Speak Your Mind Challenge 2025 – Win a Chance to Attend the Baobab Summit in Kenya

The Mastercard Foundation is inviting functions for the 2025 version of the “Speak Your Mind” Challenge, a inventive competitors for Scholars and Alumni of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Winners will obtain full sponsorship to take part in the prestigious Baobab Summit, going down from 17–19 October 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.

About the Challenge

With the theme “Baobab Rising: Nurturing the Future Through Africa’s Youth,” the 2025 Speak Your Mind Challenge encourages passionate younger changemakers to creatively discover how they’re contributing to Africa’s future. Submissions might take the type of a speech, track, spoken phrase, poem, multimedia, weblog, or essay.

Selected members will be part of the Summit as dwell performers, bloggers, social media reporters, debaters, multimedia artists, or Masters of Ceremony (MCs).

Who Can Apply

This alternative is open solely to:

Applicants should even have an lively Baobab Platform account to apply.

Previous winners aren’t eligible, in order to create house for brand spanking new voices.

Submission Format & Roles

Participants might apply to be thought of for a number of of the following roles:

• Live Performers: Submit an authentic speech, poem, track, or inventive efficiency.

• Blogger/Storyteller: Submit a written story or essay. Selected bloggers might have their work printed by the Foundation.

• Social Media Roving Reporter: Submit a written story or essay and share earlier samples of your writing or social media work.

• Master of Ceremonies (MC): Submit an audition video and a couple of–3 concepts on how you’ll interact the Summit viewers.

• Multimedia Conference Artist: Share examples of authentic work and submit a inventive proposal for an interactive, art-based Summit exercise.

• Debaters: Choose one debate matter and submit your argument in written or video type. Topics embrace:

  • Is AI a Force for Good or Bad in Society?

  • Is Pursuing a Master’s Degree Immediately After Undergraduate Studies Worth It?

  • Which Region Has the Best Food: East Africa or West Africa?

Entries have to be authentic and now not than 5 minutes (video/audio) or 750 phrases (written).

Evaluation Criteria

Finalists will probably be chosen primarily based on:

An worldwide panel, together with the Mastercard Foundation Youth Advisory Board, will evaluation all submissions.

Benefits

Winners will obtain:

• A completely sponsored journey to Nairobi, Kenya for the Baobab Summit (airfare, lodging, and meals coated)

• An opportunity to current or carry out dwell at the Summit

• Exposure to a pan-African community of changemakers

• Mentorship and studying alternatives from Foundation employees and companions

Important Dates

How to Apply

1. Prepare Your Submission: Create your entry primarily based in your chosen function.

2. Include Your Name in the Filename. If your file is over 100MB, add it through this Dropbox link.

3. Complete the Application Form: Submit your entry by means of the official type.

4. Need Help? Email assist@baobabplatform.org.

Start your application here

Note: While AI instruments might help with ideation, submissions should mirror your private story and genuine voice.

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For extra alternatives like this, go to opportunitiesforyouth.org.