By Bertha Badu-Agyei
Accra, May 04, GNA – Akaya Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the empowerment of young girls, has rewarded six young women who emerged winners of a writing competition project.
The project titled: “Empowered Inkwell,” was on the theme: “Identity and Self-discovery,” opened for young female writers within the ages of 13 to 29 years to encourage and inspire young girls and women to explore their unique identities through the power of writing.
Maureen Mawusi Afua Allandi, a 17-year-old student from Wesley Girls High School came first with Poetry, while Seyram Akua Ametepey, a 13-year-old first-year student of Aburi Girls Senior High School, the youngest among the six winners shortlisted out of over 800 entries, placed second with a non-fiction story titled: “Strength from the Fragments,”
Nana Egyirba Amissah-Arthur, a second-year student of the Mfantsiman Senior High School placed third with a fiction.
In the adult category, Ms Esther Atwei Adjeley, Ms Sandra Mbamah Sore and Ms Janice Opoku-Agyeman were adjudged first, second and third, respectively.
The award winners were presented with laptops, cash prizes and gift hampers containing assorted items at a ceremony held at the Launching of another exciting project of the Foundation in Accra.
The award winners would also have their stories published in an anthology, yet to be launched and nurturing as well to bring out their full potential in writing.
Dr Khadija Owusu, the Founder of Akaya Foundation, who was excited with the kind of entries received and the winners of the competition, said it was an indication that if nurtured most girls could reach their potential in whatever career or chosen field.
She congratulated the award winners for their outstanding and compelling stories and urged them not to be complacent with the awards but to strive to achieve higher goals and take advantage of other opportunities.
Ms Appiorkor Seyiram Ashong-Abbey, a broadcaster and writer who was one of the judges commended the award winners for the zeal exhibited in the various entries received.
She said, “You belong to a generation where you cannot confine yourself to one potential but be everything with determination and hard work.”
Ms Ashong-Abbey said that given the ages of the award winners particularly the 13-year-old and the compelling stories they wrote, it was important that parents supported their wards to gather and publish short stories as a step toward becoming great authors in the future.
GNA