Write what you like

The Our Long Walk Essay Competition

Africa is not a place where history just happens to people. It is a place where people make history – where necessity sparks invention, where crisis forces adaptation, where ingenuity is not an abstract ideal but a daily, lived reality. This is a continent that does not wait for progress; it carves progress from the land, bends it from iron, pulls it from the sky.

Yet too often, the story of African innovation is told in the negative – what was missing, what was lacking, what should have been. But the truth is different. Across centuries, African societies have built, traded, governed, and created in ways that reshaped their worlds. They have designed technologies, forged economic systems, and crafted political structures that left deep, lasting legacies. Much of this history has been ignored, overlooked or deliberately erased. What have we forgotten? What lessons still lie buried in the past, ready to inform the future?

The Our Long Walk Essay Competition invites young Africans – 25 and under – to explore the theme: ‘Progress and Innovation in Africa’s Past’.

We are looking for essays that challenge assumptions, draw on solid research and tell compelling stories of African ingenuity. Whether writing about advancements in agriculture, trade, governance, education or science, authors should uncover how innovation shaped the continent’s development. Essays can explore any time period – from the Neolithic inventions of millennia ago to the transformations of the post-independence era.

Eligibility and prizes

• Open to anyone 25 and under with a passport from an African country.

• The winner will receive $500. The winner and four outstanding entries will each receive a copy of Our Long Walk to Economic Freedom.

• The winning essay will be featured on Our Long Walk. To qualify for a prize, authors must be free or paid members.

Submission guidelines

• Essays should be original, well-researched and engaging, with a maximum length of 1,000 words (excluding references).

• Sources must be properly cited using the Harvard referencing style. Plagiarism is not permitted – we want to celebrate fresh perspectives and original thought.

• AI tools (LLMs) may be used for refining writing but not for generating insights – authors should do their own research, including archival work where possible.

• Data visualisations (figures, graphs, maps) are encouraged where relevant.

How to submit

• Deadline: 2 May 2025.

• Format: PDF.

• Send your essay submissions to johan@ourlongwalk.com with the subject line ‘Our Long Walk Essay Competition’.

Only the winners will be contacted, and while we won’t be able to provide individual feedback, we look forward to reading the many creative and insightful contributions.

This is just the beginning. As Our Long Walk grows, so will the competition. Join us in rediscovering Africa’s past – and shaping its future through the power of ideas.

‘Write what you like’ was first published on Our Long Walk. The image was created with Midjourney v6. If you’d like to support more initiatives like this in the future, please consider a paid subscription. By entering the Our Long Walk Essay Competition, participants agree that the judges' decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. The competition is open to individuals aged 25 and under. By submitting, entrants grant Our Long Walk a non-exclusive right to publish, promote, or share their essays with full credit to the author, while retaining ownership of their work. Selected essays may be edited for clarity and formatting. Late entries will not be considered unless an extension is announced. Personal details will only be used for competition administration and not shared with third parties. Any attempt to manipulate the judging process will result in disqualification. Submission constitutes acceptance of these terms.