African Writers Trust

African Writers Trust was established in 2009 as "a non-profit entity which seeks to coordinate and bring together African writers in the Diaspora and writers on the continent to promote sharing of skills and other resources, and to foster knowledge and learning between the two groups."[1]

The current Director is the African Writers Trust founder, Goretti Kyomuhendo, an internationally recognized novelist with a distinguished career as the Program Coordinator for FEMRITE.[2]

African Writers Trust is governed by its Advisory Board, currently (as of 2011) composed of Zakes Mda, Susan Nalugwa Kiguli, Ayeta Anne Wangusa, Helon Habila, Mildred Barya, and Aminatta Forna.[3]

Activities

Although presently headquartered in London, England, African Writers Trust has so far (as of 2011) conducted its activities primarily in East Africa based in part upon that region’s perceived needs and opportunities.[4][5]

Diana Nabiruma, of The Observer (Uganda), reported on the fiction workshop and competition organized by the African Writers Trust and held at the Uganda Museum in February 2010. [6] On the same, The Standard (Uganda Christian University’s community newspaper) reported on the success of the Uganda Christian University student writers who attended. [7]

Martin Kanyegirire, also of The Observer (Uganda), reported on a follow-up one-day workshop held by Africa Writers Trust in January, 2011 that involved twenty student-writers from three East African universities.[8]

Projections and progress assessment

According to the African Writers Trust web site, the organization’s projected activities and programs include establishing a Creative Writing School in Uganda, holding the African Writers Trust workshop and competition on an annual basis and in a different nation each year, establishing a Writer’s Fund to allow an established African Diaspora writer to spend a semester at an African university teaching students creative writing, and the like.[9]

In regard largely to the same, Advisory Board member Mildred Barya has written a personal reflection published in Pambazuka News on the growing pains of African Writers Trust, the challenges of finding funding and support, and her assessment of what the organization can contribute.[10]

In a 22 May 2011 interview with Caine Prize nominee Beatrice Lamwaka for AfroLit, current Director Goretti Kyomuhendo has offered her own assessment of progress-to-date and future expectations for African Writers Trust.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "What is African Writers Trust?" Retrieved August 24, 2011
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Goretti Kyomuhendo of African Writers Trust." Lamwaka, Beatrice; May 22, 2011 Retrieved August 24, 2011
  3. ↑ "Advisory Board" African Writers Trust, Retrieved August 24, 2011
  4. ↑ “East Africa: Why Region Still Remains a Literary Dwarf.” AllAfrica.com. April 16, 2010. Retrieved August 28, 2011
  5. ↑ “East Africa: a Literary Dwarf? Not quite.” Haslam, T. J. News and Blog. AfricanWritersTrust. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  6. ↑ “Writers in drive to groom literature.” Nabiruma, Diana; The Observer (Uganda). Retrieved August 28, 2011
  7. ↑ “UCU's own excel at National poetry.” Oyako, Arthur; The Standard (Uganda Christian University’s community newspaper). Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  8. ↑ “Grooming young writers.” Kanyegirire, Martin; The Observer (Uganda). Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Activities and Programs." African Writers Trust. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  10. ↑ "The future of African writing: personal reflections." Barya, Mildred; Pambazuka News. 2011-08-10. Issue 544. Retrieved August 24, 2011.