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Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE)
| Postal Address | P.O. Box 705, Kampala, Uganda |
| Street Address | Plot 147 Kira Road, Kamwokya |
| Tel | 256-41-543943 / 256-77-2743943 |
| Fax | - |
| info@femriteug.org | |
| Web Address | www.femriteug.org |
| Year Established | 1997 |
| Contacts | Goretti Kyomuhendo, Coordinator |
| Mission | To promote women's writings as a means of breaking through the literary recess and be able to include the literature generated from communities as a basis for functional literacy programmes. |
| Geographical area of operations | Nationwide |
| Issues area of operations | Promotion of Ugandan women's writings |
| Activities | Creating awareness about women's writings; Promotion of a reading and writing culture in Uganda; Training women writers to improve on their writing skills; Networking; Publishing of Ugandan women's creative works; Resource Centre |
| Affiliation(s) | - |
| Dissemination | Gender related information: we publish a quarterly magazine - "New Era" |
| Target Audience | Women and other marginalised groups |
| Additional Information |
FEMRITE: Uganda Women Writers’ Association celebrates ten years of the pen 1996 -2006Uganda Women Writers’ Association will be celebrating ten years of existence in July 2006. The association, which started from very humble beginnings, has grown into one of the leading women writers associations in Africa. It has groomed, nurtured and mentored many women who have gone on to become important writers, whose contribution to the writing field has been recognized both at national and international levels. In 2003, three of FEMRITE writers were finalists for the Michael Caine Prize, the ultimate recognition in African short story writing, while one won the Macmillan Writers Prize for Africa, 2005. Most recently, the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Africa region for 2006 was also won by a FEMRITE member.At the time of FEMRITE’s inception in 1996, only a handful of Ugandan women writers had managed to have their works published. According to The Uganda Writers Directory of 2000, only 26% of the published writers are women. When FEMRITE was formed, therefore, her immediate concern was to seek ways of addressing the disparities that existed between male and female writers, find out the constraints that hindered women’s writing and publishing potential, and also explore the opportunities for them to write and publish. FEMRITE achieved this through: training workshops to improve women’s writing skills and also enhance their personal empowerment, creating space and facilities for them to read and write, enabling them to interact and network with other writers and other relevant bodies for inspiration, and lastly, but more importantly, by publishing their works. In her ten years of existence, FEMRITE has managed to publish twelve titles which consist of: seven novels, two poetry collections, two short story anthologies and one collection of Ugandan rural women’s biographies. For the future, FEMRITE plans to continue with, and strengthen her work of developing women writers. Activities planned for the 10th anniversary celebrations will include: workshops in prose writing and poetry, writing and illustrating for children, and writing for film. Others will be a public dialogue, book launches, a writers’ night with a bonfire, visits to schools and higher institutions of learning, and a dinner-dance. We also expect to host three celebrated African writers, i.e. Prof. Akachi Eziegbo (Nigeria), Ayi Kwei Armah (Ghana/ Senegal) and Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe). Financial contributions and any other form of support in order to make this event a memorable and successful one are welcome. For further information please contact: |
Last update: May 25, 2007