SPROUTERS is an annual mentorship project, running from January to December, that was launched to groom young Nigerian girl writers on the art of creative writing. Through a maximum mentorship ratio of 1:5, girls between the ages of ten and eighteen will have their creative talents harnessed by experienced female writers. SPROUTERS is non-profit, therefore is free.
OUR TARGET: Our annual target is to coach fifty (50) girls between the ages ten to eighteen on the art of creative writing.
HOW WE DO IT: Through one-on-one bi-monthly online mentoring, young Nigerian girls resident in Nigeria, who have a passion for creative writing, are trained on the techniques and insights for great writing in all genres by published Nigerian women writers. Mentors and protégés individually meet online twice a month (the specific dates are to be agreed upon between the mentors and protégés). The mentorship program is designed for the mentors to give the protégés assignments on each meeting, alternating between writing and reading exercises.
OUR GOALS:
- To teach a robust set of writing and critical analysis skills
- To direct the protégés towards great literary works of fiction and encourage them to understudy these writings
- To raise an awareness of domestic and global issues affecting women and girls, and encourage the protégés to write about these issues that are holding them down or had held down any woman they know
- To introduce protégés to a wide range of writing genres
- To encourage the protégés to explore and develop their creative writing talents
- To nurture the protégés and promote healthy behaviours and life choices through positive mentoring relationships with women writers
- To assist the budding writers in their path to publication by editing their works; where a protégés wishes to enter for competitions, her mentor will help her edit the work before submission
- To feature exceptional writings by protégés in online literary sites
- To inspire girls to pursue careers in writing
- To equip the protégés with communication tools to confidently navigate the challenges they face
- To produce a circle of writers who will help each other along the way to building a writing career. While writing is a solitary mission, no good writer ever creates a work of repute alone.
Application for mentorship is an all-year thing, however, final list of protégés are complied by November of the previous year. To apply, please click here. Don’t forget to pay very close attention to the instructions.
Protégés are selected STRICTLY on referral basis. Members of Naija Stories are eligible to refer candidates, but it is very important that they refer those who are known to them.
Please, note: In other not to indirectly cause school rules to be violated, we only seek protégés who are day-students.
For more information about SPROUTERS, click here. Do like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
