This year we have been able to return to rural African schools and even expand our writing competition to reach more children – working in twenty schools for 2022!
Sharing stories and writing about our dreams, experiences or aspirations is a classroom activity that so many of us can take for granted. For the children who grow up in poverty, having the opportunity to open their minds and share their own stories is a rare and empowering thing.
That’s why we are so passionate about this competition. ‘I Told My Story’ is all about giving children in schools across Uganda and Kenya the utensils and space to write about their unique perspectives and help us to open our eyes too.
School children are provided with targeted classes to teach them skills to improve their reading, writing, and storytelling. Each student who registers to enter the ‘I Told My Story’ competition will also be given some goodies including mosquito nets and colourful wristbands.
This year’s competition has been made possible by our generous sponsor, Tony Jordan of Red Plant Pictures. We’ve been overwhelmed with the feedback from teachers and students and we’ve been spoilt for choice with the number of fantastic stories.
Winners are chosen from each school and there are so many to share! We’ve selected a few winning stories to exemplify the beautiful snapshots of rural African childhood that we’ve collected this year. Click on the links below to read some of them.
Read a selection of our winning stories:
Nabukalu Justine-Jessy, 1st place
Babirye Hikimat, 2nd place
Nakayiira Florence, 3rd place
Church of Uganda P/S
Kamanya Stuart 1st place
Makonge Day & Boarding P/S
Kamoga Fahad Iga, 1st place
Bulele RC P/S
Read more about this project on our Writing Competition Project page
