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The Vweta Chadwick Poetry Prize

The Vweta Chadwick Poetry Prize (VCPP) was founded to honor the life and legacy of Vweta Chadwick, a visionary leader, Global Programmes manager, and founder of ProjectASHA NGO—a non-profit dedicated to uplifting vulnerable and marginalized communities across Nigeria and beyond.

Vweta, an alumna of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, US Institute of Peace, and the Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative of the U.S. Consulate (among others), dedicated her life to advancing the rights of girls, women, and persons with disabilities across Nigeria and Africa. A fierce advocate for women’s rights and the safety of the girl-child, Vweta devoted her life to empowering women, mentoring young girls, and driving meaningful change through activism and poetry. Even after her passing in 2020, her voice continues to inspire action for justice, unity, and social transformation.

Since its inception in 2022, the VCPP has engaged over 600 young female poets across Nigeria, amplifying voices that speak truth to power and using poetry as a force for social awareness. With each passing year, the Prize grows, championing bold, socially conscious poetry and nurturing the next generation of changemakers.

The VCPP highlights the role of women in the poetry space with a focus to encourage female poets who like Vweta found diverse ways of amplifying their voices for social causes, for fun and creativity, and many other reasons dear to them. See her works on (www.vweta.com).

Speaking Through The Void

THE VWETA CHADWICK POETRY PRIZE 2025;
Enter to win prizes up to N1,000,000.00

To celebrate and honour the poetic life of Late Vweta Chadwick, Project ASHA calls for female poets to enter the  Vweta Chadwick Poetry Prize in honour of Vweta Chadwick, themed - Hear Our Voices; Heal This Land. The VCPP highlights the role of women in the poetry space with a focus to encourage female poets who like Vweta found diverse ways of amplifying their voices for social causes, for fun and creativity, and many other reasons dear to them. See her works on (www.vweta.com).

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ENTRY OPEN

The Vweta Chadwick Poetry Prize 2025 is open and calls for submission. Read entry guide below and subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about future prize competition

Submission Guidelines​
  • Submit only one entry with an original, unpublished poem.

  • Maximum 40 lines, written in English (other languages allowed with glossary).

  • Submit in a word .doc or .pdf format, with file name saved: [Poet Name – Poem Title].

  • Entry poems should align with the year's theme

  • No AI-generated, co-authored, already published, or previously awarded poems allowed.(all entries will pass the AI test and due diligence conducted)

  • Submission is FREE

  • Poem title should not be the Poetry Prize Theme (Creativity attracts more points)

  • Poems written in prose form will be automatically disqualified 

  • Beware to not submit entries with blank document 

  • Entries with edit notes in the document will be disqualified

Note: The entry guides are update annually

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