Eight young African youth have made it to the final list of winners of the NEPAD Essay and Photo contest, which was launched on March 27, 2013.

The contest was open to African Youth aged 13 to 35. It called for submissions of original photographs and Essays in English and French focusing specifically on what they understood and perceived as the role of NEPAD in Youth, Women and Rural Agricultural Development.

A panel of six judges from various sectors of society met at the NEPAD offices in Midrand, from July 16 to 18, to analyse, debate and select the winning entries.

The winners are:

PHOTO CATEGORY

• 1st Prize: Larry Keya, Kenya - Student in the Greenhouse
• 2nd Prize: Ala Eldin Abdalla, Sudan - The youngest Shilookh
• 3rd Prize: Luesso Amuri Jean-paul, Burundi - A farmer bringing food in Bujumbura City

ENGLISH ESSAY

• 1st Prize: Timetayo Olofinlua, Nigeria - “A Letter to World Leaders”
• 2nd Prize: Hudson Shiraku, Kenya - “Rural empowerment through Agriculture of Youth and Women”
• 3rd Prize: Fiifi Oduro-Nyarkoh, Ghana, “Building their dreams with their hands”

FRENCH ESSAY

• 1st Prize: Jerry Laurence Lemogo, Cameroon - “Quand la jeunesse devient la pierre angulaire de la
• révolution agricole au Cameroun”
• 2nd Prize: Fodjeu Nguepi Huguette, Cameroon “ Jeunesse, femmes et developpement rural”

Congratulations to the Eight, who have already been notified and will be invited to Johannesburg to receive their prizes. NEPAD has partnered with the agricultural research Institute CTA in Holland, and the African Development Bank, who have both sponsored the Contest.

All other Photographs and Essays submitted will be displayed at a special exhibition in Johannesburg.

The NEPAD Agency would like to thank all who took part in the competition and encourage them and others to enter next year’s contest, which will be on a different theme.