27/03/2026
🌍 YOUNG CREATIVES CHALLENGE 2026 "Where Creativity Sparks Climate Action" Organised by Eden Foundation in partnership with The Achol Philip Foundation
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ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The Young Creatives Challenge 2026 is a pioneering creative competition that brings together the power of youth voices, artistic expression, and climate awareness. Organised by the Eden Foundation in partnership with The Achol Philip Foundation, this competition invites young secondary school students to use their creativity to explore, express, and inspire action on the most pressing environmental challenges facing South Sudan and the world today.
This year's competition is launched as a pilot project in Central Equatoria State, with the vision of expanding the Young Creatives Challenge to all states of South Sudan in the future. We believe that every young person has a story worth telling — and that story has the power to change the world.
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🎯 OBJECTIVES
• To inspire young South Sudanese students to engage meaningfully with climate change issues.
• To provide a creative platform for youth voices on environmental challenges.
• To celebrate and recognise exceptional student talent in writing and visual storytelling.
• To build a generation of young climate advocates through the arts.
• To document the lived experiences of communities affected by climate change across South Sudan
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👩🎓 WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
This competition is open to:
• SNR Secondary (Forms 1–4) students only
• Students enrolled in schools within Central Equatoria State
• Schools that are registered with the Ministry of General Education and Instructions
• ⚠️ This competition applies strictly to students who are currently enrolled in the 2026 academic term/year only — students not actively enrolled will not be eligible to participate
• Each student must select and submit ONE category only — either Creative Writing OR Comic & Graphic Storytelling
• Students who submit entries in more than one category will be automatically disqualified
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📋 REQUIRED STUDENT INFORMATION
Every submission must include the following details clearly stated on the entry. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted:
• 👤 Student's Full Name
• 🏫 School Name
• 📚 Class — SNR SEC 1, 2, 3, or 4
• ✍️ Focal Point Teacher's Name & Signature
• 📂 Category Entered — Creative Writing OR Comic & Graphic Storytelling
The focal point teacher's signature serves as official confirmation that the student is currently enrolled in the 2026 academic term/year at the stated school.
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📚 COMPETITION CATEGORIES
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Each student must choose ONE category only and submit their entry in that category. Submitting in more than one category will result in immediate disqualification.
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✍️ CATEGORY 1: Creative Writing (Poems & Essays)
Students who choose this category may submit either a poem or an essay exploring a climate change theme of their choice from the approved topics below.
📌 Category Rules:
• Each student must select this category OR Comic & Graphic Storytelling — not both
• All entries must be written in English only
• Essays must be between 500 and 1,000 words
• Poems must not exceed 1,000 words
• Entries must be typed or neatly handwritten and clearly legible
• Each student may submit one entry only — either a poem OR an essay, not both
• Work must be entirely original — no plagiarism or AI-generated content permitted
• The student's full name, class, school, focal point teacher's name & signature, and chosen category must appear clearly on the submission.
• Content must relate directly to climate change, the environment, or nature.
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🔵 ESSAY TOPICS — Choose ONE:
1. "The Last River" — Imagine it is the year 2050 and the rivers of South Sudan have dried up. Write an essay exploring what led to this crisis, how communities have been affected, and what could have been done to prevent it.
2. "Who Pays the Price?" — Climate change is largely caused by industrialised nations, yet countries like South Sudan suffer the most. Write a persuasive essay arguing who bears the responsibility for climate change and who should lead the solutions.
3. "Trees Are Our Ancestors" — In many South Sudanese communities, trees hold deep cultural and spiritual significance. Write an essay exploring how deforestation is not only an environmental crisis but also a cultural one.
4. "Drowning in Plain Sight" — Communities in Jonglei State, Unity State, and Upper Nile are among the most flood-affected in the world, yet South Sudan contributes the least to global carbon emissions. Write a persuasive essay exploring how the increasing floods are destroying homes, schools, and livelihoods in these states, and what urgent action must be taken at both local and global level to protect vulnerable communities.
5. "Between Flood and Drought" — While communities in Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile are submerged under devastating floodwaters, other parts of South Sudan face severe drought — sometimes in the same year. Write an essay examining how climate change is pushing South Sudan to two opposite extremes and what resilience looks like in the face of both crises.
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🔵 POEM TOPICS — Choose ONE:
1. "Letter to the Nile" — Write a poem from the perspective of a child writing a letter to the River Nile, expressing grief over its changing state and a plea for its survival.
2. "The Dry Season That Never Left" — Write a poem capturing the emotional and physical toll of prolonged drought on a rural South Sudanese community.
3. "What Will You Leave Me?" — A powerful poem written from the perspective of a future child speaking to today's generation, asking what kind of world they are inheriting.
4. "When the Waters Came to Jonglei" — Write a poem told through the eyes of a child in Jonglei State who watched floodwaters swallow their home, school, and village. Capture the fear, loss, and quiet hope of a community trying to rebuild after the floods recede.
5. "The River Has No Mercy" — A poem exploring the devastating and unpredictable nature of flooding across Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile States — how what once gave life now brings destruction — and the resilience of those left to pick up the pieces.
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🎨 CATEGORY 2: Comic & Graphic Storytelling (Comic Books & Illustrated Stories)
Students who choose this category may submit a comic strip, comic book, or illustrated story that communicates a climate-related message visually, choosing from the approved themes below.
📌 Category Rules:
• Each student must select this category OR Creative Writing — not both
• All text within the comic must be written in English only
• Submissions must not exceed 12 pages in length
• Artwork may be hand-drawn or digitally created
• Each page should be A4 size, clearly drawn and legible
• Each student may submit one entry only
• Work must be entirely original — no traced or copied artwork permitted
• The student's full name, class, school, focal point teacher's name & signature, and chosen category must appear on the first page
• The story must carry a clear climate change or environmental message
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🟡 COMIC STORY THEMES — Choose ONE:
1. "The Forest Keeper" — A young student discovers that the forest near their village is being illegally cut down. Armed with nothing but courage and knowledge, they rally their school and community to fight back before it is too late.
2. "When the Rain Forgot Us" — A comic story following a farming family in Central Equatoria as they face a devastating drought season. The story explores how climate change is disrupting food systems and what one young girl does to find a solution.
3. "The Two Villages" — A tale of two neighbouring villages — one that ignored environmental warnings and suffered the consequences, and one that embraced sustainable practices and thrived. A story about choices, consequences, and community.
4. "Seeds of Change" — A group of secondary school students start a school garden project to fight food insecurity caused by climate change, only to face unexpected challenges from within their own community. A story about persistence, innovation, and teamwork.
5. "The Day the Flood Came to School" — Set in Unity State, a comic story about a group of students who arrive at school one morning to find their classroom submerged in floodwater. Follow their journey as they work together with their teacher and community to find solutions, rebuild, and raise awareness about why the floods are getting worse every year.
6. "Underwater Dreams" — A young girl living in a flood-prone community in Upper Nile State dreams of becoming a scientist to help her people. Each year the floods get worse, destroying her family's crops and forcing them to flee. Her journey to understand why the floods are happening — and what can be done — becomes a story of courage, discovery, and hope.
7. "Too Much, Too Soon" — A comic story set in Jonglei State, told across four seasons, showing how a once-predictable annual flood has become an uncontrollable and devastating force due to climate change — and how one determined community refuses to give up in the face of rising waters.
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📌 GENERAL RULES
• Open to Forms 1–4 students only.
• Only schools within Central Equatoria State are eligible to participate.
• Schools must be registered with the Ministry of General Education and Instructions.
• ⚠️ Strictly for students currently enrolled in the 2026 academic term/year only.
• ⚠️ Each student must select and submit ONE category only — Creative Writing OR Comic & Graphic Storytelling.
• Submitting entries in more than one category will result in immediate disqualification.
• All submissions must include the student's full name, school name, class, focal point teacher's name & signature, and category entered.
• Submissions missing any of the required information will not be accepted.
• All submissions must be the student's own entirely original work.
• Plagiarism, copied artwork, or AI-generated content will result in immediate disqualification
• Late entries will not be accepted under any circumstances.
• By submitting, students grant Eden Foundation permission to display and publish their work for awareness and advocacy purposes.
🗓️ Submission Deadline: 14th April 2026
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📬 SUBMISSION PROCESS
🏫 Option 1 — Physical Submission
Interested schools should appoint a focal point teacher who will be responsible for:
• Collecting all student entries from their school
• Signing and verifying each entry to confirm the student is currently enrolled in the 2026 academic term/year
• Ensuring all entries include the required student information:
o 👤 Student's Full Name
o 🏫 School Name
o 📚 Class — SNR SEC 1, 2, 3, or 4
o ✍️ Focal Point Teacher's Name & Signature
o 📂 Category Entered
• Organising and compiling all entries into a single school submission
• Including a cover note listing all submitted students, their classes, and their chosen categories
• Delivering entries in person to the Eden Foundation Office before 14th April 2026
For directions to the Eden Foundation office please contact us on +211 927 223 045
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💻 Option 2 — Digital Submission
Students or teachers who are unable to deliver physically can send entries directly to:
📧 [email protected]
When submitting digitally please ensure:
• All required student information is clearly visible on the scanned entry including the focal point teacher's signature.
• All pages are scanned or photographed clearly, well-lit and legible.
• Files are submitted as PDF or JPEG format.
• All pages are numbered and in the correct order.
• The email subject line clearly states the student's full name, school, and chosen category.
• The focal point teacher sends all entries from their school in one email where possible.
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🏫 IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
We strongly urge teachers, headteachers, and school coordinators to take an active and supportive role in helping their students participate:
• Appoint a focal point teacher immediately to coordinate the competition within your school
• Verify that all participating students are currently enrolled in the 2026 academic term/year before signing off on any submission.
• Inform all eligible students about the competition and explain clearly that each student must choose one category only.
• Identify interested students early and encourage them to begin working on their entries as soon as possible.
• Share the competition topics and rules clearly with all eligible students.
• Assist students in preparing their work — ensure written pieces are neat and legible and that comic pages are clearly drawn and in order
• Help students who need guidance understanding the climate topics — use classroom discussions, resource materials, or local examples to inspire them.
• Compile all entries into a single organised submission, clearly separating Creative Writing entries from Comic entries before delivery or digital submission.
• Label each entry clearly with all required student information including the focal point teacher's signature.
• Do not wait until the last day — submit early to avoid any last-minute issues.
• Schools experiencing any difficulties should contact us immediately at [email protected] or call +211 927 223 045
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💡 JUDGING CRITERIA
All entries will be assessed by an independent panel of judges on the following:
Criteria Description
🎯 Relevance How well the entry addresses the climate theme
🌟 Creativity & Originality Unique, imaginative, and fresh approach
📖 Clarity & Expression Clear, well-structured, and engaging
❤️ Emotional Impact Does it move, inspire, or challenge the reader?
✅ Adherence to Rules Word count, page limit, language, and presentation
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🏆 PRIZES & RECOGNITION
All winners across both categories will be rewarded as follows:
🥇 1st Place — Per Category
• 💻 1 Laptop
• 📚 Back to School Stationery Pack
• 🎁 Eden Foundation Goody Bag
🥈 2nd Place — Per Category
• 📱 1 Tablet
• 📚 Back to School Stationery Pack
• 🎁 Eden Foundation Goody Bag
🥉 3rd Place — Per Category
• 💵 250,000 SSP Cash Prize
• 📚 Back to School Stationery Pack
• 🎁 Eden Foundation Goody Bag
🏅 All Participants
• Certificate of Participation for every student who submits a valid entry
• 📣 Public recognition across Eden Foundation platforms and partner networks
• 🌍 Outstanding entries will be featured in Eden Foundation climate advocacy campaigns
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📞 CONTACT US
📧 [email protected] 🌐 www.edenfoundationss.org 📞 +211 927 223 045
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The Young Creatives Challenge 2026 is proudly organised by the Eden Foundation in partnership with The Achol Philip Foundation. This pilot project marks the beginning of a nationwide movement to empower South Sudan's youth to lead climate action through creativity, storytelling, and art. Together, let's spark change — one story at a time.
