Majesty Publishing House Africa has launched the inaugural Africa Women Writers Residency, a fully funded four-week program for emerging women writers from Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa.

The residency is designed to support women writers who are not currently represented by a literary agent. Twelve selected writers will take part in an intensive mentorship program and have their work published in a landmark anthology titled New African Voices: Stories That Shape Africa’s Future.

The program will take place in September 2026. It begins with three weeks of virtual workshops and guest lecturesled by selected African authors, followed by a one-week in-person residency in Nairobi, Kenya.

All major costs will be covered by Majesty Publishing House Africa, including travel, accommodation, meals, local transportation, and cultural experiences.

According to Lorraine Onduru, CEO of Majesty Publishing House Africa, the residency responds to the growing global interest in African writing while addressing the lack of infrastructure available to many emerging women writers. “Twelve writers. Five countries. One anthology. And a publishing commitment that does not end when the residency does,” Onduru said.

Who Can Apply?

The residency is open to:

  • Women writers
  • Citizens of Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, or South Africa
  • Emerging writers with a strong body of work, published or unpublished
  • Writers without literary representation
  • Writers proficient in written and spoken English
  • Writers available for the full four-week program, including the in-person Nairobi week in September 2026

Eligible genres include fiction, fantasy, creative nonfiction, memoir, and poetry. There is no age restriction.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit the following materials to:

[email protected]

Submission materials:

  1. A 250-word motivation letter introducing yourself and explaining your interest in the residency.
  2. A writing sample on the theme “A New Dawn for Africa.”

The writing sample may be submitted as:

  • An essay or short story of 1,000 words
  • One poem of up to 1,000 words
  • Two poems totaling approximately 1,000 words

Deadline

Applications close on June 22, 2026.

For collaboration, sponsorship, media partnership, or cultural exchange inquiries, contact Lorraine Onduru at [email protected].