Youth Innovation Essay Prize 2024 (R10,000 cash prize)

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About Youth Innovation Essay Prize

The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the University of Cape Town, along with Douglas Knowledge Partners, are thrilled to announce the fourth annual Youth Innovation Prize (YIP) in partnership with the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation.

The YIP provides a platform for young, emerging writers, thinkers and creatives to explore, shape and communicate potential solutions to issues that matter to them. The annual essay competition also aims to uncover and support the next generation of local talent through mentorship and development opportunities.

This year, they invite young people to send written, video or audio essays on the theme, "Innovations for Gender Equality."

• School: University of Cape Town

Benefits of Youth Innovation Essay Prize

• The winning entry this year will receive a R10,000 cash prize, and second- and third-place entries will each receive a R5,000 cash prize 

Youth Innovation Essay Prize Requirements

This competition is for individuals who:

• are curious and want to learn, grow and challenge themselves.
• are eager to develop or deepen their thinking and communication skills.
• are passionate about their ideas for social change and development.

There are no academic requirements for participation and entrants can come from any sector and field, provided they meet the minimum eligibility criteria listed below:

• You are aged between 18 and 30 years (turning
• 18 up to 30 during 2024).
• You live in South Africa.
• You may not enter if you have previously been a finalist in the YIP.

Application Date and Process

You will be required to enter your details when signing up, after which you will receive an email from the organisers to which, on reply, you can attach your proof of ID and your entry, in one of the following formats:

• A written essay of between 1,500 to 2,000 words in Word format (template provided)
• A video or an audio essay of between 5 to 8 minutes in length (WeTransfer to [email protected])

Click on the link to the application website to apply.

Application Deadline

18 October, 2024

Scholarship Application Portal

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