EVE Organization for Women Development honored 10 South Sudan Independence Young Writers on Friday in Juba.
The awarding was a recognition of Young Writers who specialize in literature that have inspired young people in South Sudan.
The winner of the contest is James Makuei Makur who walks away with 300,000 South Sudanese Pounds, followed by Gaai Manoah as the runnerup getting 200,000 South Sudanese Pounds, and Rahama Melesin rounding up the list of the awardee getting 100,000 South Sudanese Pounds.
The Executive Director for EVE Organization, Rita Martin Lopidia, thanked the participants for their hard work in inspiring the people of South Sudan.
She added that the achievement and successes of the young writers have made them to be recognized across the country.
The Executive Director also cited that they have about 40 excellent stories to be published, which will help many people across the country learn new things about South Sudanese cultures.
“We have about 40 excellent stories to be published, which will help many people across the country learn new things about South Sudanese cultures,” Lopidia stated.
Dr. Lawrence Korbandy, a professor in literature, said that their work with young people supports the future of the writers and those who struggle to put South Sudan on the world map as far as literature is concerned.
He added that South Sudanese people have learned that Nigerian writers and Nigerian filmmakers are not from out of the blue.
Dr. Lawrence said, “It is a wonderful occasion because we are dealing with young writers, people who will put the name of South Sudan in the World.”
According to Korbandy, it is through the struggle of young people who write documentaries and make their country relevant to the world.
Dominic Kango Amos, a judge of the competition who is also a lecturer at Juba University, reflected on the writing competition of 2023 and said that the independence young writers did their best, as it took him only one hour to read all the stories.
He appreciated all the writers who stood for the Awards of 2023 and chose the first story titled “Heroes of the Village” as the winner, followed by the second story titled “Knowing the State of this Country.”
EVE Organization for Women Development started the initiative of awarding South Sudan independence writers in 2019.
The organization was founded with the aim of contributing towards social change through promoting gender equity and equality.
Rita Lopidia, the Executive Director of the organization, was the 2020 recipient of the USIP Women Building Peace Award.
This year’s Awards was organized under the theme, “Celebrating Nationhood and Diversity through Literature.