The winners of the Somali Literature Awards 2019 were announced in Garowe, Somalia on October 16, 2019.
The first edition of the Somali Literature Awards were hosted in the Somali city of Garowe this past October. The ceremony was the culmination of a process that began with a call for stories and poetry from all Somali nationals by the Puntland Women Writers Association. From the callout, there were fifty-seven submissions from writers and poets living in seventeen cities around the world with many from the region.
The submitted work, categorised into the genres of story and poetry, was judged by Ahmed Farah Kilwe, Kafiya Mohamud Mohamed, Mohamed Yusuf Jamac, Dr Sumaya Abdulkadir Shoole, and Mohamed Abdi Hussein. Those who won in their category were awarded US$400 for the first and the second went home with US$200.
The winners selected that evening were;
Poetry
- Abdirahman Ahmed, Qaran-Doon
- Kamaal Abiib, Dumar Waa Hadhmacaan
Story
- Najah Adan Farah, Waxaan Sooray Murug
- Abuubakar Duceysane, Jihaad
Including these winners, all the work submitted was compiled into the anthology Maanso & Miro Sheeko: Ururin Murti-afeed Soomaaliyeed that was launched on the awards night.

The project was sponsored by Adra Somalia and the EU delegation in Somalia.
Leave a Reply