economics, behavioural science or others, in order to inform the development, translation (incl. adoption) and impact of solutions. As part of an application, two academic researchers (at least one from a relevant STEM discipline) must be identified as part of the core-team.  Funding should be allocated appropriately to reflect the various contributions to the team. 

Phase Funding & Duration

The SFI Future Innovator Prize consists of three phases: Concept, Seed and Prize Award, as summarised below.  

Funding should be allocated to the Team Lead/Team Co-Lead based in an eligible HEI in Ireland and also the Partner Country Team Co-Lead based in the partner country. Information on eligible costs and funding levels is available in the call document.   

Visit the Official Webpage of the  Irish Aid SDG Challenge

Pulitzer Center Local Letters for Global Change Contest 2024 for K-12 students worldwide.

Application Deadline: November 15, 2024 at 11:59pm EST

Applications are now open for the 2024 Pulitzer Center Local Letters for Global Change Contest. Through this contest, students can practice global citizenship, civic action, and persuasive writing, all while exploring the underreported issues that matter to them through Pulitzer Center news stories.

Eligibility:

Pulitzer Center welcome entries from all current K-12 students across the globe. Letters may be written in English and/or Spanish. Letters should address a topic within one of the Pulitzer Center’s five focus issues:

• Climate and Environment  (Includes climate change, pollution, extractive industries, and more)
• Global Health  (Includes health inequities, food security, mental health, water and sanitation, and more)
• Human Rights  (Includes racial justice, gender equality, migration and refugees, Indigenous rights, and more)
• Information and Artificial Intelligence  (Includes technology and society, misinformation, and more)
• Peace and Conflict

Pulitzer Center will select one first place winner and up to four finalists for each issue category. First place winners will receive:

• $300 to support global community engagement in your classroom (prize distributed to your class teacher)
• Publication of your letter, photo, and bio on the Pulitzer Center website

Finalists will receive:

• $75 to support global community engagement in your classroom (prize distributed to your class teacher)

All entrants will be invited to participate in a Pulitzer Center town hall event, held virtually in November, to share their solutions with other students from around the world.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Pulitzer Center Local Letters for Global Change Contest

AgroHack Challenge 2024 for young Nigerian Agriculture Entrepreneurs.

Application Deadline: October 7th, 2024

AgroHack Challenge is seeking innovative ideas across the agriculture industry’s value chain. These ideas will be accelerated to create new opportunities for many young Nigerians. The key objective of the AgroHack Challenge is to harness innovative solutions that will enhance rapid growth in the agriculture food sector and increase output and profitability for farmers, create new jobs and increase food security in Nigeria.

Eligibility

• Must be a female led Agric enterprise
• Must be between 18 – 35 age
• Must have a team (minimum of 2 )
• Have an innovative or scalable business idea or model in the agricultural sector (ranging anywhere from farm to fork)
• Transform a community, a nation, a region, or have a global impact
• Have a minimum viable product
• Have a business model with a clear customer segment
• Participants also stand a chance to win up to one million naira
• Accelerator programme
• 5 days Enterprise boot camp
• Intense mentorship from a pool of international mentors
• Business support services
• Access to investors
• Access potential clients
• New market opportunities

Visit the Official Webpage of the AgroHack Challenge

The Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition 2024 for Young People Worldwide.

Application Deadline: August 31st 2024!

Applications are now open for the 2024 Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition. The Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition (CEC) aims to empower entrepreneurs – especially young ones – to work for a more peaceful and sustainable world. Participants are invited to submit their ideas and projects with social impact and to make a concrete commitment to one or more of the  17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  and to implement them. The 17 goals for sustainable development address the most important social, economic, environmental and health challenges of our time. The submissions are divided into two categories: idea and project. Entrepreneurs from 13 years old are invited to submit their idea or project to participate in the CEC.

The competition takes place in three phases. In the first phase, entrepreneurs submit their idea/project with a short pitch.  If their idea/project meets the competition criteria , they are invited to complete the courses and work on their Entrepreneurial Design. For this purpose, we have developed a special Entrepreneurial Design Canvas (EDC). After completing the courses, participants can submit their completed EDC for phase 2. In this phase all ideas and projects will be published and the participants can vote and collect votes. The 10 submissions with the most votes will move on to the third phase, where an expert jury will select the winners. The winners will be announced at the CEC award ceremony, which takes place in an online ceremony.

Eligibility Requirements

• Entrepreneurs from 13 years old are invited to submit their idea or project to participate in the CEC.
• You are welcome to register as a team. The requirement is that each team member has their own campus account. One team member can create the idea/project in the user area and add the other team members to the idea/project. In this way, the same idea/project will appear in the profiles of all team members.
• There is not a limit to the number of a team members.
• You can submit more than one entry as long as they tackle different issues.
• Ideas and projects must be in English. Other languages cannot be considered.
• There are no cash prizes, scholarships or other financial resources in the CEC. You gain knowledge, contacts, a business plan in the form of the Entrepreneurial Design (as long as you complete it conscientiously) and an official certificate from Stiftung Entrepreneurship (Foundation Entrepreneurship) on the completion of the Entrepreneurship courses and the placement in the Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition.

Timeline July 31, 2024

Last day for submissions. Last day to complete both the Brains versus Capital & Sustainable Entrepreneurship courses and the Entrepreneurial Design Canvas (EDC).

Please keep in mind that we may not have enough time to review your pitch and you may lack time to meet the CEC requirements.

August 01, 2024 

Start of Voting Phase.

All ideas/projects that have completed both courses and fully completed the EDC will automatically move into the Voting Phase and will be posted on our public website.

August 31, 2024

End of Voting Phase.

You still have the whole day to collect votes. At midnight the voting will be closed and it is no longer possible to vote. We will evaluate the collected votes and announce the finalists as soon as possible.

September 2024

Evaluation and announcement.

The 10 submissions with the most votes will go through to the final and in front of our judges. The jury awards points according to criteria such as entrepreneurial vision, feasibility, innovation, leadership, social impact and sustainability and selects the winners. The winners will then be announced on our blog.

Note:  Pictures and videos (maximum 3 minutes long) are good ways to explain an idea/project clearly and can increase the chance of getting votes. Please make sure that you only use images and videos to which you have the copyright.

If you don’t want to submit an idea or project, you can still register in the Entrepreneurship Campus to network, share and give feedback on ideas and projects.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition

The Commonwealth Secretariat Think Trade, Think Green: Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay Award Competition.

Application Deadline:  21 August 2024

The Commonwealth Secretariat is pleased to launch the Think Trade, Think Green: Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay Award Competition.

This competition, brought to you by the Trade and Youth teams of the Commonwealth Secretariat, invites young researchers and students aged 18-29 to share their insights on a crucial topic:  How can trade and trade policy address an aspect of the climate crisis in your country?

To challenge young people in the Commonwealth to explore the relationship between trade and climate change and propose how trade policy can be part of the solution to the climate crisis.

Essay topic

In what ways do you think trade and trade policy can help to address an aspect of the climate crisis in your country? Identify a specific problem, explain how it is linked to the climate crisis, and clearly explain how trade or trade policy can be used to address it.

• You must be aged between 18-29 years old and a Commonwealth national to participate in this competition.
• First prize:  £1,000
• Second and third prizes:  £500 each

The top three essays will be published as part of the Trade Competitiveness Briefing Series and launched at the  Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting  in Samoa in October.

Submission details

• Essays must be a  maximum of 2,000 words  (including in-text references and footnotes, excluding reference list)
• Full referencing in any style (in-text and reference list)
• Entries should be submitted as a single PDF or Word file, 1.5 spacing, Times New Roman font

Details to include

• Nationality
• Contact information (email, address, telephone)
• CV or short bio

Please email your submission and details to  [email protected]  by 21 August 2024. If you have any questions about the competition, please contact  [email protected] .

• Submission deadline:  21 August 2024
• Winners informed:  2 September 2024

Visit the Official Webpage of the Think Trade, Think Green: Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay Award Competition

Business Partners Limited/SME Toolkit SA Business Plan Competition 2024 for aspiring young entrepreneurs

Application Deadline: 16 August, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 Business Partners Limited/SME Toolkit SA Business Plan Competition.

Get the Know-how to start your own Business! Enter the 2024 Business Competition for aspiring entrepreneurs and stand a chance of winning a cash prize and mentorship Vouchers.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more,

Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.

Email: [email protected]

Visit the Official Webpage of the Business Partners Limited/SME Toolkit SA Business Plan Competition

 ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon 2024 for cybersecurity Enthusiasts.

Application Deadline: August 5, 2024

Join the ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon to unleash your skills and test your creativity. Connect with a team of innovative minds to tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges. The ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon, a Capture the Flag (CTF) competition organised by ECOWAS and the host Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). This event offers an excellent opportunity for beginners and seasoned professionals to immerse into the world of cybersecurity, learn new skills, and network with fellow enthusiasts.

The ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon aims to foster a platform for young technology enthusiasts, enhancing the cyber workforce in the region. Member states are encouraged to participate and showcase their brightest minds in this competition.

August 6 – August 31, 2024

Online CTF competition

Participants:

Open to teams from all ECOWAS member states

Engage in a series of cybersecurity challenges to identify the top team from each member state

October 14 – October 16, 2024

In-person CTF competition

Abuja, Nigeria

The leading teams from each ECOWAS member state

Identify the top regional cybersecurity team through a competitive in-person CTF event, emphasizing cross-border collaboration and advanced cybersecurity skills.

All talented individuals and teams are invited to join this exhilarating competition. Demonstrate your expertise, collaborate with peers, and push the boundaries of cybersecurity. Be part of the talent pool driving the security of cyberspace for your country and West Africa as a whole.

Visit the Official Webpage of the ECOWAS Cybersecurity Hackathon

The AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge 2024 for agri-tech innovators.

Application Deadline: 28 August 2024 at 23:59 (GMT+3)

Applications are now open for the 2024 AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge . A challenge designed to catalyze the Kenyan agri-food systems transformation by supporting early-stage innovators in the development, deployment, adoption, and scaling of high-impact science-based agri-tech solutions for smallholder farmers and agricultural value chain players.

The AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge aims to address these issues by fostering science-based agri-tech innovations that are localized within the national context and driven by market demand. By bridging the gap between research and market adoption, the initiative supports sustainability, resilience, and efficiency in Kenya’s agriculture. 

Accelerate your impact by joining us in shaping the future of agriculture to strengthen food security and ignite economic growth across Kenya.  

• The AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge is a program designed specifically for agri-tech innovators with early-stage solutions that are rooted in, or applicable to, Kenya’s agricultural sector.
• The program offers applicants, who must have an existing minimum viable product (MVP) or proof of concept (POC), comprehensive support to build a solid go-to-market strategy through business mentorship, scientific technical validation, market opportunities, access to finance, and on-the-ground experimentation with end-users to pilot solutions.

The AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge is powered by Kenyans, for Kenya, and is designed to meet local market demands and address critical value chain challenges.

Attract top-class innovators to tackle Kenya’s agricultural bottlenecks

Develop a pipeline of deployable, impactful and affordable solutions for farmers and value chain actors

Nurture an enabling environment that attracts investments and de-risks innovative technology development

Empower rural communities, and in particular, women and young people

Propel economic growth by creating employment and fostering a skilled and equipped workforce

Align efforts with the objectives of the Big 4 Agenda and the Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy in alignment with Vision 2030

Develop an in-depth understanding of agriculture in Kenya

Benefit from a fully funded, 4-day immersive bootcamp in Nairobi, Kenya

Connect with a wide and diverse network of partners, agribusinesses and investors

Optimise solutions through direct exposure to CGIAR assets and industry-leading scientists and experts

Reserved for participants  who successfully graduate from the bootcamp

Enroll on a sponsored 4-month acceleration program, combining entrepreneurial training and technical assistance.

Test and validate your solution on the ground with end-users for up to four months

Gain strategic exposure to investors and market opportunities

Visit the Official Webpage of the AgriTech4Kenya Innovation Challenge

UNFPA Research Challenge: Climate Change XX: Women’s Health in Focus. 

Application Deadline: 7 July 2024

The countries most at risk of climate change are also those where women and girls face the greatest dangers. “Without urgent action, climate change will set back the clock on gender equality,” says Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director. “UNFPA is pleased to support young female researchers studying the impacts of climate on women’s health. This is important to ensure that both the priorities of women and girls are reflected in climate strategies in the most vulnerable countries and that women are better represented in climate-related decision-making.”

In this context, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in collaboration with academic partners, is launching the  Research Challenge: Climate Change XX: Women’s Health in Focus . This Challenge will support young and female researchers who are addressing the impact of climate change on women and girls’ health – with special attention to the topic of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender equity and inclusion in the design of climate solutions.

Eligibility criteria

• We invite submissions from research teams and organizations led by young researchers under 35 years old, or by a female researcher, with a preference for women-led research.
• Applicants must commit to the bi-weekly support program from August to November and be prepared to deliver the results of the research study or share new findings within a four-month period.
• While the final outcome of the research is not expected to be delivered within the timeline and scope of this initiative, applicants must be prepared to present evidence of how the received grants have advanced the research by November 2024.
• Individuals and teams must be living and working in, and originate from,  UNFPA Programme Countries  and demonstrate proximity to the community served by their solution.
• At a minimum, applicants must already have an established scope of research and key research questions.
• Organizations can be for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid models.
• Team members must have a working knowledge of English to participate in the support program.
• Only one submission per applying team is permitted. All submissions must be made in English only.

Format of the Challenge

UNFPA, in collaboration with academic partners, launches the Research Challenge to identify up to six winning proposals. Each winning proposal will receive the grant to support the researcher or research team with seed funding of up to $15,000. Winning teams will sign a 4-month contract during which they will:

• Advance their research in identifying and understanding the impact of climate change on the health of women and girls.
• Enhance integration of gender transformative approaches in the design of their study, focusing on equitable inclusion of women in the dataset at all stages of the study.
• Strengthen inclusivity and responsiveness to the unique needs of women and girls.
• Call for Submissions Opens: 18 June 2024 
• Submission Deadline: 7 July 2024
• Evaluation Period: 8 July – 26 July 2024
• Announcement of Winners (Sign Award + disburse funds): August 2024
• Research Support Programme: August – November 2024
• The culmination of the Research Challenge: December 2024

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNFPA Research Challenge

Wiki Loves Earth” Photography Competition 2024 (Nigeria) 

Application Deadline:  31 July 2024.

Applications are now open for the 2024 Wiki Loves Earth” Photography Competition. Wiki Loves Earth  is an international photography competition to promote natural heritage sites around the World through Wikimedia projects (mainly  Wikipedia  and  Wikimedia Commons ). 

Wiki Loves Earth in Nigeria  is an online photography competition to promote the cultural heritage sites of Nigeria. This photography competition is part of the international annual photographic competition  Wiki Loves Earth  (WLE). 

Competition Rules

Every submission should be:  All entries must be your own work; do not manipulate original images and make sure that there is no visible watermarks.  All photos must be uploaded within June 1st to July 31st, 2024, to be eligible  All photos must be licensed under  CC BY-SA license  Participants must have an  active email  account, if the organizers wish to contact  Captions and description are required  Do not forget to add categories to your picture as it will be helpful to everyone looking for your picture  Make sure that you are not uploading duplicate images

How to participate:  Sign in or Create a New Account on Wikimedia Commons  Name your photos well  Use our  Upload Button  at the top  OR   Click here  to upload images  Share your upload success on social media with our hashtags: #WLENG #WLE2024.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Wiki Loves Earth” Photography Competition

GAIN AGRI-Business Innovation Challenge 2024 for Nigerian agri-tech startups.

Application Deadline:   26th, July 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 GAIN AGRI-Business Innovation Challenge. The  Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) , a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition in partnership with the Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (NCIC) has co-created the Agribusiness Innovation Challenge to attract eligible agritech startups with solutions for improving the food supply chain in Nigeria.

The Challenge aims to identify, develop, and scale innovative solutions to food safety challenges and a healthier food supply chain that can meet the needs of a growing population while also addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change in Nigeria. In addition, the challenge which is a part of GAIN’s Strengthening Nutrition in Priority Staples project provides technical assistance training to women and youth-led start-ups to strengthen their capacity, improve their access to financial services, and develop their business concepts leveraging innovation to improve food supply chain efficiency in Nigeria.

• Applications are now open to all eligible agri-tech startups in Nigeria. 
• Women and Youths aged 18-35 years  (Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply)
• Applicants must have agri-business innovations that can address and solve the  Food Supply Chain  challenges in Nigeria.
• Shortlisted candidates should be willing to commit to all programme deliverables.
• Finalists should be willing to test and replicate their solutions in the following states of Nigeria; Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Ibadan
• All Applicants must have businesses registered with  the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
• Previous beneficiaries are ineligible to apply

Shortlisted early-stage startups with a Minimum Viable Product  should expect to go through the following process from the programme; 

• Pitch Readiness bootcamp
• Technical Assistance Programme
• Mentorship Community
• ₦ 20,000,000 EQUITY-FREE GRANT

Visit the Official Webpage of the GAIN AGRI-Business Innovation Challenge

The THRIVE Global Impact Challenge 2024 for innovative agriculture startups ($1 Million USD in funding)

Application Deadline: July 12, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 THRIVE Global Impact Challenge . The THRIVE Global Impact Challenge is a global search for the most innovative startups who are advancing a more sustainable future for agriculture.

Selection Criteria

These selection criteria will help us identify and support startups and entrepreneurs who are actively working towards creating sustainable and impactful solutions aligned with our mission and vision.

Seed to Series A:

Applicants should be early-stage startups or entrepreneurs at the seed to Series A stage. We welcome innovative ideas and solutions that have the potential for growth and scalability.

Global Applicants:

We invite applications from around the world. Entrepreneurs and startups from any country or region are encouraged to apply, as we value diverse perspectives and global collaboration.

Adhesion to Focus Areas:

Applicants should demonstrate a clear alignment with one or more of the above focus areas. Solutions should address the specific challenges within these areas and offer innovative approaches for positive impact. 

Proven Climate & Environmental Impact (Preferred):

While not mandatory, we highly value applicants who can demonstrate a proven impact on climate and the environment. This includes showcasing tangible outcomes, data-driven results, or successful implementation of solutions that have positively influenced sustainability, carbon reduction, biodiversity, or other environmental aspects.

Finalists from each theme will advance to the finals and pitch at the THRIVE Global Impact Summit where the overall winner will be announced.

The Winning company receives the THRIVE Global Impact Challenge Award in addition to the following:

• A place on THRIVE’s award-winning Global Accelerator Program
• Investment from SVG Ventures up to $1 Million USD
• Opportunity to pitch live at THRIVE Global Impact Summit in Silicon Valley
• Two Complimentary tickets to attend THRIVE Global Impact Summit & pre-summit networking reception

Visit the Official Webpage of the THRIVE Global Impact Challenge

United Nations (UN) FAO World Food Day Poster Contest 2024 for teens worldwide

Application Deadline: 8 November 2024.

Applications are now open for the 2024 United Nations (UN) FAO World Food Day Poster Contest. Join the World Food Day Poster Contest and show us your creativity! Design a poster that symbolizes your favourite dish or recipe, representing the importance of diverse, nutritious, safe and affordable foods. Show us what this means to you, your community or the world through art.

Take a photo or scan your poster and submit your entry by filling out the form on our website. Three winners in each age category will be selected by our jury and announced here in December. Winners will be promoted by FAO offices around the world and receive a certificate and surprise gift bag.

• The Contest is open to children and youth between the ages of 5 and 19, living anywhere in the world.  
• The age to declare in the entry form is the one at the time of entering the Contest. Minors must have the permission of their parents or legal guardians to participate in the Contest. 

Submission Requirements

• Participation is  free  of charge. 
• The entry period will begin at 12:00 (CEST) on 3 June 2024 and will close at 12:00 (CEST) on 8 November 2024.
• The competition is divided into the following categories: 5 to 8, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, and 16 to 19. 
• Only one entry should be submitted per person . Multiple entries from one person will result in disqualification.  
• Poster entries may be drawn, painted or sketched using pens, pencils, crayons or charcoal, or using oil, acrylic or watercolour paint, as well as mixed media. Digitally created artwork is also permitted.  No photographs are allowed . 
• Poster entries may or may not include text. If text is used,  no more than 25 words or 100 characters  can be accepted.  Do not include personal information , such as names, school names or age, etc. 
• All artwork must be original and should not include logos or photographic images  of the Contestant or other personal information.  
• All participants are encouraged to read about the World Food Day theme in the World Food Day Activity Book. Younger children may want to learn together with a parent or teacher.  
• Posters can only be submitted using the entry form provided. All fields in the Contest entry form must be completed and after uploading the poster design, the ENTER button must be clicked. Younger children may need help from an adult in making their online submission.  
• Only digital files saved as a JPEG  will be accepted and submissions must be made through the online form provided – please do not send in physical posters.  
• 15 posters in each category (60 posters) will be selected for the shortlist by the screening committee and notified in December 2023.  Shortlisted candidates will receive a certificate for this achievement. 
• Three winning poster designs will be selected as finalists by a jury in each category. 
• The top three poster designs in all categories will be announced on the World Food Day website. 
• Winners will be promoted on FAO social media and by FAO offices around the world.   
• Winners will also receive a Certificate of Recognition and a surprise gift bag. 
• In the event that any of the selected winner(s) of any prize is/are ineligible in accordance with these Contest rules and/or the General Rules, Copyright and Privacy, cannot be traced, or refuses the prize, the prize will be forfeited and it will be in the sole discretion of FAO to choose whether to award the prize to another eligible entry. 
• When winning posters are published, only the first initial, full family name and country of origin will be published. No other personal information about the Contestants will be published or shared. 

Visit the Official Webpage of the United Nations (UN) FAO World Food Day Poster Contest

Ian Parry Scholarship Prize 2024 for young Photo Journalists (£10,000 Prize)

Applications are now open for the 2024 Ian Parry Scholarship Prize . The Ian Parry Photojournalism Grant supports young and emerging photographers as they embark on their career in the world of photojournalism.

• The Ian Parry Photojournalism Grant is an international photographic competition for young photographers who are 24 years of age or under, or anyone who is studying in a full-time photographic course.
• Entrants must submit a portfolio of 12 images and a clear proposal of a project they would undertake if they received the grant.
• Each winner will receive £10,000 towards their chosen project
• Publication of images by our media partner The Guardian
• Loan of Canon equipment for 1 year for the IP Grant winner to complete their proposed project
• Inclusion in the Hamburg portfolio review
• Eligible for inclusion in the Canon Transmissions Programme at  Visa Pour L’Image  in Perpignan
• A year-long personal mentorship with an industry expert
• An assignment by the Founder and CEO of Legacy of War Foundation, renowned photojournalist Giles Duley
• We also offer conflict training and body armour to the winner of the IP Photojournalism Grant
• In addition, each year a selection of long-listed individuals will have their work spotlighted by the panel of industry judges
• The honorary Tom Stoddart Award for Excellence may also be given yearly on the judges’ discretion

How to Enter

Candidates applying for the Grant should ensure that their application contains the following information:

• Your name, date of birth, permanent address, personal email address, personal telephone number, and if applicable, college, the course title, and course tutor.
• A portfolio of 12 photographs, either a photo essay or individual photos.
• A project description giving us details of the portfolio you have uploaded for this application
• A clear project proposal explaining what project you would undertake if you received the scholarship.
• Extended captions for each image as a PDF document. 
• Please follow the instructions on our submission form carefully.
• 31 August 2024: Submission deadline
• October 2024: Recipients announcement

Visit the Official Webpage of the Ian Parry Scholarship Prize

UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest 2024 for young people.

Application Deadline Extended:  5 August 2024 . 

Applications are now open for the 2024 UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest. The annual  Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads  International Photo Contest offers an exciting opportunity for young people from all over the world to capture their understanding of the shared heritage of the Silk Roads through the lens of their camera. As the visual arts, and in particular photography, are so often used by today’s youth as a powerful tool for communication and self-expression, images have the potential to play a significant role in raising awareness of the key issues facing our contemporary world and help promote peace and understanding. The photo contest provides an opportunity for young people to connect with one another in a digital space and share their creativity and vision for our future.   

The  Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads  Photo Contest is an opportunity for young people who live or have travelled within these regions to share their perceptions and further their understanding of the common cultural heritage and pluralistic identities emerging from the interactions and exchanges taking place along the Silk Roads. The contest encourages the use of photography to extend these cultural interactions and encounters in the contemporary world, to foster mutual understanding and promote peace amongst the diverse populations encompassed by the Silk Roads.  

• The contest is divided into two age categories: 14-17 year olds, and 18-25 year olds. For the 6th edition of the contest this year participants are invited to submit their photographs that best encapsulate the shared heritage of the Silk Roads the  theme  of  “Life Celebrations” . 
• First place winners will receive a professional camera. Second place winners will receive a semi-professional camera, and the prize for third place will be a standard-model digital camera. 

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNESCO Youth Eyes on the Silk Roads Photo Contest

Yale Drama Series 2025 Playwriting Competition for Emerging Playwrights ( $10,000 prize)

Application Deadline: September 8, 2024.

Applications are now open for the 2025 Yale Drama Series Playwriting Competition. The winning play will be selected by the series’ current judge, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. The winner of this annual competition will be awarded the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, publication of their manuscript by Yale University Press, and a celebratory event. The prize and publication are contingent on the playwright’s agreeing to the terms of the publishing agreement.

• This contest is restricted to plays written in the English language. Worldwide submissions are accepted.
• Submissions must be original, unpublished full-length plays, with a minimum of 65 pages. Plays with less than 65 pages will not be considered.
• Translations, adaptations, musicals, and children’s plays are not accepted.
• The Yale Drama Series is intended to support emerging playwrights. Playwrights may win the competition only once.
• Playwrights may submit only one manuscript per year. Only manuscripts authored by one playwright are eligible.
• Plays that have been professionally produced or published are not eligible. Plays that have had a workshop, reading, or non-professional production or that have been published as an actor’s edition will be considered.
• Plays may not be under option, commissioned, or scheduled for professional production or publication at the time of submission.
• Plays must be typed/word-processed and page numbered. Plays with images are not accepted.
• The Yale Drama Series reserves the right to reject any manuscript for any reason.
• The Yale Drama Series reserves the right of the judge to not choose a winner for any given year of the competition and reserves the right to determine the ineligibility of a winner, in keeping with the spirit of the competition, and based upon the accomplishments of the author.

Electronic Submissions

The Yale Drama Series Competition strongly urges electronic submission. By electronically submitting your script, you will receive immediate confirmation of your successful submission and the ability to check the status of your entry.

Hardcopy Submissions

The Yale Drama Series Competition strongly urges applicants to submit their scripts electronically, but if that is impossible, we will accept hardcopies.

Submissions for the 2025 competition must be postmarked no earlier than June 15, 2024, and no later than September 8, 2024.

If you are submitting a hard copy of your play, the manuscript must begin with a title page that shows the play’s title and your name, address, telephone number, email address (if you have one), and page count; and, a second title page that lists the title of the play only, a 2-3 sentence keynote description of the play, a list of characters, and a list of acts and scenes. Please include a brief biography at the end of the manuscript, on a separate page.

Do not bind or staple the manuscript.

Do not send the only copy of your work. Manuscripts cannot be returned after the competition. If you wish receipt of your manuscript to be acknowledged, please include an email address on the title page or a stamped, self-addressed postcard.

Send the manuscript to Yale Drama Series, P.O. Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Yale Drama Series Playwriting Competition

KPMG Private Enterprise Tech Innovator Competition 2024 for tech innovators in Africa.

Application Deadline: Varying

Applications are now open for the 4th KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator Competition . The Global Tech Innovator competition is helping to accelerate that journey by putting founders and their technology innovations and tech-enabled solutions in the global spotlight. All with the support, guidance and expertise of an extensive network of business professionals during — and after — the competition.

Applicants are typically technology entrepreneurs who are successfully making the transition from the startup phase to the next stage in the growth of their businesses. They have developed innovative, proven technologies, established robust business models, demonstrated traction and have the potential to scale up globally.

To be eligible for the competition, you must:

• Be a registered company in the country/region where the country/region final is being held
• Have been actively operating for 5 years or less (in the current form)
• Generate revenue between US $1 million and $15 million; or have raised at least US $500,000 in equity
• Be either a pure technology or a tech-enabled, tech-driven or tech-led business
• Not be majority owned by a large corporate
• Be able to conduct all pitches in English
• Be available to pitch at a country/region semi-final event in the timeline outlined by the country of origin (if applicable)
• Available to pitch virtually at a country/region final event in the timeline outlined by the country of origin
• If selected as a finalist, be available to pitch at the global final in November 2024. 
• Tech innovators and entrepreneurs who are ready to take their innovations and their businesses to new heights.
• Tech innovations and tech-enabled solutions that have the potential to transform entire industries — or even the world.
• If you’ve developed a brilliant tech innovation that’s making a difference — and you’re ready to grow your business — this may be the most important next step you can take to introduce your business and your tech to an audience of key influencers.

National and Global Exposure

Raise awareness of your innovation and your business by showcasing it on a prestigious platform to a national and global audience of industry experts, investors, potential partners and customers. Increase your company’s local profile through business and social media posts that reach tech and business influencers in your country.

Validation and Recognition

Enhance your credibility in the tech industry and potential investors, partners and customers by gaining recognition and validation for your innovation as a finalist (and potential winner) in country and global pitch competitions.

Networking opportunities

The competition is a hub for networking, fostering collaborations, and gaining insights from seasoned professionals. Connect with fellow tech innovators and join a global peer-to-peer network to share ideas and build important connections in a growing community of high-achieving tech entrepreneurs.

Mentorship and Guidance

Access the experience of KPMG mentors and advisers who provide valuable guidance, expertise, and mentorship to refine your innovation and navigate the challenges of scaling up your tech.

Media and Publicity

Gain media coverage and publicity at the regional and global level to boost your innovation’s visibility and market presence and attract potential users, customers and future sources of funding.

Learning and Growth

From the initial application to the regional and global pitch presentations, the competition can be a significant learning experience. Feedback from judges and interactions with other participants can help refine your innovation and presentation skills.

Visit the Official Webpage of the KPMG Private Enterprise Tech Innovator Competition

Ecobank Fintech Challenge 2024 for African Tech Innovators and Entrepreneurs ($USD 50,000 in cash prizes)

Application Deadline: July 7, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 Ecobank Fintech Challenge. The Ecobank Fintech Challenge is open to all startups with innovative solutions addressing the needs of the African population and its diaspora. It has been created with two objectives in mind:

• Identify and support Fintechs that are ready to scale up with resources, funding, partnerships, etc. in Ecobank’s 33 African markets.
• Leverage these pan-African Fintech success stories and the solutions they offer to improve Africa’s financial integration and economic development.

The Ecobank Fintech Challenge is a Pan-African innovation competition powered by Ecobank Transnational Incorporated. It is designed to identify, support and partner impressive African Fintechs to grow and scale their Fintech innovations across the African continent and globally. The fundamental value offerings of the challenge are market access, visibility and cash prizes.

• All Fintechs with relevant financial products for Africa are eligible to apply to the Ecobank Fintech Challenge.

The Challenge is the ideal launchpad for African Fintech innovators and startups to scale up to the next grand level with full support from Ecobank. It brings together a diverse pool of Africa-focused innovations to solve Africa’s financial inclusion pain points.

Competition Cash prizes The ultimate winner will be awarded a cash prize of $50,000.

Scale Across Borders Opportunity to pursue integration with Ecobank and potentially launch your product in Ecobank’s 35 markets across Africa.

Ecobank Affiliates Partnerships Finalists with impressive products may be selected as country-level partners to local Ecobank affiliates within Ecobank’s 35-country footprint.

Access to Ecobank’s Pan-African Banking Sandbox Fellows will be given access to a dedicated team to support on Ecobank’s API tests to enable them to improve their products for the pan-African market and globally.

Mentoring and networking support All Finalists will be inducted as Ecobank Fintech Fellows, granting them access and relationships to a vast network of global and African accelerators, potential Investors, mentors, and the Ecobank non-bank clients’ ecosystem for potential partnerships.

Integration With Existing Ecobank Digital Offerings The Challenge offers opportunities for Fintechs to potentially integrate with Ecobank’s existing digital offerings.

• 01 June 2024: Application launch
• 02 Early July 2024: Application Window Closes
• 03 Early August 2024: Finalists announcement
• 04 Mid Sep 2024: Innovation Fair & Grand finale
• 05 Oct. – Dec. 2024: Ecobank Fintech Fellowship
• 06 Dec. 2024 – May 2025: Commercial partnership

Visit the Official Webpage of the Ecobank Fintech Challenge

WFP Niger Innovation Challenge: Energy for Food Security

Application Deadline: 14 June 2024, 11:59 pm (CEST) 

In Niger, communities face significant challenges of food insecurity and vulnerability due to climatic risks like droughts, floods and rising temperatures, coupled with environmental degradation and water scarcity. Heightened insecurity and the spillage of conflicts from neighboring countries into Niger exacerbate these issues, leading to forced displacements. A total of 3.3 million people are acutely food insecure.

To address these challenges, WFP Niger in collaboration with the WFP Innovation Accelerator is launching a call for applications for innovative solutions supporting the  Energy for Food Security programme . This initiative aims to identify and scale  cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions  for cooking and agricultural practices across crisis-affected and stable regions of Niger.

The WFP Innovation Accelerator and WFP Niger will provide comprehensive support to selected teams, facilitating the development and scaling of promising solutions. Our focus is on nurturing innovations that are not only novel but also sustainable and scalable, capable of bringing long-term change within challenging environments.​​

• WFP Niger is looking for both low- and high-tech solutions specifically tailored to strengthen local food systems through the provision of clean cooking and productive uses of energy.
• WFP Niger aims to identify and support innovations from around the world that can effectively address these challenges and are operational or able to be implemented in Niger.
• Your organization must be an established legal entity (for-profit, not-for-profit, social business, NGO, INGO).
• Your organization should have an  existing operational presence  or  willingness to establish a presence in Niger , through a subsidiary, in-country office, distributors or partnerships in the country.
• Your innovation must address one or more of the priority innovation areas listed.
• Your innovation must be at least at the  Minimum Viable Product (MVP)  stage. Proof-of-concept and initial traction are preferred.​​
• Your innovation should have a plan to implement in Niger within a six-month timeframe with the available funding and a clear pathway to scale.

Each selected team:

• will have the opportunity to take part in the  WFP sprint programme , a six-month acceleration programme combined with piloting, business training and mentoring;
• will receive up to US$250,000 conditional funding* towards project implementation. The specific amount will be determined based on the maturity stage of the solution and the three thematic areas listed below.
• will receive ongoing operational support from WFP Niger during piloting;
• may qualify for further support and fundraising opportunities in the future.

* Please note that the final shortlisted teams will be required to go through the WFP vendor registration and procurement process before funding disbursement.

How to apply

• To submit your application, please fill in the  Application Form  by  14 June 2024, 11:59 pm (CEST) .
• We will review and select successful applications in June and July 2024. While we value all applications, please note that we are only able to contact shortlisted applicants. 
• For more information, please refer to the  Call for Applications ,  Solution Specifications  and  Frequently Asked Questions .

Visit the Official Webpage of the WFP Niger Innovation Challenge

Heirs Insurance Essay Competition 2024 for young Nigerian students.

Application Deadline: July 1st, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 Heirs Insurance Essay Championship. The Heirs Insurance Essay Championship is an annual essay competition open to school students between JSS1 – JSS3 across Nigeria, with the aim of showcasing the creativity and talent of children.

Essay Topic:

If i could invent something new.

• Essays should be typed and not handwritten.
• Word Count: Not more than 500 words.
• Font Type: Times New Roman.
• Font Size: 13pt.
• Students must write their name, school and class on the essay document.
• Document Format: Word or PDF.
• Document Size: 1MB Max.
• The 1st runner-up will receive a N2 Million scholarship, while the 2nd runner-up will be awarded a N1 Million scholarship

Visit the Official Webpage of the Heirs Insurance Essay Competition

WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition 2024 for young Nigerian Students (Scholarships to attend the WIPO Summer School on IP)

Application Deadline: May 31, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition. Every year on April 26, WIPO celebrate the World Intellectual Property (IP) Day to learn more about the role that IP rights play in encouraging innovation and creativity, and ultimately in shaping our world. This year’s celebration is themed “IP and SDGs: Building Our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity”, highlighting the role that IP plays in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

This year’s essay theme provides an opportunity for students of tertiary institutions to explore the various ways in which IP can support Nigeria’s goal of a addressing food insecurity. IP is especially important in achieving sustainable agriculture for long term food security in Nigeria. Sustainable agriculture encourages farming methods and systems which meet society’s present needs without negative effects on the environmental quality or the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

The essay competition topic  “IP and Sustainable Agriculture: Combating Food Insecurity in Nigeria”  is an opportunity for students to reflect on the relationship between IP and SDG’s, with a primary focus on the opportunities and challenges for harnessing IP towards achieving food security in Nigeria.

The national competition is open to all registered students (undergraduate and postgraduate) of recognized  tertiary institutions  in Nigeria; Universities, Colleges of Education, Polytechnics, as well as professional or vocational institutions.

Entry requirements:

• Font- 12 Arial (Black);
• The essay shall be written in English in not less than 500 but not more than 1,500 words (500min- 1500 max), bibliography and references excluded;
• Double-line spacing and page numbered;
• Submissions must be made in word  and  pdf format;
• Do not include any pictures or other graphical illustrations;
• Entries must not contain any indication as to the names, school, number, email address or other means of identification or affiliation of its author and/or any other person;
• Plagiarism of any sort will result in disqualification;
• Submissions received after the announced deadline of May 31, 2024 will not be considered.
• Five (5) scholarship spots to attend the WIPO Summer Schools on Intellectual Property.
• Fellowship spots on the West African Young Innovation Leaders Fellowship.
• Authors of the top 15 essays will receive special WIPO Packages and Certificates of Achievement.
• The top three essays will be submitted to WIPO for possible publication in the WIPO Magazine, subject to WIPO publication schedule and review.
• All authors of winning essays will receive scholarships to undertake any of the WIPO Distance Learning (DL) courses.
• Several other exciting IP learning and professional capacity building prizes will be won!

Visit the Official Webpage of the WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition

Breakthrough Junior Challenge 2024 Global Competition for Students Worldwide (Win $USD250,000 scholarship & more)

Application Deadline:  JUNE 25, 2024 

Applications are now open for the 2024 Breakthrough Junior Challenge Global Competitio n. The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an annual, global science video competition for high-school students.

To take part in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, create a short video (2:00 – two minutes max) to explain a big idea in one of these fields:

• Mathematics
• Life Sciences

Your film can take any form you like: animation, talking head, documentary, dramatic reconstruction, whatever. It’s worth keeping in mind that video is a dynamic visual medium – using diagrams, simulations, physical demonstrations etc. is a lot more effective than standing in front of a blackboard talking.

The videos will be  judged  according to the following criteria:

• Illumination

If your video is chosen as the  Winner , you will receive

• $250,000 : Post-secondary scholarship
• $50,000 : Prize for your teacher
• $100,000 Breakthrough Science Lab

Visit the Official Webpage of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge Global Competition

Visa Kenya She’s Next Grant Competition 2024 for Women Entrepreneurs (KES 2.5 million grant)

Application Deadline: June 12, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 Visa Kenya She’s Next Grant Competition. Visa’s global program is going local. Advance your efforts to fund, run and grow your small business with a KES 2.5 million grant and a mentorship program.

• The entrant must be at the time of the entry a legal resident of Kenya.
• The entrant must, at the time of entry, be an adult (18 and above).
• The entrant must own at least 51% of their business and operate their business in Kenya.
• The entrant’s business must have been operating for over 1 year. 
• The entrant must have a business that has a product or service in market and is generating a minimum annual revenue of US Dollars 5,000 (or its equivalent).
• Limit of one (1) Entry per person.

Practical Business Skills

The Practical Business Skills program by Visa offers free educational resources and interactive tools to help business owners start, manage and grow their small businesses. The program is focused on helping forward-thinking entrepreneurs thrive via a variety of resources.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Visa Kenya She’s Next Grant Competition

The Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) 2024 African Youth Storytelling Contest.

Application Deadline: June 30, 2024

In the lead up to the GLF Africa 2024 Hybrid Conference, the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) and the Youth in Landscapes Initiative (YIL) are hosting the 2024 African Youth Storytelling Contest “The Stories of Africa”.

THEMES Your story should share your thoughts, hopes and dreams about a future for Africa that values community, collaboration, inclusivity and resilience. In simple words:  what should a bright future for Africa look like? 

• The contest is open to anyone  between the ages of 18 and 35  born in Africa, living in Africa or from the African diaspora.

GLF welcome a diverse range of storytelling forms that capture at least one of the themes described above. Submissions can take various forms, including:

• Visual arts or animation:  artwork (paintings, sculptures, drawing, photography, etc.) or animations
• Video:  short films, interviews, documentaries, performance art – anything you like! 
• Audio:  original poetry, music, podcasts, etc. .

Another  creative medium  that showcases your unique perspective.

• The top 5 to 10 entries will be featured on the GLF website and social media channels, as well as at the GLF Africa 2024 Hybrid Conference, reaching thousands of people in person and online.
• On top of the opportunity to showcase your talent and share your story with a global audience, the three best stories will receive prizes of  EUR  500, 300 and 200  respectively.

Entries will be judged based on the  following criteria :

• Creativity, passion and originality;
• Relevance to the the themes described above;
• Vision and pathway for the future of Africa;
• Clarity of expression and communication of ideas;
• Overall impact and effectiveness.

How to Apply

Please include the following in your story :

• Your  full name
• Your  city or town and country
• The  logo of your organization  (if applicable)

If your submission is in a language other than English, please also provide an English transcript in the relevant part of the application form.

Visit the Official Webpage of the GLF African Youth Storytelling Contest

IGNITE Food Systems Challenge 2024 ($25,000 in grant funding)

Application Deadline: June 23, 2024

Impact Hub Kigali, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), will extend its support to the third edition of the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge: Empowering Refugee Communities in Rwanda , with a primary focus on empowering refugees and addressing their livelihood needs. This initiative seeks to foster entrepreneurship and investment in ventures that enhance food systems, combat hunger, and elevate food security, with a particular emphasis on serving refugee populations.

The Program is seeking dynamic and impactful businesses—including startups, MSMEs, and cooperatives—operating in Rwanda to participate in our program. Applicants with commercially viable solutions aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of refugees are invited to apply. Eligible businesses must be registered in Rwanda and actively engaged in operations that are either owned by refugees or significantly benefit refugees.

• Refugee Empowerment and Livelihood Solutions
• Food Systems Innovations to Benefit Refugee Communities
• Leveraging Digitization to Improve Refugees’ Access to Food and Resources
• Facilitating Access to Financial Resources and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Refugees
• Enhancing Refugees’ Access to Employment Opportunities and Markets
• Infrastructure Development to Support Refugee Settlements and Communities
• Providing Training and Skills Development Programs Tailored to Refugee Needs
• Promoting Social Enterprise and Cooperative Models to Benefit Refugee Entrepreneurs

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Non-refugee-owned businesses.

• The business must directly impact refugees in Rwanda or seek to enhance the livelihoods of refugees.
• Must be a registered business in Rwanda with at least 2 years of operations.
• Provision of RDB/RCA certificate
• Must have a team of at least two full-time members dedicated to the MSME or cooperative, including the founding team.
• At least 50% of the founding or senior management team must be Rwandan.
• Must have proof of revenues of at least RWF 5,000,000 for the full year of 2023.
• Must have existing key operations in Rwanda.

Refugee-Owned Businesses

• The refugee owner must be registered in Rwanda
• Must be a registered business in Rwanda with at least 1 year of operations.
• Must have proof of revenues of at least RWF 2,000,000 for the full year of 2023.
• Must have existing key operations in Rwanda

Selected ventures will have access to the following benefits that will support them to scale their businesses: 

• Up to $25,000 in grant funding
• 5-month tailored technical support with experts
• Networking opportunities and access to events
• Access to market and industry resources
• Exposure to potential investors and funding opportunities

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Review the Eligibility Criteria:  Before applying, make sure your venture meets the eligibility criteria outlined above. 
• Begin  the Application:  Click the ‘apply button’ to fill in the application form.
• Submit Your Application:  Complete your application in less than an hour and submit! 

Visit the Official Webpage of the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Youth Logo Contest 2024

Application Deadline: 1 July 2024 at 23:59 GST .

Applications are now open for the 2024 IRENA Youth Logo Contest. IRENA is thrilled to announce the IRENA Youth Logo Contest (the “Contest”) as part of its commitment to engaging and empowering the new generation of energy leaders. This Contest aims to inspire young talents worldwide to showcase their creativity and passion for sustainable energy while fostering a strong connection between IRENA and the youth and urges them to share their visions on rejuvenating the present IRENA Youth Logo and its identity. We cordially invite all young minds to contribute their imaginative concepts for the rebranding of the current IRENA Youth Logo.

This Contest aims to design a new logo for IRENA Youth that captures the essence of the initiative and appeals to young audiences, but at the same time, reserves the connection with IRENA.

Target Audience

• The target audience for the IRENA Youth initiatives is young people aged 16-35 who are passionate about renewable energy and sustainability.

Submission Guideline

• The Contest is open to individuals aged 18-35.
• Participants must submit their logo designs in digital format as indicated under section 5.b via email to  [email protected]  by  1 July 2024 at 23:59 GST .
• The email subject line must be: “IRENA Youth Logo Contest – [Your Name/Team Name]”.
• Each participant may submit up to three unique logo designs in two versions in one email. Teams of up to two members can also participate in this Contest.
• Please briefly describe the design concept and how it aligns with the IRENA Youth initiative and IRENA (PDF document, maximum 200 words).

Design Guideline

• The IRENA Youth logo should incorporate the words “IRENA Youth.”
• The IRENA Youth logo can be a redesign of or inspired from the existing IRENA Youth logo
• The IRENA Youth logo should be considered a sub-brand of IRENA.
• Elements can be used that are relevant to IRENA, sustainability, renewable energy, and youth.
• Colours should be vibrant, modern, and aligned with the renewable energy concept. Preferably include IRENA blue, too (#0073AB).
• Letters can be capitalized or small.
• The logo should be simple, modern, and memorable.
• The logo should reflect the mission and vision of IRENA Youth.
• The logo should be suitable for use across various platforms and media (e.g., websites, social media, print materials, merchandise).
• The logo should be easily adaptable for use on different backgrounds.
• The logo should be appealing and relatable to the target audience indicated above.
• The design should be original, unique, easy to recognise and reproduce, and not infringe on any existing copyrights or trademarks.

Deliverable

• A high-resolution logo in vector format (e.g., PDF, AI, EPS, or SVG).
• Each submitted logo should be on a separate A4 landscape page.
• Each submitted logo should have two versions: one with the IRENA Youth logo as a standalone and one with the IRENA Youth logo combined with the IRENA logo.
• A set of colour variations and their corresponding Pantone, CMYK, and RGB values.
• Guidelines for logo usage, including minimum size, clear space, and typography recommendations.

Recognition

• The winning participant or team will receive an invitation to attend the 2025 IRENA Youth Forum to be held from 9 to 14 January 2025 in Abu Dhabi at the margins of the 15th session of the IRENA Assembly.
• The winning logo will be launched at the 2025 IRENA Youth Forum.
• The winner will be credited on IRENA’s official website and social media channels.
• The winning logo will become the official emblem of the IRENA Youth initiative, featured on IRENA’s website, social media channels, and promotional materials.
• Announcement of the Contest: 20 May 2024
• Submission deadline: 1 July 2024 – 23:59 GST
• Evaluation period: 2 July – 15 October 2024
• Official winner announcement: 2025 IRENA Youth Forum 9-14 January 2025

Visit the Official Webpage of the IRENA Youth Logo Contest

The African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) My African Heritage Competition 2024

Application Deadline: May 25, 2024

African World Heritage Fund is calling on all Africans to participate in the celebration of African heritage during the Africa Month under the theme My African Heritage.

On the occasion of the  celebrations of Africa World Heritage Day , under the theme  “My African Heritage” , the African World Heritage Fund is calling on all Africans to participate in the celebration of African heritage during the  Africa Month . Stand a chance to win a weekend visit to an amazing African World Heritage site by entering AWHF’s #MyAfricanHeritage Competition comencing on African World Heritage Day (5 May) and ending on Africa Day (25 May). This competition aims to raise awareness and appreciation of the significance of World Heritage in Africa as well as the need to preserve African heritage values, wealth, and diversity. The competition is open to all Africans living in Africa or in the diaspora.

  #MyAfricanHeritage  Competition

Participants are invited to use the hashtag ( #MyAfricanHeritage)  to share a photo, video or written post on AWHF social media network (Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn) addressing the theme “My African Heritage” and tag the African World Heritage Fund.

  Prize

• A  weekend trip to a World Heritage Site .
• The prize includes a round-trip flight ticket ( in economy class ), accommodation, meals paid for 2 nights.

Evaluation Criteria

An independent jury will evaluate the posts based on the following criteria:

• The relevance of the posts (i.e., the message conveyed) in relation to the theme “My African Heritage”.
• The engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and reactions.

Contact the AWHF communications team:  [email protected]

Visit the Official Webpage of the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) My African Heritage Competition

UN Tourism Women in Tech Startup Competition Middle East 2nd Edition 2024

Application Deadline: June 28, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2nd Edition of the UN Tourism Women in Tech Startup Competition Middle East . This year’s theme will be directly linked with the UN Tourism Investment Framework: Investing in  People ,  Planet  and  Prosperity .

Women in Tech 2nd Edition Theme: Creating a Sustainable Tourism Sector

Targeted Startup

• Startups must be led, owned or managed by women in the Middle East, residing in any of the following countries: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen.
• Be an Idea Stage, Early Stage, or Series A startups with a minimum viable product or idea that is ready to be developed and funded.
• Have a full-time team, a tested pilot, and a business plan.
• Be scalable with potential for international growth.

The competition will be divided into 3 categories:  Tech categories relevant to Sustainable Tourism and connected directly to our UN Tourism Investment Framework: Investing in People, Planet and Prosperity.

• Category 1: People & Skills | Investing in People
• Category 2: Green Tourism & Travel Solutions | Investing in Planet
• Category 3: Market Innovators | Investing in Prosperity
• Pitch at the UN Tourism Tech Adventure in AlUla taking place in November (TBC)
• Mentorships by UN Tourism and top partners. (TBC)
• Invited to participants to any relevant new activities related to tourism, sustainability and business.
• Invited to participate in the annual Gala WITH Female Leaders to be held in Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao in 2025.
• Invitated to participate in online training events and networking meetings.
• Tailored support for the startup.
• Membership in the UN Tourism Innovation Network.
• Scholarship opportunities for the Tourism Online Academy.
• Media, PR and communications benefits. 
• Opportunities to speak as panelists and keynote in our events.

Application Launch : May 8th 

Applications Close : June 28

Finalists notified : July 19

Finalist Announcement : Sept. 5

Program Begins : Nov

Visit the Official Webpage of the UN Tourism Women in Tech Startup Competition Middle East 2nd Edition 2024

The develoPPP Ventures Ideas Competition for Young Entrepreneurs.

Applications are now open for the 2024 develoPPP Ventures Ideas Competition. Suitable start-ups to be funded through develoPPP Ventures are selected during an open call for applications. This takes place several times a year for six weeks at the end of a quarter. A new call for applications will be announced on the website prior to the start of the application window and is open to all start-ups that meet the conditions for participation.

• Your company is registered in the target country or plans to register there prior to the co-financed growth investment
• You are pursuing an innovative business model and are already generating initial revenues (proof of concept)
• Your business model has high development relevance and scalability and contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Your start-up must be privately owned and profit-oriented and must be registered in the target country or register there prior to the funded growth investment.
• Your business model has high development relevance and scalability and thus contributes to the achievement of the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .
• There must be proof of concept  and initial revenues must have been generated. 

Current target countries

The current develoPPP Ventures call for applications (May 15 to June 30) takes place in  Nigeria ,  Kenya ,  Tanzania ,  Rwanda  and  South Africa .

Visit the Official Webpage of the develoPPP Ventures Ideas Competition

UNU INRA INFoCAT Innovation Agriculture Challenge 2024 for Clean Energy Powered Agritech Innovations.

Application Deadline: June 7, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 UNU INRA INFoCAT Innovation Agriculture Challenge.

The United Nations University, Institute for Natural Resources in Africa, is rolling out a call for its Innovate for Clean Agricultural Technologies (INFoCAT) project. The INFoCAT innovation challenge is an initiative sponsored by IDRC under the Clean Energy for Development: A Call for Action programme and is partnered by Enda Energie and UNU INRA. 

The INFoCAT innovation challenge  is to support low-cost clean energy-powered agritech innovators, with the intention   to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy technologies for smallholder women and youth farmers in Ghana, Senegal and Cote D’Ivoire to increase agricultural productivity and income. 

The objectives of the Innovation challenge are to:

• Support the development and expansion of affordable, labour-saving, clean energy agricultural technology solutions to save time and reduce drudgery.
• Support clean energy agriculture technology start-ups with a focus on women-led enterprises and where possible, refine and expand their products to meet the needs of smallholder rural farmers and
• Create avenues for mentorship, access to networking and training.

Eligibility & Criteria

• Eligible innovators or enterprises must be based in Ghana.
• Complete application form with business details and full description of the innovation.
• Agritech technology must be powered by clean energy and must demonstrate energy efficiency. Technology must meet the needs of small to medium-scale holder rural farmers in the priority crop areas (rice, maize, cassava, and groundnut).
• Technology use must require less human (manual) labour and time. Technology must be cost-effective and have clear commercial potential, be easy to operate and scalable. Demonstrate a solution that reduces CO 2emissions.
• Teamwork is highly recommended (including members with diverse backgrounds). The team must demonstrate gender intersectionality with inclusion of women.
• Priority will be given to women and youth innovators. Clean energy supply – the innovation should have the potential to be used to power both agricultural technologies and other use. This will be an added advantage.
• Demonstration of a working prototype (NB: There is room for new technology yet to be designed).
• Pilot grant: USD 3,000 -7,400 (grant available for about 10 innovations/ teams/ enterprise)
• Business Scale-up grant support: USD 30,000 – 37,000 (1 innovation/team)

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNU INRA INFoCAT Innovation Agriculture Challenge

Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) Youth Innovation Challenge 2024 

Applications are now open for the 2024 Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) Youth Innovation Challenge. In partnership with the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA), GEEP invites you to apply for the 2024 Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC): Advancing Marine Conservation! The YIC provides an opportunity for young people ages 15–30 around the world to share their innovative solutions to protect marine resources. This year’s challenge explores how we can address marine issues, including loss of biodiversity, marine debris, lack of awareness, and other related issues, and support people of all ages to be engaged stewards to support marine environments. 

The Youth Innovation Challenge is intended for young leaders and innovators aged 15–30. Your innovative solutions must provide a solution to one of the following key areas, using environmental education as a key component:

• Marine biodiversity and conservation: Managing, protecting, and/ or restoring marine biodiversity for its ecological, cultural, economic, and other values.
• Marine debris: Reducing and/or mitigating the effects of marine debris, including the monitoring, clean-up, and recycling of marine debris, and educating communities about how to address these issues.
• Public-private collaboration: Collaborating between the private sector, governments, and the public to protect marine environments. This might include ideas for cooperation between government and corporations to fulfill corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, civic engagement opportunities for the public to engage with government programs, and other initiatives that foster collaboration between public and private sectors.

All eligible proposals will be evaluated by a panel of experts working at the intersection of environmental education, community engagement, and marine conservation. A total of 15 YIC finalists will be selected and will receive the following benefits:

• An official YIC finalist certificate
• Recognition through GEEP, NAAEE, and other global partners’ websites and social media pages
• GEEP will select 3 winners from the 15 YIC finalists. Each winner will receive a $1,000 USD prize, in addition to all the benefits listed above, and will be invited to attend the YIC award ceremony at the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration’s marine debris conference in Taiwan in September 2024 (all travel expenses covered).

Proposal Process

• Applications should include a short (3 minutes or less) video pitch about your innovative solution as well as detailed responses to the questions below. Successful proposals will describe how their solution addresses marine conservation, biodiversity, debris issues, or uses public-private collaborations to protect marine environments, and will explain how their solution is innovative, feasible, and grounded in effective environmental education (see Selection Criteria below).
• Applications must be submitted online through Submittable by Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM U.S. Eastern Time. Winners will be notified by September 2024.

Visit the Official Webpage of the GEEP Youth Innovation Challenge

D-Prize Challenge 2024/2025 for Social Entrepreneurs to fight Poverty ($USD 20,000)

Application Deadline: 4 August 2024 at midnight PT (Pacific Time) 

Applications are now open for the D-Prize Challenge. The D-Prize award startup grants of up to $20,000 to entrepreneurs launching new organizations . The D-Prize believes the world needs more social impact organizations, and we seed for-profit ventures, NGOs, and charities. We support organizations in any low-or-middle income country where extreme poverty still exists.

D-Prize Challenges

• Agriculture
• Livelihoods
• Public Services

Eligibility Criteria

• D-Prize challenges are open to anyone or any team. The sole restriction is that individuals and their immediate family on the judging panel may not participate as a contestants.
• D-Prize is also open to any business model (for-profit, non-profit, and everything in between).
• You are not competing against other applicants. They typically fund at least 15 proposals per competition, regardless of which challenge track was selected.

Funding Details

• All winners will be awarded up to $20,000. The award is offered in the form of a convertible grant.

Select a challenge above and be prepared for the following deadlines: 

• The Global Competition launches on 6 May 2024.
• Early Submission Deadline: 23 June 2024 at midnight PT (Pacific Time) 
• Regular Submission Deadline: 14 July 2024 at midnight PT (Pacific Time) 
• Extension Deadline: 4 August 2024 at midnight PT (Pacific Time) 

Visit the Official Webpage of the D-Prize Challenge

Absa 2024 L’Atelier art competition for young visual artists across Africa.

Application Deadline: 31 May 2024. 

Applications are now open for the 2024 Absa L’Atelier art competition . The Absa L’Atelier art competition is a leading Pan-African art competition. The competition, which has been running for 37 years this year, is hosted annually by Absa in partnership with the South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA).

Competition Format

• There are 12 countries that qualify to take part in the Absa L’Atelier.
• Post the receiving of entries, the 12 countries are randomly divided into three groups of four countries each.A
• rtists within each group compete against each other.
• There is no competition among the three groups – artists compete within each group only.
• Artists are required to submit one entry which consists of a portfolio of work of a minimum of four and a maximum of five artworks.
• Submission of less than four and more than five artworks will result in the artist’s immediate disqualification.
• Each group of four countries will have a different group of adjudicators.
• A single winner will be selected from each of the three groups of four countries – one winner from Group A, one winner from Group B, and one winner from Group C.
• Absa will have the right to exhibit artwork from each of the group winners post the announcement of the winners.
• The winner of each group will be referred to as an Absa L’Atelier Ambassador.

There are four prizes for the competition:

• The main prize for the winner of each Group; and
• The Absa Latelier Gerard Sekoto Award for a South African entrant that continues to demonstrate growth in their art production.

The winner from each of the three groups will receive the following:

• The Ambassadors to take up their prize concurrently.
• Each Ambassador to be provided with a new laptop or equivalent with Windows and MS Office Package.
• MC1: Mental wellness
• MC2: Financial wellness
• MC3: Legal wellbeing
• MC4: Conflict Resolution
• MC5: Developing your career as an artist and brand
• MC6: Media training and presence.
• MC7: Building and managing an art portfolio
• MC8: Fundraising and proposal writing
• MC9: Art professionalism
• MC10: Artist residencies
• The Ambassadors are paired with a local leading authority from their respective country within the visual arts who will mentor them over a four-month period.
• This residency will take place in one of the 12 Absa countries in Africa.
• The residency would not be in one of the Ambassadors winning countries.
• While on residency the Ambassadors will attend online Masterclasses, have at least four mentoring sessions with their mentor (one session bi-weekly) and be exposed to the countries art scene.
• Two of the Masterclasses (Mental Wellness and Artist Residency), in preparation for the residency, will take place prior to the Ambassadors taking up their residency.
• Each Ambassador has an option for a solo exhibition within two years of winning the Award (i.e. if winning in 2024, they will take up the exhibition in 2026). The exhibition with either take place in the artist’s home country, at the Absa Gallery, or an alternative venue as decided upon by Absa and its partners. The Ambassador attends the opening and is awarded up to R100,000 for material costs towards the exhibition. All artworks would be available for sale with all proceeds thereof going to the artist. The masterclass, mentoring and collaborative exhibition to take place in 2025.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Absa L’Atelier art competition

The Light for the World “We Can Work” Narrative Competition 2024 for Young Storytellers.

Application Deadline: June 28, 2024 .

Applications are now open for the 2024 “We Can Work” Narrative Competition . Are you a young storyteller between the ages of 18 and 35 with a disability? Do you hail from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana, or Nigeria? If so, we invite you to showcase your creative talents in the “We Can Work” Narrative competition!

The “We Can Work” Narrative competition is a platform for young individuals with disabilities to express themselves creatively. Whether you’re a writer, audio producer, videographer, visual artist, or photographer, this competition welcomes all forms of storytelling.

This is your chance to shine and share your unique perspective with the world. Through your storytelling, you have the opportunity to inspire others and challenge stereotypes about disability.

• Winners of the competition will receive exclusive access to events and career mentorship sessions.
• Additionally, there are opportunities for paid internships and online features to further amplify your voice and talents.

Submission Procedure:

• Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! The submission deadline for the “We Can Work” Narrative competition is  June 28, 2024 .
• Submit your entry via email to  [email protected] .

Visit the Official Webpage of the Light for the World “We Can Work” Narrative Competition

TotalEnergies Startupper of the Year Challenge 2024 for Young African Entrepreneurs.

Application Deadline: June 18, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 TotalEnergies Startupper of the Year Challenge. The  Startupper of the year Challenge by TotalEnergies  is back in  32 African countries  for a special edition celebrating the 100 th  anniversary of the Company!

The aim of this 4 th  edition is to support and encourage young African entrepreneurs to innovate and bring their projects to reality in their country of application.

Are you owning a startup  less than 3 years old or pioneering with a business idea to develop?  If so, the challenge is for you!

• All business creation project holders and owners of startups under 3 years old  with a positive impact on their communities and/or the planet  can participate!
• You must be between  18 and 35 years old  (born between May 1, 1988 and April 30, 2006)
• You must be a  resident  of the country where you apply 
• You must have:
• Under 3 years old  with a registration in the application country no earlier than  April 30, 2020 OR
• A BUSINESS IDEA
• Which  could be developed a few months  after the challenge

Participating Countries

• Ivory Coast
• Guinea Conakry
• Burkina Faso
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Congo Brazzaville
• Equatorial Guinea
• South Africa

3 Categories

Become one of the  100 startuppers of the year by totalenergies , rewarded among one of our category..

Innov’Up

• 1 Winner per category will be rewarded in each participating country
• 4 additional Winners will be selected by an international jury in the Power’Up category

To reward the best entrepreneurs, should they own a startup of less than three years or come with a mature business idea.

Cycl’Up

To reward startup or business ideas exemplifying the principle of circular economy.

Power’Up

To reward startups or business ideas which aim to promote, create, produce or use sustainable and affordable energies.

Winners of the Challenge will earn the opportunity to access the following:

• Financial support to develop your startup or business idea.
• Media visibility to promote your business.
• Coaching to support the winner in a personalized way.

100 Startuppers Event to connect with key players at an entrepreneurial event.

Visit the Official Webpage of the TotalEnergies Startupper of the year Challenge

2024 Ashoka Changemakers Together Towards Tomorrow Challenge (Fully Funded)

Join the global innovation challenge: Together Towards Tomorrow, a collaboration between Ashoka and HSBC, which invites changemakers from around the world with initiatives that unite people across generations to activate young people as leaders. We’re on the hunt for innovative solutions that promote equitable collaboration, connecting young minds with their inner purpose. Is your venture centered on a solution that fosters social connections between generations, amplifies youth leadership, and shapes an alternative future? We want to hear from you! 

Participants must meet the following eligibility criteria:  

Country of Impact

The “Together, Towards, Tomorrow” Challenge is open to individuals driving impact in Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya , Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vietnam.

• Your leadership structure requires at least one member born in 1994 or later, who has held a leadership position for at least 12 months. If your organization is less than one year old, at least one founding member must be born in or after 1994. 
• Entries must be submitted in English and an Applicant is not allowed to submit more than one application.
• Your venture must be at an early- or mid- stage.
• Your initiative must be incorporated (as a non-profit, for-profit, or hybrid organization).  
• You must be 18 or above at the time of submitting this application.
• Entries will only be accepted in English (winners will be expected to engage in activities that require English proficiency). If your solution has not been implemented at scale; you must have a clear business plan and a minimum-viable solution (prototype, pilot, or another proof of concept).
• Only one application per individual/venture will be accepted.

All eligible applicants will receive:

• Receive feedback from Ashoka and/or HSBC representatives.
• Have a chance to connect with a community changemakers through this challenge (by providing/receiving feedback, and meeting them through community events).

Early Entry Applicants will receive:

• Those who get their application in by June 3rd 2024 will have the chance to be selected as Early Entry Winners.
• All Early Entry Applicants will receive feedback ahead of the final entry deadline.
• Note: Being selected as an early entry winner does not mean that you will be selected as a final challenge winner. 

All semifinalists and finalists will:

• Get a chance to refine their applications based on feedback from Ashoka, HSBC, and their peers.
• Have the opportunity to learn from Ashoka, HSBC, and its networks, and have additional learning opportunities as part of the journey.

Winners Awards:

Ashoka seek to ensure diverse representation in our winners, covering as many focus areas, ages, and geographic regions as possible. 

Prizes Structure:  

• Up to 12 winners, will receive a minimum of $15,000 and up to $25,000.  
• We will select a minimum of 3 winners at Early Stage (0-3 years since registration), and a minimum of 3 winners that are at an Established Stage (3+ years since registration).
• The top winner in each of these two categories will receive a prize of $25,000.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Ashoka Changemakers Together Towards Tomorrow Challenge

The UNICEF Venture Fund Gender-Responsive Innovation Challenge 2024

Application Deadline: May 24th, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 UNICEF Venture Fund Gender-Responsive Innovation Challenge. The UNICEF Venture Fund is committed to diversity and inclusion in its approach to early-stage investing and catalyzing novel innovations developed by startups leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data science (DS), drones, blockchain, or extended reality (XR).  These innovations aim to address the unmet needs of marginalized and underserved children and their families.

The challenge

Recognizing structural and systemic barriers in the technology sector which lead to the dominance of certain types of solutions and founders, the UNICEF Venture Fund is seeking to facilitate an inclusive and gender-responsive innovation in three key areas: 

Area 1:  Investing in diverse and  underrepresented founders  (especially women founders)

Area 2:  Increasing the  availability of digital products and services  that can solve the specific unmet needs of vulnerable and underrepresented populations (such as children, women, people living with disabilities and refugees)

Area 3:  Facilitating inclusive user design in the development of innovation to

The Venture Fund will select five outstanding companies in gender-responsive innovation which will receive an award:

The selection committee comprised of GITEX Africa and UNICEF Venture Fund will evaluate the nominated companies according to the defined criteria to assess and select the winners of the challenge.

GRIC winners will be announced at  GITEX Africa Summit conference  on 29-31 May in Marrakech, Morrocco. 

Companies will receive mentorship and technical assistance from Venture Fund experts to enhance their investment readiness and potential for future funding from the Venture Fund. It will comprise:

• 10 hours of technical mentoring consisting of Open Source, business development, frontier technology, software development, diversity, equity, and inclusion mentorship,
• Additional support to understand and navigate the Venture Fund sourcing and selection process. 

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNICEF Venture Fund Gender-Responsive Innovation Challenge

2024 IBM Call for Code Global Challenge for AI tech solutions ($285,000 USD cash prize)

Application Deadline: 17 October, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2024 IBM Call for Code Global Challenge. Be a part of a new era in responsible AI. Use your skills to improve equitable access to essential resources and opportunities for all people. You could win prizes and help show the world that AI can be trusted and used responsibly. Started in 2018, Call for Code is the largest tech-for-good initiative of its kind. We invite developers and problem-solvers from universities, startups, and enterprises around the world to build and contribute to innovative technology solutions that address social and humanitarian issues, while ensuring top solutions are deployed to make a real difference.  Help show the world that AI can be trusted and used responsibly.

How can generative AI technology improve equitable access to essential resources and opportunities for all people?

• IBM is calling all university students, developers, and problem solvers to join Call for Code.
• From the annual Global Challenge to additional events throughout the year, as well as ongoing open source projects, there are many ways to get involved. Participate in the ways that are right for you and build skills while making meaningful change.
• There are many ways you can build a great team, but the most successful teams often bring together diverse skill sets to design unique and impactful solutions. Consider problem-solvers with varied experience when assembling your team.

Teams of 1-5 people can compete for the following prizes:

Grand prize winners

Grand prize

$50,000 USD

Option for solution implementation support from the Call for Code ecosystem

Opportunity for open source support from The Linux Foundation

First runner-up

$25,000 USD

Second runner-up

$10,000 USD

University grant

$30,000 USD

total to the top scoring university team’s school(s)

Any university students in the top 3 winning teams are also eligible for:

• Exploration of IBM job opportunities
• Option to be matched with an IBM mentor

In addition to prizes, participants can grow their AI, cloud, and other emerging tech skills through access to expert technical mentors, training resources, and events.

Judging criteria

Each submission will be scored based on the following criteria with a minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 20 points, with the final score being the average of the judges’ scores.

• Completeness and transferability (5 points)
• Effectiveness and efficiency (5 points)
• Design and usability (5 points)
• Creativity and innovation (5 points)

Visit the Official Webpage of the IBM Call for Code Global Challenge

Oluwaferanmi’s Substack

Seven Essay Competitions for Undergraduates

One may tend to agree that students’ participation in debates ranks higher than in writing contests. 

From a personal perspective, essay-writing enthusiasts have dipped over time. Perhaps as a result of its rigorous scrutiny – for both the organizers and writer – unlike the one-off/on-the-spot assessment trads in debates. Or maybe recent advanced checks for AI-generated content.

Essay competitions can be challenging for an average writer. And when you’re left in the blank without a positive response after several trials, you can become discouraged from participating in subsequent ones.

However, with several attempts and opportunities to write on your niches, you can edge to the front row and add to your wins.  Some of these trials can include national or international essays for undergraduates.

Who knows, today may be the perfect day to put on your writing hat and start your entry for the seven essays outlined below.

World Hypertension Day Essay Writing Competition 2024

Like most other important days are commemorated with essay competitions, the upcoming World Hypertension Day is no different and will feature a writing contest. The NHS, Cross River State chapter, currently seeks undergraduate thoughts and inputs on the "Prevention and Control of Hypertension in Nigeria."

Eligibility: Undergraduate students in Nigerian Universities.

Word count: 2,500 max.

Deadline: May 15, 2024.

Submission link: https://forms.gle/2Vj57xNm7i6H6ses8

WED Writing Competition

With the present-day unsustainable oil revenues, governments, individuals, and various organizations have continued to emphasize the importance of diversifying into agriculture to ensure food security and economic prosperity.

While these suggestions haven’t materialized, there’s the need to maintain the conversation and bring in new ideas.

The WED Writing Competition is the latest to advance this thought.

Eligibility: All tertiary institution students (Except final year)

Word Count: 1200 words max.

Grand prize: #200,000.

Submission link: https://tinyurl.com/wedessay2024

ADR Society, OAU Essay Competition

The two words - investors and funding - have gained traction in the last months. And anyone who’s conversant with the news may not find it strange. Not even with the constant repetition by the political class.

As a finance enthusiast interested in laws guiding the monetary exchange process, writing about the “Impact Assessment of Third Party Funding of Commercial Arbitration on Investor Decision and Conduct” allows you to express your thoughts in words.

You also stand a chance to ramp up your funds.

Eligibility: Undergraduates in Nigerian Universities.

Word count: 2,500 words (avg).

Deadline: May 31, 2024

Grand Prize: #250,000.

Submission link: [email protected]

The Zeribe Nwosu Foundation (ZNF) Essay Competition

The Zeribe Nwosu Foundation has joined the AI discourse as the global world continues to evolve and become more technology-prone.

Definitely, it’s not a stale topic - not anytime soon - and requires contributions across strata. So, here is a shot.

Eligibility: Undergraduates.

Word count: 2000 words (excluding references)

Deadline: July 15, 2024.

Grand Prize: #50,000.

Submission link: https://bit.ly/znfannualessay2024

WIPO National Essay Competition

You may wonder why food security topics are dominating the writing space. Of course, housing and finance are also necessities. But with food inflation skyrocketing to over 30% in Nigeria, the calls for essay input on possible solutions have become essential.

The WIPO National Essay is inviting essay enthusiasts to participate on the topic, "IP and Sustainable Agriculture; Combating Food Security in Nigeria."

Eligibility: Undergraduates and Postgraduates.

Word count: Unspecified.

Deadline: May 31, 2024.

More Details: https://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/offices/nigeria/news/2024/news_0005.html

The John Locke Essay Competition

Participation in International Essay contests can appear challenging for an average writer. However, exposure to diverse topics comes as leverage to skill up and creates the push to put your best words forward.

With the John Locke Essay Competition - you can unlock multiple access to your favorite topics. Even better, you're a step closer to receiving a mouth-watering reward.

Eligibility: Students from any country (18 years old or younger).

Registration Deadline: May 31, 2024.

Essay submission deadline: 30 June 2024.

Word count: 2000 words approx.

Grand Prize: $10,000 scholarship.

More Details: https://www.johnlockeinstitute.com/essay-competition#:~:text=The%20John%20Locke%20Institute's%20Global,world's%20most%20prestigious%20essay%20competition

Debola Osibogun National Essay Competition for Undergraduates

Tech connects our world; it is the oil for global growth. The banking system has also come to the fore in major financial transactions, even as they are subject to reforms.

But how do we strive to achieve a balance and transform the latter into a near-perfect system? The Debola Osibogun Competition welcomes your thoughts via this essay.

Eligibility: Final year (4th year & HND II) and penultimate year (3rd year and HND I) of the Faculty of Administration/Management Science in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Word Count: 1000 - 1200 words.

Grand Prize: #100, 000 and a Laptop.

Deadline: June 7, 2024.

Submission link: [email protected]

Ready for more?

10 Best Essay Competitions in Nigeria 2023 Latest Update

There are so many essay compet i tions in Nigeria, but you may not know many of them yet. We will try to give you full details on the top 10 essay writing competitions in Nigeria for 2023 and how you can apply for them.

1. UBA Foundation International Essay Competition for Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal 2023

The UBA Foundation holds a yearly essay competition nationwide for secondary school students in Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. Information Guide Nigeria

They always provide essay topics and instruct that they must be submitted before given deadlines.

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How to apply for the UBA Foundation International Essay Competition for Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal

Interested appl i cants are to submit their full contact details, these include their full names, details of school (name and address), residential address, etc.

Photocopies of their original birth certificates or data page of the international passport must be also be added.

Candidates for the Essay competition are to forward their essays for the UBA Foundation International Essay Competition to:

UBA Foundation,

UBA House,(3 rd Floor),

57, Marina, Lagos State, Nigeria. Essay Competitions

2. Gallen Symposium Leader of Tomorrow Essay Competition

This is one essay competition that is so dedicated to raising and nurturing future world leaders who are incisive and decisive thinkers.

The winners of the St. Gallen Symposium Leader of Tomorrow Essay Competition are verified and moved to compete in a more global competition known as Leader of Tomorrow, this is an inter-generational debate. Winners of this competition will now be given an all-expense-paid trip to St. Gallen, Switzerland so that they can participate in the grand finale there.  UNN Diploma Admission List 2020/2021 is Out

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Eligibility and requirements for the St. Gallen Symposium Leader of Tomorrow Essay Competition

• Students currently studying undergraduate or postgraduate courses in any regular university are eligible
• Students must be born not later than 1989.

Visit: https://www.symposium.org/competition to get more information on the St. Gallen Symposium Leader of Tomorrow Essay Competition.  ABUAD Postgraduate Admission Form 2021/2022 is Out

3. Young Ag-Summit Easy Contest for Students

The Young Ag-Summit Essay Contest is a competition that is aimed at challenging youths to proffer solutions to poverty in the world in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The essay competition also aimed at challenging the youths to tackle issues that will bring prosperity to everyone and save the world.

Local communities and towns are to be used as references by the contestants.

Visit http://network.youthagsummit.com/essay/essay-contest-registration to get more information and apply for the competition. Npower recruitment

4. The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Essay Competition

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Essay Competition is for both private and public secondary school students. The competition is open to students in all the states of the federation.

The title of the 2018 edition of the competition was titled “Discuss how technology can promote financial literacy and encourage investment habit among youths”. The aim of the competition is to inject the spirit of technology into the daily conversation and activities of the people. It is also to let them know how they can make use of technology that is around them, as well as apply technology in their business activities and decisions which will better their prospects.

The 2018 edition of the competition was sponsored by the Jim Ovia Foundation. Visit http://www.nse.com.ng/ to learn more about the Nigerian Stock Exchange Essay Competition. dollar to naira rate

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5. African Development Bank (AfDB) The Africa of my Dreams Writing Contest

The African Development Bank (AfDB) The Afr i ca of my Dreams Writing Contest aims at stimulating the industrialisation drive in Africa by offering a platform for the voices of Africans to be heard globally.

This competition was created to design and build a brighter future for Africa as a continent and Africans. It was also to unlock several potentials that are embedded in the African child in other to make Africa flow with prosperity and be dynamic. It was also formed to empower the youths to be the ones driving the visions of Africa.

Eligibility;

Interested contestants must not be younger than 20 years and older than 29 years as a year of competition.

The competition is only for Africans.

Contestants must be legally allowed to travel overseas without restrictions and they should hold valid international passports.

Contestants must be citizens of any of the 54 African countries.

Entries for the Essay competition must be in French or English language.

You can visit https://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/the-africa-of-my-dreams-young-africans-get-writing-17870/ to learn more about the African Development Bank (AfDB)   The Africa of my Dreams Writing Contest.

6. Goi Peace Foundation/UNESCO International Essay Contest for Young People

This essay competition is a partnership between UNESCO and Goi Peace Foundation. The essay competition is aimed at promoting the initiative force of the youths all over the world.

This competition has two categories; the children category which has an age limit of 14 years, and the young category with an age range of 15 – 25 years.

Kindly visit https://www.goipeace.or.jp/en/work/essay-contest to get more information about the Goi Peace Foundation/UNESCO International Essay Contest for Young People WAEC result

Read Also:  Top 10 Criteria to Choose a Reliable Admission Essay Writing Service

7. UONGOZI Leadership Essay Contest for African Students (USD $2,000 plus Fully Funded Trip to Johannesburg, South Africa)

This essay competition is organized by the Institute of Africa Leadership for Sustainable Development also known as UONGOZI Institute.

The UONGOZI Leadership Essay Contest for African Students was created to start and maintain leadership instincts in African youths through important discussions relative to leadership. It was to offer African youths the required platform to groom the next generation of African leaders.

Eligibility

The competition is for youths between the age range of 18 – 25 years.

Do you want to have more information on the UONGOZI essay competition? Visit the website of UONGOZI Institute here http://uongozi.or.tz/.

8. Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Senior Secondary School Students in Nigeria

The Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Senior Secondary School Students in Nigeria opens on 26th of March and closes on 1st of June every year.

The presiding Bishop of the Redeemed Evangelic Mission (TREM), Bishop (Dr.) Mike Okonkwo, is the main sponsor of this essay competition.

Essays for the competition are submitted either by mail to TREM International Headquarters, Obanikoro / Anthony-Oke Bus Stop, Lagos, or by e-mail to [email protected]. JAMB form

Read Also:  Professional Essay Writing Service: 7 Tips to Find the Best One?

9. NHEF (The Nigeria Higher Education Foundation) Scholarship Essay Competition for Nigerian Students

This essay competition was created in 2015 and mot i vates students to develop and organize important and strategic ideas on how Nigeria can be changed positively.

Eligibility :

The competition is only open to 200 level to final year students of the NHEF Partner universities which are Unilag, Kano, UNN, ABU, UniPort, BU, and U.I.

Visit http://www.thenher.org/ to learn more about the essay competition.

10. DSTV Eutelsat Award for African Secondary School Students with Interest in Technology ( Fully-Funded to Paris, France)

This essay competition is open to youths from all the African countries where MultiChoise is operating. The competition is open to youths who are fans of technology between the ages of 14 to 19 years.

The DStv Eutelsat is an award that takes place every year since it started in 2011.

To learn more about the competition, please visit http://www.dstvstarawards.com/.  JAMB Result

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Browsing: Contests

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ICU Global Youth Essay Competition 2024 (Win a trip to Japan)

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Best Guide to Winning An Essay Writing Contest

Essay writing competition: how to write beautiful essays the stands you out.

The simple and most straightforward guides to writing a winning essay contest are easy to come by – Guides like:

• Submit a story founded on the theme you are writing for;
• Write grammatically correct words without exceeding the word count
• Follow all the instructions stipulated by the organizers;
• Proofread your story and submit it right before the deadline.

However, these tips are immature and inadequate to win an essay contest. The tips centre on the story’s writing and not the story itself: they explore the art of writing like righteous grammar police, not the act of writing as a creative researcher and human.

Essays are meant to be creative, command words and language not for the mere thrill but for the calculated description of an event in the most appealing way. People win essay competitions by abiding by various codes by which submitting the story of a speculated genre is. For example, imagine sending romantic nonfiction to a crime and action thriller fiction.

Writing essays is easy! You can quickly review ideas and develop the piece. But to write a winning essay for contests, you need a comprehensive guide. There are, however, numerous practical guides to writing and winning an essay competition.

Table of Contents

12 Powerful Guidelines to Winning an Essay Competition

Read the essay competition rules.

Many people often ignore the competition rules during application. As a result, they neglect the demands of the contest: the specific theme, participant’s requirements, word limits, deadline, regulations, the criteria to select the winner, and other minor details.

To win, read about the judges if their identities are disclosed. This relevant checklist will help you comprehend the contest and the judges’ expectations and offer you an idea of how to win the competition.

Reflect on Different Concepts for Theme

Some essay contests provide themes, while some do not. However, when themes are given, stick to them. While you reflect on the subject of a competition, many ideas will flash through your mind, jot them down.

It has been discovered that waiting to track the perfect idea will make you ignore potential perfect ideas. This means that while ideas flow through your mind, jot them down; a concept will stick along when you go through them again. Don’t jump right into the essay; reflect on numerous thoughts before writing.

Start with a Compelling Title and Opening

After choosing the concept that best suits the essay’s theme, be intentional about your title and the opening paragraphs. If you select a title like “She Loves Control” for a romance essay, consider “Cassandra Nancy Loves Control”. Reveal your characters from your headline. It arouses interest and emphasis on such character until the end of the story.

People ignore this a lot. They believe creativity is crucial in winning an essay, but they marginalize the role of research. Research helps to enrich your understanding of the idea. If you want to write about the LGBTQ life and the adversity involved in recognizing the identity, you need to research even if you’re queer. This is because other people go through what you do, and narrating your experience for an essay contest isn’t enough. Tell other people’s stories, even a bit, in personal essays.

Read also: 4 simple and effective ways to brainstorm your book idea

Write a Draft

Many people wait for the perfect moment and an ideal mood to write an essay. As a result, they resist the impulse to start writing right away. Although it works differently for different people, it suffices to resist all urge to resist the urge to write. In other words, write the draft without holding back.

Don’t Edit Your Essay While Writing It.

Some people are so conscious; that they edit their essays while they write. This interrupts the writing pace and exercise and lets a budding idea slip away. When the breeze of muse blows, it is essential that you clench your fist around it and not let it go until you’re done with the draft.

Revise and Proofread

People write many drafts. Some structure the essay and write drafts for each structure. However, regardless of how you came by the sketch, revise, revise, and revise! Proofread, proofread, and proofread! For example, you could send your paper to experienced essayists at companies like Paperwritings to receive feedback on how to improve it, rework it, and so on.

It is the interval to correct your mistake and fine-tune your language in the precise way you’ll prefer it. You’ll discover sentences to delete, phrases or sentences to rephrase or rewrite and other punctuation or tense error to correct. Further, it will enhance reading your essay from a fresh perspective. After this, you can take a break (if you didn’t take a break after writing the draft) to cool your head and mind for creativity.

Research and Read About the Judges

While taking a break for perhaps a few hours, days, or weeks, make sure to read other materials about your essay. There are valuable materials to improve your article.

You can also use the break to read about the judges, other essays they had judged, and their written pieces. This will give you intuition about their potential bias due to their use. Plus, it guides you to edit your essay to their exact expectation.

Please return to the Essay and Make it Stand Out.

Grab the attention of the judges and readers by avoiding clichés; describe the events – don’t tell, be creative with the storytelling, utilize original language, and let your essay flow with your originality.

Your essay must not appear forced; it will disrupt the flow of the story and bore the readers. Your content must be imagery to capture the judges and interest your readers.

Read also: 12 inspiring books for self-improvement

Revise Your Essay

After editing, revise again. You should edit and revise it as many times as you can. You can use writing tools like  Grammarly  to track your grammatical accuracy and conciseness.

Format Your Essay and Make It Look Professional

Formatting an essay is as fundamental as writing the essay. Make it neat and tidy, stick by the double-spacing rule if provided, structure the paragraphs, etc.

Review the Rules, Revise Your Essay, and Submit

When you think you are done, keep your entry aside, reexamine the rules, and reread your entry before you submit it. You may have omitted a minor detail that is necessary. Please correct it. When you verify sticking by all rules and guidelines,  SUBMIT!

About the Author

Akinwale Peace Akindayo (AKA Philip Peace) writes poetry, creative nonfiction, and essays from a small room in North Central Nigeria. He is a publisher on Barren Magazine, Agbowo Art Magazine, African Writer, Ngiga Review & elsewhere. He tweets via Peace Akinwale.

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NCDMB Essay Competition 2023 for Undergraduates

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) announces the Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition for 2023. Open to 100-200 level students in Nigerian tertiary institutions, participants are to submit essays on 'Nigerian Content & Lessons from Covid-19 Pandemic' by 28th August. Prizes include N1,000,000 for the first position and laptops for the top 10 finalists. Entries will be judged on clarity, originality, and relevance, with winners announced on 20th September 2023.

The Nigerian landscape is buzzing with yet another chance for young intellects to showcase their prowess. Sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) , the Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition is back, seeking to illuminate the voices of young Nigerians, reflecting on local capacities and the future of the Oil and Gas industry.

On this page ↓ [Show]

Submission must-haves:, judging criteria:, rewards & recognition:, important dates:, essay theme for 2023:.

“Nigerian Content and the Lessons from Covid-19 Pandemic”

Eligibility and Guidelines:

• The contest welcomes entries from students in their 100-200 level phase from both public and private universities, polytechnics, and colleges across Nigeria.
• Submission window kicks off on 24th July 2023 . Don’t let the clock tick away; ensure your essays reach the official submission portal by 28th August 2023 . Beware, the late owl catches no rewards!
• Physical submissions? They’re so last decade. Only online entries will be entertained.
• First things first, register on the official website .
• Proof of your enrolment: Either an admission letter or a signed attestation from your Head of Department.
• Creativity is the name of the game; your essay must be a freshly brewed original, penned specifically for this competition.
• Teamwork may make the dream work, but co-authored essays are a no-go for this contest.
• Keep it singular! One entry per enthusiastic mind.
• Words matter, but so does brevity. Keep your manuscript within a 1,500-word limit.
• When submitting, use the dedicated Essay Submission Form (accessible post login). However, keep your identity a secret! Don’t add your name or personal details to the essay content.
• Eyes on the prize, but play fair. Essays will undergo a thorough plagiarism check.

Your essay will twirl under the spotlight, evaluated on:

• Clear Expression
• Spelling & Grammar
• Original Thought Process
• Depth of Analysis
• Relevance to the Industry
• Adherence to the contest rules
• 1st Prize: N1,000,000
• 2nd Prize: N700,000
• 3rd Prize: N500,000
• And there’s more! All top 10 national finalists will receive a sleek new laptop.
• The winning masterpiece? It will be featured in NCDMB’s renowned in-house magazine, the Local Content Digest .
• Shortlist Announcement: By 11th September 2023, the chosen ones will be informed for the interactive final round assessment.
• Awards Ceremony: A grand affair on 20th September 2023.

Note: A friendly reminder to entrants – embedding personal details like email, phone number, address, name, university, or state within the essay is a quick ticket to disqualification.

Seize this unparalleled platform, reflect on the lessons of the pandemic, and shape the discourse around Nigeria’s Oil and Gas industry. Let your words make a difference!

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• AfOx Scholarships
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Tag: Explore Contests and Competitions Worldwide

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National Creative Writing Competition

• About the Competition
• How to Enter the Competition
• Competition Guidelines
• Tips on How to Write a Winning Story and a Winning Poem

About The Competition

This Competition is an annual, free-to-enter National Creative Writing Competition organized by MyRainbowBooks (MRB) Limited and E-GAPs Foundation to help develop children’s creative thinking and writing skills. It is open to children aged five to sixteen years who are resident in Nigeria, or of Nigerian origin. The themes for this year’s competition are: An Adventure in My Village, Grandma’s Calabash, Uncle Edem’s Cat, The Strange Beehive, The Old Woman by the Village Square, and The Magic Flute. The writing can be either a poem or a short story but must explore one or more of the above themes. The stories should be set in Nigeria, and if possible, showcase the Nigerian culture. The word limit for a short story is 1000 words, and the word limit for a poem is 250 words.

The competition opens for entries on December 15, 2023. The deadline for submission is the midnight of February 15, 2024. In each age category, primary and secondary schools can each make a group entry of no more than 20 different writings comprising either poems or short stories, or a combination of both. Prizes will be awarded to the best writings. The best poems and short stories will be published in the MRB Children’s Collection (Vol. 9) which will be available for purchase before the end of 2024.

For more information about the competition, please read the Competition Guidelines . Please download, copy, and distribute the Competition Entry Form for Individuals and the Competition Entry Form for Schools . Do help us spread the word. Thank you. 

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Former Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina will contest at Miss Universe Nigeria

Chidimma has the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition.

Chidimma Adetshina has a Nigerian father and Mozambican mother, but she was born and raised in South Africa.

Recommended articles

When Chidimma Onwe Adetshina was announced as a contestant for the Miss South Africa contest, many South Africans took to social media, claiming she wasn’t truly South African because of her name.

Amid these reactions, Chidimma withdrew from the Miss South Africa pageant following allegations by the South African Home Office of a prima facie case of fraud and identity theft by her mother.

Interestingly, a new queen was crowned, Mia le Roux , a Caucasian deaf South African, over the weekend.

The Silverbird Group, which organises the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, the winner of which represents Nigeria at the Miss Universe contest, extended an invitation to Chidimma, and she accepted.

Chidimma and the head of the Silverbird Group, Ben Bruce Murray, shared her acceptance video on social media. In the video, she expressed her gratitude:

"I can’t start off this video without expressing my gratitude to the people who have shown me incredible love and support.”

”I have received an invitation from the Silverbird Group, the organisers of the Miss Universe Nigeria beauty pageant."

"I say this with great excitement because I have decided to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant. I understand the expectations and responsibility that come with this title..."

"I am so excited to embark on this journey and look forward to participating in the most prestigious pageant in Africa."

We wish Chidimma all the best on this journey.

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Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!

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Embattled miss sa finalist, chidimma adetshina to participate in miss universe nigeria.

Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina, a model of Nigerian and Mozambican heritage, who withdrew from the Miss South Africa 2024 contest over scrutiny of her nationality, has announced that she would be participating in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant.

DAILY POST reported that Adetshina was invited to participate in the Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant after she stepped down from the Miss South Africa contest despite being a Top 11 Finalist.

She gave up the competition after the South African Department of Home Affairs alleged that her mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.

In a new video, Adetshina announced that she has accepted the invitation.

“I have decided to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 beauty pageant… I am looking forward to participating in Africa’s most prestigious beauty pageant – Miss Universe Nigeria,” she said.

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Which teen won the overall Somerset courthouse essay contest and why is it important?

It might be tradition or the only time one would enter the Somerset County Courthouse or a curiosity of how things work or even just getting a day off of school.

But for Abigail Ickes, a sophomore in Meyersdale who won the 2024 overall courthouse tour essay contest, taking the tour and writing about her impressions was a step into her future.

"The courthouse essay contest is a long tradition which was associated with the school courthouse tours, which, unfortunately, fell by the wayside as a result of COVID-19, which the Somerset County Bar Association is attempting to revive," said Somerset County Bar Association President Benjamin Carroll.

This is where Ickes comes into the story. She is the overall essay contest winner this year.

"For the longest time I have always been interested in the legal system and its impact," she said. "The U.S. legal system I hope will become part of my everyday life if my aspirations of becoming an FBI behavior analyst, profiler pans out the way I hope.”

How it works

After the courthouse tours, students who participate in the contest submit essays about the experience to their teacher, who then select an "individual school" winner.  Each individual school's winner's essay is then submitted to the Bar Association, and a panel of three bar members (who were not tour guides) anonymously vote to determine the overall winner, Carroll said.

Each "individual school winner" receives $100 from the bar association, and the "overall winner" receives $200 and his or her essay is printed in the courthouse calendar for the coming year, he said.

Other: Somerset attorneys went to county schools to share what Law Day represents

The Courthouse Essay Contest Ceremony is a ceremonial session of court, in which the individual school winners who are able to attend read their essays, and then the overall winner is announced, Carroll said.

Sharing the ceremony are attorneys, family and public officials sitting in the audience.

“I was surprised that my essay was chosen out of everyone there they all posed incredible literature to be judged," Ickes said. "Then I was proud, all the work and thought that was produced to impact my essay was recognized. It’s hard to place words with how the emotions played out but I can say full-heartedly that it will always be one of my most pleasant memories to memorialize in my thoughts."

A portion of what she had to say:

"The courthouse is not just a place, but its own entity ... The courthouse is a machine in which everyone plays their part. It is not some game or play where only one thing matters but every detail can forever change a life good or bad."

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Whose Somerset courthouse tour essay was chosen as overall winner?

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Writing Curriculum

Teach Writing With The New York Times: Our 2024-25 Curriculum

Our nine writing units are based on real-world features like reviews, photo essays, narratives, podcasts and more.

By The Learning Network

Please note: Fully updated versions of each unit, as well as all supporting materials, will be published before each related contest opens for submissions.

What can the news, features, essays, interviews, photos, videos, podcasts and graphics in The New York Times teach your students about composing for a real audience? So much, we hope, that the units we detail below are just a beginning.

Our writing curriculum is a road map for teachers as well as an invitation to students. For teachers, it organizes our offerings into nine units, each of which focuses on a different genre or type of composing that your students can find not just in The Times but also in all kinds of real-world sources.

For students, these units offer confirmation that they have something valuable to say, choices about how to say it and a global audience eager to listen. Promoting student voices has always been a pillar of our site, and through the opportunities for publication woven into each unit, we want to encourage students to go beyond simply consuming media to becoming creators themselves.

Though some of the units spotlight mediums like photography or podcasting, writing is at the heart of each one. All our units begin and end with written reflection and depend on writing throughout — to plan and organize, to outline and script, to summarize and process. Increasingly, Times journalists are composing in multimedia, weaving photos, illustrations, video and audio into their written reports. We’re inviting students to do the same.

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