“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)

Following the success of last year’s AHAPPY(AJAN HIV and AIDS Prevention Program for the Youth) Storytelling Youth Contest, the African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) is pleased to launch the third edition of the AHAPPY Youth Storytelling Contest. This initiative continues our mission of empowering youth and promoting life values through creative expression.

The theme of the 2025 AHAPPY Youth Storytelling Contest is “Beacons of Hope: Stories of Change and Resilience”

The theme, emphasizes the journey of faith, and  hope found in Christ. As pilgrims, Catholics are called to embark on a spiritual journey, seeking renewal and deeper communion with God.

In this spirit of the Jubilee Year, we invite young people to reflect on and express their journey as Pilgrims of Hope through storytelling in the form of written pieces (Poems/short narratives or essays).

In this years Creative Writing Contest. Young people as Pilgrims of Hope are being challenged—to recognize signs of hope in the world and become agents of peace and justice.

This contest aims to:

• Inspire young people to reflect on the theme in their personal and communal lives.
• Foster creative writing around themes of faith, resilience, social justice, and hope.
• Encourage positive youth engagement in AJAN’s mission.

“May the light of Christian hope illuminate every man and woman, as a message of God’s love addressed to all!” -Pope Francis

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1.0 Target Audience

The competition is targeted at young people aged between 10 to 25;

• Ages 10 to 14 (Junior High School)
• Ages 15 to 20 (Senior High School)
• Ages 21 to 25 (Tertiary Institutions)

2.0 Submission Criteria

Participants are asked to submit original essays, poems, or short narrative/stories (max 1,000 words) that explore the theme through personal experience, community stories, or spiritual insights.

Submissions should address at least one of the following:

1. Faith and resilience in challenging times
2. Youth as agents of change in their communities
3. Personal journeys of hope and transformation
4. Social responsibility and solidarity with marginalized groups

3.0 Language

Entries to be submitted in English, or French.

4.0. Prizes and Recognition

To honor creativity, originality, and the voices of young people, the contest will offer the following rewards:

• Top 3 Winners in Each Age Category
  (Ages 10–14 | Ages 15–20 | Ages 21–25)
  
  • Certificates of Excellence
  • Cash prizes or AJAN-branded gift packages
  • Publication of winning submissions on the AJAN website, newsletters, and social media platforms
    
• Top 10 Entries per Category; Will be featured in our special contest booklet “Pilgrims of Hope”, which will be shared across the AJAN network and reach thousands of people online
  
• Winners (Per Categories)
  
  • 🥇 Best Written Piece – Prize of USD 200
    
  • 🥈 First Runner up – Prize of USD 150
    
  • 🥉 Second Runner up – Prize of USD 100
    

On top of the rewards, all participants will benefit from the opportunity to:

• Showcase their talent to a global audience
• Have their voices heard in the spirit of hope, justice, and transformation

5.0 How to Participate 

✅ Participants to fill out the entry form by clicking the links below:

ENGLISH VERSION: https://forms.gle/zZq9Cqo28PNbj3YT6

FRENCH VERSION: https://forms.gle/xokjaJ9yFZi8Bxwd6

Mandatory Information (Must be Filled in Completely):

1. Full Name of the participant
2. Age (must be between 10–25 years)
3. Gender (male of female)
4. Email Address (or guardian’s email for minors)
5. Phone Number (or guardian’s contact)
6. City/Town and Country of residence
7. Institution Affiliation – Name of your school, college, university, or youth center
8. AJAN Centre Name (if applicable)
9. Selected Category – Indicate if your submission is a:
   1. Poem
   2. Short Narrative/ Essay
10. Title of the Submission
11. Language of Submission – English, French.

6.0 Submission Deadlines

The submission of the written pieces should be done by June 15^th, 2025.

Send your Final Submissions of the Written Piece to AJANCOMMUNICATIONS@JESUITS.AFRICA

Submissions must include the following:

1. Full Name
2. City/Town and Country
3. Institution Affiliation – Name of your school, college, university, or youth center
4. Language of Submission
5. Title of Poem/Narrative or Essay
6. Attached Word or PDF file (1000 Word; Font: Times New Roman, Size 12, Double Spacing)
7. Consent Form for publication purposes– to be included if required (especially for minors), signed by a parent, guardian, or institution representative

7.0 Timeline

• Call for Entries: April 20, to May 30, 2025
• Closing Date for Registration of Participants: May 30, 2025
• Deadline for Submissions: June 15, 2025
• Judging Period: June 23– July 11, 2025
• Winners Announced: July 31, 2025

8.0 Disclaimer

• We would like to encourage young people and the Youths groups to coordinate with the relevant institutions in submitting your written piece.
• We will only consider original content written by applicants themselves. Please note that AI generated content will not be evaluated or accepted.
• All entries will be reviewed and the written piece subjected to an AI test by a panel. 
• We will acknowledge all submissions within the selected timeframe. The panel’s decision will be final and not subject to appeal.
• AHAPPY Storytelling Contest Steering Committee reserves the right not to select a winner if no entries that they deem suitable are received.
• AJAN reserves the right to use and adapt the submissions from each individual to be used as resource materials for AHAPPY Training Manual.