Africa Teen Authors 

Book Initiative (ATABI)

KTP INITIATIVES

Executive Summary

The Africa Teen Authors Book Initiative (ATABI) is an international literary platform that empowers African teenagers to share their stories and showcase their talents. Championed by KwaziThina Publishers, ATABI aims to promote African excellence, redefine the perception of Africa, and unlock the creative potential of African youth.

History

ATABI was first launched on February 1, 2021, in Luqoqweni, Eastern Cape province, South Africa. ATABI is one of the initiatives of KwaziThina Publishers, a Pan-African publishing house founded by Nomawele Njongo. ATABI was inspired by Kwazi Njongo and Thina Njongo, two published teen authors who were just 13 and 15 years old at the time. They are the sons of Nomawele Njongo, the founder of KwaziThina Publishers, which was named after them.

The Africa Teen Authors Book Initiative (ATABI)

The Africa Teen Authors Book Initiative (ATABI) Objectives

  • 1. Promotion of African Excellence and Leadership: Offer an annual writing program and support to improve writing and interpersonal skills, advocating for excellence and African leadership.
  • 2. Redefining the Perception of Africa: Help redefine outdated perceptions of Africa through stories written and read by African youth, promoting a rewarding Pan-African identity.
  • 3. Unlocking the Creative Potential of African Youth: Encourage writing and reading among African youth, discovering and exposing young literary talents.

The Africa Teen Authors Book Initiative (ATABI) Objectives

  • 4. Democratizing Access to Culture: Make literary creativity and reading accessible to all, promoting cultural development and fulfillment.
  • 5. Contribute to the Progress and Cohesion of African Societies: Encourage literary creativity, pan-African sentiment, and inter-African fraternity, promoting cognitive skills and societal progress.
  • 6. Contribute to the Training of Young People: Develop creativity, imagination, initiative, and relationships, enhancing storytelling and content creation skills.

The Africa Teen Authors Book Initiative (ATABI) Objectives

  • 7. Leadership Development: Foster leadership skills among participants, empowering them to become change-makers in their communities.
  • 8. Pan-Africanism: Promote a sense of Pan-African identity and solidarity among participants, encouraging collaboration and mutual understanding.
  • 9. Cross-Border Relations: Facilitate connections and collaborations among participants from different African countries, promoting cross-border understanding and cooperation.
  • 10. Personal Development: Support the personal growth and development of participants, helping them to build confidence, self-esteem, and emotional intelligence.

Program Overview

Annual Writing Competition

Invite African teenagers to submit short stories under a specific theme.
African Teens in the Covid-19 Era (2021)
Social Media Impact on Teenagers ( 2022)
The Taste of My Culture (2023)
The Africa We Want (2024)
One Africa, Many Voices (2025)

International Jury

Select stories for publication through a bilingual jury panel (English and French).

Publication

Publish selected stories in an anthology, edited and published by KwaziThina Publishers.

Workshops and Development

Offer writing and personal development workshops to participants.

Certificate of Participation

Award certificates to participants who follow the theme.

Alumni network


Network:

Connect, collaborate, and support each other.

International Leadership Team:

Provide opportunities for alumni to connect, collaborate, and support each other.

Ambassadors:

Promote African stories and the ATABI initiative.

ATABI Alumni

Every teen who participates and has their story selected for the edited African anthology becomes part of the ATABI

Impact

ATABI has provided a platform for African teenagers to share their stories and showcase their talents. The initiative has also fostered a sense of community and collaboration among participants, who have formed lasting connections and networks.

KTP Initiatives and events

Started 2022

Funda Mpondo Literary Festival

Started May 2022

Esigela SA Learners Book Initiative

October 27, 2023

KTP Lit Gala

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