The competition is open to anyone aged up to 16 years old. Students must be a resident of Nigeria or Ghana to participate. In entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to win the award.

There are 2 categories:

• Primary school: 4-11 years

• Secondary school: 12-16 years

You should enter the age category based on your age at the time of submission.

The competition is free to enter. There is NO entry fee to enter.

This year, we are inviting all primary school pupils and secondary students to participate in an art or creative writing competition. Earth day celebration draws attention to the global issues of pollution, deforestation, global warming, overpopulation, rising sea levels, etc. The most urgent threat facing Earth is climate change and it's not science fiction. The time to invest in our planet is now. Environmental protection is an extremely critical issue that impacts us all. Our actions have consequences on our ecosystem and Earth. We believe that students, youths, and children of Nigerian origin can be engaged in environmental and climate conversations as well as activities that actively seek out solutions to protect the future resources of our planet. Your stories, poems, and art will help to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of our planet and inspire readers to take action to protect it.

You will help to raise awareness about threats facing the environment around you in Nigeria and Ghana. It will also be an opportunity for you to improve your literary and creative skills as you will receive feedback on your work from Judges across the UK, Ghana, and Nigeria. Every participant will receive a Certificate of Participation. Your work will be showcased on international platforms and collated in a Book Anthology that will be delivered to the Nigerian and Ghanaian National Library. You will receive an Art and Creative writing workshop to further improve your skills. You will also have an opportunity to be mentored by a professional. Lots of prizes are to be won.

One work per category per artist. We take time out to verify the winning entries. So, do not duplicate your work. 

In 2022, we had a participant who duplicated & submitted several entries with different names. All the entries were disqualified.

How many artworks, stories, and poems get selected, and what happens to them?

In 2022, we had over 30 selections that won in each category. The judges will select the best entries from each category.

You are invited to submit an art poster for Earth Day. The art poster can be on related themes that include but are not limited to the following: - Plastic Pollution, Sea level rise, Clean Air, Land pollution, Deforestation, Recycling, Innovative ideas for your immediate environment, etc. 

The posters must be bright enough to be reproduced in printing. Your observational skills and originality will be essential to project the creative interpretation of the theme chosen. The poster must be presented and communicated in an engaging way.

Your ART Poster must be:-

• Related to the theme
• Original
• Have a title
• Bright and colorful
• Presented and communicated in an engaging way

Artwork images must be clear and readable.  Along with the artwork, there must be an "artwork caption". This description should explain important information about the artwork, like the artist's name and what materials were used to create it. It must also explain what the artwork means or why it is important. 

Submit your artwork using the ‘upload’ and write out a summary of what the artwork means, the materials used, and its importance to Earth Day.

Read the full Judging Criteria here

You are invited to use poetry to interpret the message of Earth Day 2023. 

Your poem must be a narrative poem based on the theme of "Invest in the planet". Your poem must be engaging, well-crafted, and original, with a clear message about the importance of environmental stewardship and the positive impact that individuals can have when they take action to protect our planet.

We welcome all poetry styles. It could be a free verse of not over 8 lines on an element of the world – Fire, Air, Water, or Earth and use poetry to interpret the effects of climate change, the urgency it needs, the foreseeing problems, and the role we should play to protect our planet.

Your Poem should be:-

• Original
• Have a title related to the theme

All poems must have a title. The poem, in its entirety, must be a single work of original material written by the Competition entrant. 

Read the full Judging Criteria here

You are invited to write a 300-word story on any topic related to Earth Day. The theme for 2023 is Invest in Our Planet. 

Your story should have a clear, interesting plot that draws the reader in and keeps them engaged from beginning to end. The story should aim to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of our planet and inspire readers to take action to protect it. Stories could capture the ocean of plastics, melting caps, adaptation wildfires, recycling, and floods that show how climate change is affecting everyone and the innovative change that has evolved over time around Nigeria and Ghana.

 Here are some key ideas that can make for a strong story with this theme:

• Compelling characters: The story should have relatable characters who are passionate about the environment and take action to protect it.
• Clear message: The story should have a clear message about the importance of investing in our planet, whether it's through reducing waste, conserving resources, or supporting sustainable practices.
• Realistic setting: The setting should be realistic and relatable, whether it's an African city, a small African town, or a rural African village.
• Action and impact: The story should show characters taking meaningful action to make a difference, whether it's through organizing a community clean-up, advocating for environmental policy change, or implementing sustainable practices in their daily lives.
• Emotional impact: The story should evoke an emotional response from readers, whether it's through humour, inspiration, or a call to action.
• Hope and optimism: The story should offer hope and optimism about the future of our planet and the positive impact that individuals and communities can have when they work together to protect it.

Read the full Judging Criteria here

We are accepting online submissions until 5 pm on 31st May 2023.

Yes! Schools and colleges are welcome to enter multiple entries using our Bulk Upload Form. 

If you are a teacher and you wish to enter your students into the competition, please use the Bulk Download form. Follow the steps below:-

• Complete the Bulk Upload form with the school’s details (Name of school, Name of teacher, contact email address, and contact phone number). This is important for verification. The entries can be disqualified, if we do not have the details of the school.
• Complete the Bulk Upload form with each student’s details (full name, age, class, and the entry submission of each student -art poster, poem, or story).
• Send the completed Bulk Upload form and properly scanned entries of the students and email them together to submissions@afrikindness.org

If you wish to enter a whole class then you can use our bulk upload form and send a zipped folder of JPEGS directly to us. Every entry must have a named JPEG image – please include the students name and age e.g, Lilian Omoge – 9

Download the Bulk Upload Form here. Both the Images and form should be emailed together to submissions@afrikindness.org

Please include the student’s name and age on the submitted entry e.g. Lilian Omoge – 9 years written on her submitted entry (poster, story, or poem).

If your folder of poster images and poems or stories is too large for email, please send it by WeTranfer.

After the submission deadline, entries will be evaluated by a panel consisting of industry experts, educators, writers, environmentalists, and industry professionals. Each story, poem, and art poster within the categories (primary and secondary) will be judged on a defined criterion. Please refer to the Competition Submission Guidelines for the judging criteria for each section.

Winners will be chosen based on originality, clarity, and expression of the theme.  All judges’ decisions are final. All categories will be judged separately. 

Judging will start in June and winners will be announced in June (date to be announced on our social media pages) with an award ceremony.

We have over 10 awards and several consolation prizes. Each winner will receive cash prizes, and the opportunity to have an Art workshop, Creative writing workshop, Book anthology, and mentoring.

There is also an opportunity to win the Favourite Choice award, decided by an online vote. The judges will pick the best 3 outstanding entries across the 3 areas (Poem, Story, Art poster) for the Favourite Choice Award. 

There will be lots of consolation prizes and up to ten (10) winners can be featured in the book anthology and on our website.

• To qualify, all entries must follow these rules. Students must be a resident of Nigeria or Ghana to participate. In entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to win the award.
• The competition is free to enter. There is NO entry fee to enter.
• Entries for the competition are due by 31st May 2023 at 5 pm. Entries after this time and date will not be included. A completed entry form is required for all entries.
• All stories, poems and posters must be the sole work of the entrant. The submitted entry can be disqualified if discovered that the submitted work is not original.
• All stories and poems must be submitted in English.
• All stories and poems must be neatly typed or handwritten and must not exceed the word count for each category.
• Art Posters must be created traditionally not digitally.
• Winners will be chosen based on originality, clarity, and expression of the theme.  All judges’ decisions are final. All stories and poems will be judged separately from posters.
• Only 1 entry per person is allowed.
• All entries must be registered through the online form to be eligible to receive an award.
• All prizes will be awarded tentatively June by a prominent dignitary. We reserve the right to make changes to prizes.
• Winners will be notified by telephone and emails provided. Ensure your contact details are written correctly. if the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 5 working days, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
• All stories, poems and artwork become the property of Afrikindness and will only be returned upon request.
• By entering the Competition, the entrant acknowledges and warrants that the submitted work is an original work created solely by the entrant, and that the poem does not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity, or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim, or interest in them.
• All submitted poems, stories, and posters must not contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise inappropriate, malicious, or offensive content.
• Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.

You give consent to use any information you provide in entering the competition for the purpose of the competition including on social media posts. The winner will be announced on the Afrikindness website and on other international websites, and social media pages for the purpose of the competition only. You consent to Afrikindness using photos that you have supplied for marketing and promotional purposes. We reserve the right to cancel the competition or amend these terms and conditions at any time, without prior notice. We will not share your personal information with anyone.