Category Archives: awards

AFRIKA KOMMT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR YOUNG AFRICAN PROFESSIONALS (FULLY FUNDED TO GERMANY)

Application Deadline: March 22, 2026.

LOCATION: Germany

AFRIKA KOMMT! is a programme for young, extraordinary African professionals who wish to expand the horizons of their skills, knowledge, and experience and are not afraid to step out of their comfort zone to do so! They strive to facilitate young leaders to drive economic and social development of their countries by promoting sustainable cooperation with German industry.

ELIGIBILITY:

The initiative is now open for all countries in Africa

Through a one-year fellowship, AFRIKA KOMMT! equips young professionals with the skills, exposure, and inspiration they need to become the next generation of African leaders. The programme is structured in three different phases.

The programme entails selection of top-tier professionals from all African countries—including North Africa—and facilitating a one-year personal and professional transformational journey in Germany. This encompasses German language lessons, international management trainings, study tours, and peaks in an 8-month practical training at the host company.

After completion of eight program intakes, the impact is evident: 203 alumni of the programme are transferring their knowledge and experience to their home countries. They are leading projects, businesses, and change initiatives through German-African cooperation. In addition, more than half of the young experts continue to work for their partner companies in Africa or Germany. They are driving diversity and innovation within the companies, creating new products, opening new offices in Africa, growing existing markets, and boosting the local, African, and global network.

The Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier supports AFRIKA KOMMT! and acknowledges the initiative through a reception of the young leaders. The programme also receives active support from the German Federal Foreign Office and the German embassies in Africa. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is commissioned by the companies to organize and implement the programme.

BENEFIT:

Fully funded

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BDFIL PRIZE COMICS COMPETITION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMICS

Application Deadline: Monday, June 15, 2026

LOCATION: Switzerland

This year, 2026, BDFIL is partnering with the Lausanne Water Department and the Roman Museum of Lausanne-Vidy for its BDFIL Prize competition, which aims to promote emerging comic book artists.

ELIGIBILITY:

The theme of the 2026 edition is “Running Waterways.” The deadline for submissions is Monday, June 15, 2026

The competition BDFIL Prize is open to anyone 15 years of age or older, living in Switzerland or abroad, whose work has never been published in the form of an album, regularly in a large-circulation newspaper or magazine, or on an expert-reviewed online platform, or under any editorial license. Participants whose work is being published when the jury deliberates (June 16, 2026) will be disqualified. Each participant may enter only one project. As the competition aims to encourage and reward complete artists, collective entries will not be accepted. Winners of previous editions of the competition, except for special mentions, are not allowed to participate.

The competition is free to enter.

You may submit a complete comic story on a single page (A3 format, vertical), with or without text.

BENEFIT:

Three BDFIL prizes:

Prize: 1st Prize CHF 2,000 and the drawing of the 2027 Prize flyer

2nd Prize: CHF 1,500

3rd Prize: CHF 1,000

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