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The deadline for submissions on agriculture is 14th June 2013

The African Story Challenge is a new $1 million programme of reporting grants to encourage innovative, multi-media storytelling that aims to improve the health and prosperity of Africans.

The African Story Challenge is a two-year pan-African project that seeks to challenge the media to expand coverage of fundamental issues that matter to Africans. Our goal is to contribute to the building of a strong media sector able to deliver content that matters to the African public.

In doing so the project aims to hold leaders accountable, spur better policies, increase transparency, encourage public engagement and disseminate vital information that will lead to more vibrant communities.

Objectives of the African Story Challenge

The goal of The African Story Challenge is to contribute to the building of a strong media sector able to deliver content that matters to the African public. We are looking for compelling, analytical, investigative and data-driven stories that will help spur better policies and healthier lives, increase transparency, hold officials accountable and disseminate vital information that will lead to more vibrant communities. We encourage entries that will use creative digital tools like mapping, crowd sourcing and visualisation to help tell the story.

Eligibility Criteria

This competition targets African journalists from around the continent. Entries will be accepted in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic. Stories in other African languages are also welcome but the proposal itself needs to be in English and there must be a media outlet ready to publish or broadcast your story in the language you have chosen.

Entries should use one or more of the following five platforms:

• Print
• Radio
• TV
• Photography/Video
• Digital story telling/multimedia

Preference will be given to stories that lend themselves to multi-platform treatment. Multimedia stories are strongly encouraged.

The competition is open to all journalists aged 18 and above.

African journalists based outside the continent are welcome to apply as long as they have an outlet for their stories that is accessible to audiences in Africa.

Media organizations, online contributors with a demonstrated following or affiliated freelance journalists may apply.

All participants must address the prescribed development topics.

Participants can apply as part of a team or partnership. If a team wins, the prize will be shared by the team members.

All participants including freelance journalists must ensure they have at least one confirmed outlet (print, radio, TV or online) that will publish or broadcast their finished work in the selected language.

Participants will be selected based on geographic distribution, language, format/platform and editorial criteria (see judging criteria LINK).

Employees of AMI and ICFJ cannot enter the competition to avoid any conflict of interest.

Application Process

We will not accept applications or other materials by post, hand, fax or other channels. All you need to do is fill in the online entry form and attach to it a proposal of no more than 500 words.

Any supporting material, video or audio footage and images can be included with the post, but is not mandatory. Entries will be judged by the written proposal.

The competition will be divided into five themes, which are:

1. Agriculture and Food Security
2. Diseases: Prevention and Treatment
3. My Africa 2063
4. Maternal and Child Health
5. Business and Technology

We are launching with the theme Agriculture and Food Security. The deadline for submissions on agriculture is 14th June 2013 at 23.59 Central African Time. No late submissions will be accepted. See the key dates section for all other deadlines.

We will contact shortlisted entrants for the first theme – Agriculture and Food Security – by 24th June 2013.

Shortlisted candidates will need to have a valid passport and be available to travel and take part in a week-long training boot camp which will be held between 15th July and 9th August 2013. These shortlisted candidates will then be given reporting grants to undertake a month’s field production to complete their story. The winners will be announced at the Highway Africa conference at Rhodes University in South Africa on 2nd September 2013.

To enter the competition, please fill in the entry form, which includes space for a mandatory  500 word proposal on one of the following five themes:

1. Agriculture and Food Security;
2. Diseases: Prevention and Treatment;
3. My Africa 2063;
4. Maternal and Child Health; 
5. Business and Technology.We have provided you with key subject areas under each of the themes. Your proposal can either be based directly on one of these subject areas or you also have the option of sending your own original story idea, as long as it fits within the framework of the themes.

Click Here to View Key Dates for the African Story Challenge 2013

Apply Now for the African Story Challenge