Shoko Festival’s Hub Unconference 2019 Calling For Applications: US$8000 On The Line

The Hub Unconference at Shoko Festival has officially opened its call for applications for the 2019 Hub Awards with 8,000USD (ZWL equivalent) prizes to be won. The seventh edition of the Hub Awards will be held on the first day of the Hub Unconference which will run from 27-28 September 2019 at the Harare Public Library.

The annual Hub Awards will this year give away four prizes worth 2,000USD (paid in the ZWL equivalent) for new cutting edge ideas that use digital media and civic tech to solve problems in communities or at a national scale. The four categories at the Hub Awards are:

• WOMEN RISING AWARD – An award given to a startup/organisation advocating for women’s rights & voice using new media & technology.
• SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER AWARD – An award for a new media solution & platform encouraging accountability & dialogue (with local authorities, city council, local government & government).
• YOUR VOICE AWARD – An award for the best upcoming individual blog, video blog or citizen journalism platform.
• FIX UP, LOOK SHARP AWARD – An award for the best new media/ tech solution to address poor service delivery in communities. 

Since its inception, the Hub Awards has empowered over 20 start-ups in new media and civic technology industry. In the past, start-ups such as Bustop TV, Road Rules, Girls Speak Out, TV Yangu, Spiked and Zim Girls Code have benefited from this initiative and grown into leading digital companies and entities.

The closing deadline for applications is 17 August 2019 and participants can access forms on the Shoko Festival Facebook Page. The Hub Unconference takes place annually at Shoko Festival, Zimbabwe’s premier festival of urban culture. The Hub Unconference at Shoko Festival has officially opened its call for applications for the 2019 Hub Awards.

Organisers are yet to release where the applications are being submitted and we will update this article once they have done so.

[Update] If you’re interested in applying for Hub Unconference 2019 you can do so here.