Varsities’ Creative Writing Contest Winners Declared for Climate Change
The winners of a creative writing competition organized by Asharami Synergy Kenya Limited, a Sahara Group Company, were announced during an awards ceremony held at KCA University in Nairobi.
Hope Nabalayo and Ariel Major, both students of the University of Nairobi (UoN), were declared joint winners.
Cheryl Omolo from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Julius Musya Kilonzo from Baraton University, and Nelson Gichuki from Kisii University secured the third, fourth, and fifth positions respectively.
The 2023 competition targeted university students in Kenya, aiming to promote youth involvement in climate action, energy transition discourse, and sustainability.
Named the ‘Asharami Synergy Creative Writing Competition’, the initiative garnered 225 submissions, including essays, poems, and plays on the theme “Creating a Sustainable Path for Africa’s Energy Transition.”
The winning entries were noted for their creativity, originality, and ability to effectively convey messages encouraging young Kenyans to engage in Africa’s pursuit of energy access and sustainability.
Ejiro Gray, Director at Sahara Group Foundation, expressed satisfaction with the initiative, highlighting the importance of engaging Kenyan youth in climate change and energy transition conversations.
Prof Vincent Onywera, Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) for Research, Innovation, and Outreach at KCA University, commended Sahara Group and Asharami Synergy Kenya for fostering inclusive engagement on climate change.
Lavinah Gonah, Operations Supervisor at Asharami Synergy Kenya, mentioned their collaboration with Sahara Group Foundation and Treedom in planting 1100 trees to mitigate carbon emissions.
Hope Nabalayo, one of the excited winners, expressed gratitude to Asharami Synergy for providing a platform to address environmental issues, emphasizing the importance of youth participation.
Ariel Major, the joint winner, saw the competition as a significant step towards advancing climate justice and environmental sustainability in Kenya and Africa.
Aligned with Sahara Group’s commitment to recognizing excellence, the top five winners received cash prizes, plaques, and certificates. Joint winners received $500 each, while the third to fifth place winners received $250, $150, and $100, respectively.
