Duration(coverage): Three (3) months (From April 1st to 30th June)

Location: Home Based (with parental guidance)

Age group: 6-12 years

Why this challenge?– Learning is boundless. We may be facing a deadly virus, but it won’t stop us from learning and pass on knowledge to our children. Help us give your children a chance to learn something new about themselves and surprise you, circumstances notwithstanding.

Objectives of the Challenge: To provide space for children to voice their concerns on the Corona Virus Pandemic;

To provide an opportunity for children to create published stories

Output of the challenge: An anthology of children stories authored by children produced.

How to participate: The coordinators will provide one writing prompt every two weeks. Children will therefore interact with a total of six prompts throughout the timeframe of the challenge and are free to write and submit stories for each challenge within the allocated fortnight. This means, each child (who participated fully) will respond to a total of six prompts within three months. Children can join the contest at any time during the timeframe and may or may not respond to all the prompts and submit stories, BUT either way the fee remains the same. Prompts will be in Kiswahili and English.

Submission: A child can submit up to three (3) stories in Kiswahili or English per fortnight per prompt. Stories submitted past the prompt deadline will be disqualified. Each prompt will last for only two weeks.

Prompt Schedule

Mode of Delivery: The prompts will be delivered through email address and a WhatsApp group (of parents and guardians enrolling their children). The WhatsApp group will act as a platform for sharing experience and ideas concerning the challenge. Concerns will be channeled through the challenge  e-mail: childrenlockdownchallenge@gmail. com

Judging Criteria: There will be an independent panel of judges which will vote for two winners or each prompt based on a standard criterion of form and content of a good story which includes originality and universal appeal. Winning stories will be edited as entries in the anthology which will comprise of a maximum of twelve children stories based on six prompts.

Supporting Materials : There will be a list (package) of books which parents may purchase by order to Soma Book Cafe. This is optional although the package is essential towards broadening a child’s creative expression and imagination. They also are a productive pastime and help develops a child’s reading habits which are essential for their intellectual development.

Cost: Participation fees are a flat rate of TSH 100,000 per child. This will  design  and  implementation  of  the  challenge including  paying judges,  and  offset  publishing costs  for  the  anthology. Payment to be done via Lipa Number M-Pesa 5098214- Readership for Learning & Development

Note: Parents/guardians should desist from writing f or their children. Any indication of parents ‘  ‘help’ beyond guidance will disqualify an entry