African Writers Trust (AWT) is a non-profit collective that seeks to promote the sharing of skills and resources, and to foster knowledge between writers in the African continent and in the diaspora. Founded in 2009 by the Ugandan novelist Goretti Kyomuhendo and currently headquartered in London, its board includes the novelists Zakes Mda, Helon Habila, Aminatta Forna, and Leila Aboulela. Kyomuhendo was recently named among New African‘s “100 Most Influential Africans of 2019.”

AWT has announced its second publishing fellowship for “early career publishers and creative writers intending to self-publish their manuscripts.” Applications are open to writers from Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Expenses will be covered for successful candidates. Fellows will be invited to apply for a seed funding budget worth €4,200. The first fellowship was announced in 2018.

The Publishing Fellowship programme was designed to create a step-change in the book sector in Africa, by focusing on professional development of upcoming talent in African publishing over three years (2018-2021). The overall objective of the programme is to facilitate the sharing of knowledge, skills, expertise, experiences and collaborative learning between the more experienced publishers and the early career and emerging ones.

For the full details, go to AWT’s website.