By Roy Hezron
Esther Imani Senelwa of Holy Rosary Girls Primary School, Turbo in Uasin Gishu County is the winner of this year’s 51st International Letter Writing Competition for Young People Aged 15 Years and below, Junior Category, Kenya Chapter.
Senelwa who took part in the competition which is organized annually by Posta Kenya in liaison with Universal Postal Union (UPU) – International Bureau, took home a cash prize of Ksh. 100,000 and a certificate from the Kenya Chapter.
Tandiwe Noni Accram from Kinderville Junior Academy in Nairobi County took the second position nationally with a cash prize of Kshs. 50, 000 and a certificate.
Three pupils who tied position three namely: Ryan Kisong’e from Kabarak Primary School in Nakuru, Louis Angule from Kinderville Junior Academy in Nairobi and Abigael Vuyanzi Senelwa from Holy Rosary Girls Primary School, Turbo in Uasin Gishu will both receive a cash prize of Ksh. 30,000 each and certificates.
The winners were awarded on October 9, 2021, with cash prizes and certificates during the World Post Day Celebrations in a ceremony held in Nairobi and officiated by the then Cabinet Secretary for Information Communications Technology, Innovations and Youth Affairs Joe Mucheru.
The competition which was divided into two categories – Junior aged 9 to 13 years (most of whom are in primary schools) and Senior aged 14 to 18 years (mostly in secondary schools) – required learners to write an essay in form of a letter on selected topics and submit to the Postmaster General before March 31, 2022.
The 2022 UPU Letter Writing Competition for young people aged 15 years and below participants were required to write a letter to an influential person about why and how to take action on climate change.
For Young People 2021 aged 18 years and below who were required to write a letter to then Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof. George Magoha about how Covid-19 had affected their education; the winner under Senior Category (14 – 18 years old) was Jack Fidel Anyona from Jamhuri High School, Nairobi who took the first position nationally and bagged a cash prize of Ksh. 50,000.
Kenya is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates postal policies among the 192 member countries.
The second position nationally was taken by Mwanaisha Katana from Bunyore Girls in Vihiga who walked away with a cash prize of Kshs. 30, 000 together with a certificate, while the third winner Ezra Gisore from Kapsabet Boys High School, Nandi County received a cash prize of Kshs. 20, 000 and a certificate.
For Junior Category (9-13 years old) the winner was Ericka Cherotich from St. Patrick’s Academy Cheptuiyet in Kericho who won Ksh. 50,000 cash prize and a certificate while the second placed Larry Barack from Riara Primary School in Nairobi received a certificate with Ksh. 30,000 as the third winner Hope Okach from Milimani Hillcrest Academy Suna in Migori received both a certificate and Ksh. 20, 000 cash prize.
Each participant’s composition was not supposed to exceed 1000 words parents/guardians and teachers were not allowed to assist in the composition writing.
All compositions were also required to be sent by Post and appropriate postage stamps being required to be affixed on each envelope, with only one entry being allowed in each envelope posted.
The winners were: Fatma Kassim from River Bank Primary School in Nairobi County (Ksh. 100,000), Nelly Nkirote Muriuki from St. Mary’s Girl’s High School Igoji in Meru County (Ksh. 50,000) while Moses Mumo Mutuku from Starehe Boy’s Centre in Nairobi County, Faith Nana Barasa from Carmel Catholic Primary School, Utawala in Nairobi County, Samuel Njoroge Njeru from Njiiri School in Murang’a County and Stacy Achieng Ochieng from Nyabururu Girl’s High School in Kisii County were each awarded Ksh. 30,000.
Kenya is a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates postal policies among the 192 member countries.
Since 1971, the UPU has encouraged young writers aged 9-15 to write letters on a given theme to win exciting prizes. The UPU’s secretariat, the International Bureau, chooses a theme annually and publicizes it each year.
Participating countries then organize the competition at the national level through the Post, often with the support of educational authorities and the media.
