The Samira Bawumia Literature Prize | How to Submit
Call for Entries: Samira Bawumia Literature Prize 2025
Books shape how children see the world—and how they see themselves. The Samira Bawumia Literature Prize 2025 invites young Ghanaian writers to craft powerful, culturally rooted stories that reflect Africa’s heritage, values, and urgent contemporary issues. This is a platform to inspire the next generation through imagination, identity, and bold storytelling.
What Is the SBLP?
The Samira Bawumia Literature Prize 2025 is dedicated to promoting African literature for children. We’re calling on aspiring writers between the ages of 15 and 30 to create stories for children aged 9–15 that celebrate African experiences, wisdom, and resilience.
Want to sharpen your craft before submitting?
- Creative Writing Course: Free Lessons to Get You Started
- How to Make Point of View in Your Writing Strong
Themes for the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize
Submit stories that fall under one of these themes:
1. Adaptations of African Myths & Folktales
Reimagine classic Ghanaian folktales and legends to pass on ancestral wisdom in ways children today can relate to.
2. Traditional Symbols
Craft narratives that introduce children to Ghanaian symbols, proverbs, and maxims, exploring their cultural meanings and everyday relevance.
3. Environment and Climate Action
Write stories that empower children to become stewards of nature—focusing on conservation, climate change, and protecting Africa’s resources.
4. African Heroes and Heroines
Celebrate resilience and character through stories of local heroes who model courage, empathy, and positive change.
Entry Categories
- Short Fiction
- Non-Fiction
- Poetry (up to 3 poems)
Eligibility Requirements for the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize
To qualify, writers must:
- Be a Ghanaian citizen living in Ghana
- Be 15–30 years old
- Be unpublished (i.e., not the author of a book)
- Submit only one entry
- Write for children aged 9–15
- Use English (Ghanaian idioms or expressions welcome)
- Submit work that is original and unpublished
Word Count: 1,000–1,500 words
Tone: Simple, engaging, and age-appropriate
Setting: Everyday Ghanaian life
Formatting Guidelines
- First page: Title and Word Count only
- Font: Times New Roman, Size 12
- Line Spacing: 0 spacing
- Justification: Center
- Include page numbers
- File format: .doc or .docx
- No names or identifying marks in the file
Deadline
Submission Deadline: 21st June 2025
Submission Process
Required details:
- First and Last Name
- Email Address
- Phone Number & Alternative Number
- Gender
- Date of Birth
Questions?
sblp@sbawumia.org
+233 533 603 835
Stay connected:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Why Enter the Samira Bawumia Literature Prize?
It is a national platform for new voices who want to shape the literary future of Ghanaian children. If you’re ready to inspire, to preserve, and to reimagine, this is your moment.
