Are you an African who has experienced violent extremism or hate speech? Are you a writer with a story dealing with this and related issues? This is for you.
Engaging Borders Africa is a project of STRADA Development Initiative designed to enhance social inclusion by generating and popularizing organic counternarratives to violent extremist thinking and hate speech through stories and short films by creatives from Nigeria, West Africa and the continent.
Call for Submissions
To generate these counternarratives, writers and aspiring writers from the underlisted countries are called to submit 250-word short story concepts to comms@engagingborders.com
Deadline: December 9th 2021.
Countries: Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali Kenya.
Format: Send as an attachment with email Subject “Country_Engaging Borders_Name+Surname”, alongside a 1-paragraph motivation note.
The best story concepts will be invited to a 2-Day Workshop on Creative Writing and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) after which they are to submit a 3500-to-5000-word short story.
Selected applicants will receive per diems and an offer for first publication rights.
About Us
STRADA has identified details in the crisis of state stability in the Sahel and Nigeria particularly, identifying violent extremist rhetoric and recruiting, and the increasing centralization of extreme positions in social discourse, as major issues. This has led to instances of violence and to the polarization of societies along traditional and potent fault lines such as ethnicity, religion and gender. Examples of these are north-eastern Nigeria where Boko Haram holds sway, which is itself a part of the Sahel including a variety of extremist groups ranging from Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Mali to al-Shabaab in East Africa.
Richard Ali, the project manager and convener of the project, believes that, as people become more connected via the internet and social media, there has been a rise in violent extremist rhetoric and extreme hate speech, which have gone viral, employing sophisticated means of organization and dissemination. “These create categories and counter-categories for victimization in ways that tear apart the fabric of secular, cosmopolitan societies,” he emphasized.
The Engaging Borders Africa project is designed to strengthen the capacities of writers in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Kenya to project stories that counter existing narratives on violent extremism and hate speech.
The Engaging Borders Project is implemented with the support of OSIWA and in partnership with Jalada Africa, the Association of Nigerian Authors and 1949Books.com.
Signed,
Janice Malachi,
Admin Officer,
+234 808 537 7559
janice@engagingborders.com
![[AP Photo/ Chinedu Asadu]](https://i0.wp.com/engagingborders.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/800.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1)
Am a lady right now am 22 years of age
When i was in primary and secondary school
I could not talk on before people.
Because of physical appearance am fat and black full of pimples.
My agemates mostly could despise me because they say am ugly
Even now am in university at laikipia still am not flexible to talk to peers .
It was worse in high school when i came from a poor family
My mother was selling charcoal
So we are four in the family this made me not have basic. Neccessity as others world become cruel to me.
They could despise me even at group discussion .
Am still dealing with my self esteem being ugly and not having neccessity as others in campus is the biggest challenge
When i wanted to contest for a seat in my campus hate speech was too much.
That poor girl who can she lead it really lead me to deppression.
What i can say hate speech is so much so cant express yourself
If you help me attain my goals and believe in myself i will be much gratefull
This is extremely important and beautiful!
Violent Extremism and Hate Speech are very rahmpant Within our African Cushitic Communities One may think such Criminal Activities are practiced by Illitrates nevertheless hate Speeches are delivered by Well educated members of our Communities ,The Educated Individual especially those Engaging in Politics at different Levels instead of doing or saying things according to their Conciousness they are being advised or Illitrrates who do not even Value their own lives ,For Instance you may find a person with over one hundreds camels die of Malaria advising our Local politicians in Africa ,Though we may have Wise people even in Traditional set up no body will listen to Any person without Wealth ,They are Possesing all responsibilities in our Village Communities ,they are generally opinion makers in our Societies ,How they acquired their wealth is also Questionable others robbed from neighboring communities ,That’s why we keep on hearing of Cattle Rustling in some parts of northern Kenya,Southern Ethiopia and Somalia ! All these will force our Politicians making Hate Speeches in Turns until the same people who don’t value there own ,and other Psycophant s used by Politicians who will takes guns and kill Each other! we call that Tribal Clashes The Cycle of Criminals continue from village Communities to top Governance of African Countries the Country Administration are also involved in Corruption using the same cartels in village to bribe them to influence viters If they are found in Such Criminal Activities they obviously get Amnesty from there Masters! The politicians integraty ,Academic Qualification s ,Good Conduct is none of African states business despite the constitutions arequirements,Like in Kenya no one would like to follow Chapter Six of Kenyan constitution which requires integrity ! Also the issue of Heriditary is figuring out ,If ones father was A political the sons and daughters too are considered using all means ! African Countries will not come out of Such vice ,Hate Speech ! Coming to Violent Extremism ,The criminals Hide in Islam Religion ,while Islam means peace knowing or unknowingly ! The Criminals feigns to be Madarassa Teachers for silent recruitment of criminals with knowledge of their parents ! If the African Countries adhere to their Constitution such imposter Teschers could not recruit Terrorists ! As Education stake holder representing Muslim in county Education Board in Kenya the Education Act 2010 provides for any person to Teach ,School or Madrassa or Dhuksi must be certified by Teachers Service Commission but Unfortunately in our Madrasas are invested by strangers without even National Identity Cards ! The Criminal Extremism is growing fast because of laxity in African Counties leaders ,Corruption,Nepotism ,and ALL vices as every arm of Government watch silently ! What is really despising now the NGOs,Hunan Rights organizations ,Humanitarian Organization too have taken parts in this Evil because Staff employment is linked to Politicians or Rich Cartels ! The Activities that are meant to Counter such crimes too are Based on Politics ,Now what type of Counter violent Extremism do we have in Countries like Kenya ,How do we engage our Youth to keep of such things ? It’s none or it’s impact is very low ! The Isdue of In employment too is adding in misleading young people to be promised jobs and at the end find themselves in Such Criminal Activities! African Culture which was well set to Transform our society is no longer valued ,The Organization,,Goverments ,which was made to promote Culture is not Functioning not basically doing very little indeed ! If I may sight out my Borana Community Culture which is very rich in Reinforcing discipline ,Maintaining Culture ,Transforming our Youth is considered as primitive ! I am really Shocked to imagine where we will be placed twenty years to come ,we are not Religious,,Not cultured not Civilized but Hunging in between ,I am appealling to world big funders like European Union ,African Development Bank not to fund some Projects which in most cases end up in corruption ! ie like County Government Programmes in Kenya ! I am also asking African States to Adide by the Constitution which is mandatory ,Let’s Promote our African Culture it’s a solution to many criminal Activities we take up important items in culture as we Leave out Bad ones like Female Genital Mutilations! Finally I really appreciate this Forum because I have not got opportunity to Air my burning issues like Country Terrorism,Promoting African Culture and Promoting good leadership , Environmental Conservation and protection in Africa ;to change the world to be a better place to live in .