Story Writing Competition
Organised by PENHA and Supported by the UK National Lottery
Languages: Amharic, Arabic, Afan Oromo, English, Somali, Tigrigna and other languages of the Horn of Africa
Extended submission deadline: 31.05.2023
To download the call in other languages: Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Arabic, English, Somali and Tigringa
East African migrants, mainly refugees from the Horn of Africa, face several socio-economic challenges on arrival in the UK. Due to language barriers, cultural differences, and lack of understanding of the UK legislation, many of them face various and complex problems, including being victims of sexual abuse or accused of committing sexual offences. If they are found guilty, depending on the type of offence they have been charged with, they could potentially be sentenced to lengthy imprisonment. They may also have their name added to the Sex Offenders Register, which will have a detrimental effect on their livelihood and reputation. In light of these kinds of challenges and problems, we are aiming to produce eight stories related to sexual abuse, the legal age of (sexual) consent and the difference in understanding sexual relationships, sex and the definition of gender between the country of origin of the migrants and the UK. This literary competition is organised for young people residing in the UK, who are interested in raising cultural and sensitivity awareness and contributing to ‘Beyond managing expectations: Supporting the integration of refugees in Kent‘ project.
The youth have the potential to build a better future, hence, this competition is designed to offer them the opportunity and platform to reflect on their personal experiences related to their understanding of gender and sexual relationships and help promote cultural awareness and sensitivity in their communities. This activity will offer them the opportunity to engage in writing their stories or the stories of others, which can help address cultural differences while increasing their awareness of gender and sexual relationships, preventing them from committing possible crimes, coping with the emotional challenges they face, and encourage them to seek legal advice when needed.
Competition Rules and Guidelines
- Eligibility: The competition is open to young East African migrants, age group: 16–25. The writer should be within the mentioned age group; however, youth support workers can submit the young person’s work on their behalf or based on their experiences.
- Topic: should be relevant to the above subject:
- Theme options: Sexual Education, Sexual Abuse, Age of Sexual Consent, Understanding Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation and Relationships, Sex and Cultural Differences and Sensitivity. The story can refer to cases related to their journey to the UK or their experience on arrival in the UK.
- Length: 1–2-page (max 1000 words). The title is not included in the word count.
- More than 2-page stories will be disregarded by the reviewing committee. The story should be very short and focus on the above-stated theme.
- Format: The story can be submitted in English, Amharic, Arabic, Afan Oromo, Tigrigna, Somali and other languages spoken in the Horn of Africa.
- Number of entries: One entry per author, and entries must be submitted online.
- Submission deadline: All entries must be received by midnight on 31 May 2023.
- The selected stories will be published as a digital mini-book in May 2023.
- The best stories will receive awards and recognition. The winning story will be awarded £100. Winners will be individually notified of the results by email.
- Stories will not be returned, so please retain a copy. And stories cannot be altered once entered.
- Only entries from the UK are accepted.
- Copyright: The author retains the copyright to his or her prose (short story or piece of creative non-fiction).
- No entry fee is required.
- For any questions or submissions, contact Bereket (PENHA): info@penhanetwork.org
