Advert of writing contest: The Ghada Award for Young Writers
The Ghada Award for Young Writers
In memory of a lost early young and writer we invite young writers of both creative and expository styles to a competition meant to encourage and foster early signs of genius in writing and to steer our gifted young writers in the right direction for the development of their interests.
Rules, Terms and Conditions
The award is offered in honour of the memory of Ghada-Siham Mujtaba Mahasi (14th Nov.1994 – 24th April.2010)
The Ghada award offers prizes that include electronic gadgets, monetary and symbolic gifts for the best writer and the two runners-up.
10 works (3 winners + 7 runners-up) will be published in a booklet to be marketed for maintaining continuous awards for young writers and the publication of their works.
Entry Rules:
1. Articles can be in English or Arabic Language.
2. Contestants should be girls and boys of 12 to 18 years old – unrestricted level of Education.
3. Free choice of topic relevant to personal experiences, current affairs, or social phenomena in Sudanese people lives, or a story or poem.
4. Articles should be between 750 -1000 words in length.
5. Articles should be either written in black ball point, clear handwriting or typed, on one face side of A4 paper.
6. Articles should be written, edited, and handed in by the contestant him/herself.
7. Participants should include the following along with their work:
• Written consent of the joint guardian of the copyright in a booklet referred to above, without prejudice to the rights of the author or literary rights in the future publication of his/her text.
• A sentence of not more than 25 words describing the topic.
• A copy of Birth certificate.
• A contact number or e-mail address.
8. Deadline: We will be receiving articles until 21st of October 2010.
9. All materials must be submitted:
• Sent electronically to the following email: [email protected]
• Submitted in person as hard copies at the following collection centres:
Holm English School (Alma’ Mora – Khartoum)
Kibieda International Schools (Alamarat – Khartoum)
King Fahd Private School (Kober – Bahri, Alhigra or Alwadi Street – Omdurman)
* Collection Boxes will be placed at the Reception Office of the schools mentioned above*
10. The Selection Committees are composed of a President and three other members who are specialised linguists. The English Language Contest Selection Committee is headed by Uztaza Asha Musa AlSaid, and the Arabic Language Contest Selection Committee is headed by Dr. Huda Mahmoud Abubakr.
11. Some of the contestants will be called for an interview to verify authenticity of his/her topic.
12. Any signs of plagiarism will disqualify the contestant.
13. The Committee will be looking for the following:
• Ideas, their relevance and coherence
• Style of presentation
• Language used: fluency and accuracy
14. The results of the contest will be announced on 14th November 2010.
For more information please contact:
(+249) 910458045 or (+249) 918710638
Or send an email to [email protected]
The Ghada Award Organising Committee
About Our Heroine
Ghada Mujtaba Mahasi, daughter of Siham Taha Almujamar and Mujtaba Mahasi, was born in Khartoum on the 14th November 1994; the eldest child and only daughter with 2 younger brothers. She started School in the United Arab Emirates at three years and a half. Although the purpose of this early enrolment was to help her as an immigrant child to find friends, play and have fun, Ghada’s end of the year results showed her capacity to be promoted to the next grade.
When Ghada was eleven, her parents insisted she sit for the Sudanese Elementary School Certificate. Reluctantly Ghada agreed and prepared for the exams in two months time. She scored 245, satisfying everyone but not herself; she thought she could have done better. From the time she joined Holm English School, i.e., for about 5 years, Ghada had always been top of her class. Then she dropped to the second and sometimes third and when blamed for losing her place, she said, “I want to live my life, and being top of the class is not one of my major goals and I am satisfied with being an A and A* student; I want to read books, watch TV, hang out with my friends and have fun.”
Ghada was a loving child, jolly teenager, and a most creative writer. She always confirmed her motto of “I want to live my time and not miss anything”. Ambition without greed! All through school, she had been a leading social, academic, and cultural contributor to all sorts of events and activities. She would accept criticism and was always ready to admit and correct her mistakes.
Reading was so much her passion that she would stay up until very late at night with a book she just could not leave. The last book she was reading was Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. She kept a private collection of written works, all in English.
She was due to sit for her IGCSE university entrance exam in June 2010. Before the exams, she attended Hems School Graduation Party with her parents and friends and their families after which students continued the party at a friend’s house.
Ghada, to everybody’s shock, died at the party still wearing her school graduation dress.
May Allah accept her and may her soul rest in eternal peace – Amen
Love quotes by Ghada Mujtaba:
“Love is amazing in the many ways that it is terrible”
“Love is a dilemma but figuring it out is simple”
“The more you love the more you are to be loved”
“To hate is easier than to love. But love leaves a much deeper cut on those who hate you”
“The more people you love, the bigger your heart becomes; only to contain the much pain brought around by love”
“When hated, love back, because hatred is the higher stage of love”
“When you feel some one hates you be sure that they love you but it’s too deep in their hearts to surface”
“Love is the only way its pain is endurable so love and love as much as you are hated, or in pain”