African Writers Trust (AWT) awards an annual publishing fellowship programme to “early career publishers and creative writers intending to self-publish their manuscripts.” A call was made for applications from writers based in Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

The shortlist of 11 has now been announced. Uganda takes the most spots with three, followed by Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi with two, and Botswana and Mozambique with one each. There was a dramatic increase in the number of applications, from 120 in the first edition in 2018, to 293 this year.

African Writers Trust will cover the expenses for the shortlisted writers. They will be invited to apply for a seed funding budget worth €4,200. The winner is expected to use the funds to publish their on-going publishing project.

Founded in 2009 by the Ugandan novelist Goretti Kyomuhendo and currently headquartered in London, the board of AWT 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.”

Congratulations to the writers!