The search is on for young people from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) who are making differences in their communities, to take part in the annual Top 100 Young Independents (TYI) competition.
They will compete for the title and for prizes to boost their projects.
The competition, in its fifth year, is an initiative by the Independent Media Group and offers trailblazers, influencers, healers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative and social activists the chance to showcase their community contributions and efforts towards community development.
"Platforms such as the TYI give us the opportunity to celebrate African excellence. The platform allows us to focus on the contribution of young people in reshaping their communities and the greater continent," said the group's executive public sector and Young Independents founding member, Mike Ntsasa.
There will be five categories – Innovators, Influencers, Trailblazers, Healers and Disrupters – and prizes worth R257 360 will be shared among the 20 winners selected for each category, including the runners-up, to support their projects.
Nominees vying for the title of The Young Independent should be aged 18 to 35, be leaders in their respective fields, and be citizens of any country in the SADC region – Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Comoros, Lesotho, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, the Seychelles, South Africa, eSwatini, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Nominees from previous competitions are also welcome to submit entries again.
"We're delighted to open the entries for the 2019 edition of the Young Independents awards," said TYI multimedia journalist Nosipho Nyide.
Nominations for any of the five categories can be submitted online at www.tyi.co.za. Entries close on June 14 and the winners will be announced at an event in Joburg on August 29.
The judging panel will be representative of all SADC countries.
