The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK), commonly known to many as Posta Kenya, has officially launched the 2023 International Letter Writing Competition for young people aged 15 years and below.
In liaison with Universal Postal Union (UPU) International Bureau, the competition targets children in the age bracket, most of whom are in primary, and for the case now, junior secondary school and perhaps forms one and two.
The aim is to encourage creativity and free expression as a means to refining their language skills.
In this year’s competition, the participants will be required to write a letter to someone explaining which super powers they would need to achieve their mission of making all roads around the world safer for children.
All the rules of letter writing must be observed for the composition to be legitimized. The letter must also be in own handwriting, with participants being instructed to indicate the first and surname, date of birth, as well as their gender. Both private and school addresses must be indicated for ease of communication.
Regarding the length of the composition, the letter should not exceed 1,000 words; meaning it may be a maximum three pages of the standard sheet they write their normal examinations on.
Parents, guardians and teachers are cautioned against assisting contestants, with the deadline for submission via post being set at April 6, 2023. Only one entry will be allowed in each envelope posted.
The winner will walk away with a cash prize of Ksh100,000 with the runner up taking home Ksh50,000. Third prize will be Ksh30,000.
Apart from the cash prizes, winners will further be awarded certificates at a ceremony to be held in Nairobi during this year’s World Post Day celebrations on Monday October 9, 2023.
The ceremony will be presided over by the Cabinet Secretary (CS) in the Ministry of Information Communication and Digital Economy (MoIC-DE) Eliud Owalo.
Esther Imani Senelwa of Holy Rosary Girls Primary School, Turbo in Uasin Gishu County emerged the winner of last year’s competition, which was the 51st International Letter Writing Competition (Kenya Chapter). Participants had been asked to write a letter to an influential person about why and how to take action on climate change.
Tandiwe Noni Accram from Kinderville Junior Academy in Nairobi County took the second position.
Three pupils tied at position three: Ryan Kisong’e of Kabarak Primary School in Nakuru, Louis Angule of Kinderville Junior Academy in Nairobi and Holy Rosary Girls Primary School’s Abigael Vuyanzi Senelwa.
Kenya is a member of 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 and publicizes it each year.
Each member country then organizes a letter-writing competition on the theme as it sees fit, but preferably with the help of its national education authorities.
The national organizing body, which in this case is Posta Kenya, then chooses the best composition in accordance with the general rules of the competition.
Each member country then sends the International Bureau its best national composition for a final round of assessment. The best three will then be ranked as per medals: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Each medal will be accompanied by great prizes to commemorate their win, which will be decided by UPU.
The gold medalist may additionally be offered a trip to the UPU headquarters in Berne, Switzerland, or an alternative prize to be decided at the sole discretion of the UPU.
As a general guideline to contestants, the format and tone should be that of a letter, the theme should be strictly adhered to, it must be creative, and it must use language appropriately. This is what the judges will be looking out for.
By Roy Hezron
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