Africa No Filter (ANF), a non-profit organization headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, that works to challenge and change harmful narratives about Africa by amplifying authentic and diverse stories from the continent, through its Kekere Storytellers Fund, is offering micro-grants to emerging African storytellers creating and publishing unique, compelling content that presents fresh alternative perspectives of Africa beyond stereotypes of poverty, conflict, disease, poor leadership, and corruption.
The fund is open to content creators, wordsmiths, performance artists, visual artists, and journalists whose work tells African stories in ways that challenge stereotypical narratives. It supports storytellers who are already producing work that shows Africa as an innovative, evolving, and creative continent.
Africa No Filter is an advocacy organisation that is shifting stereotypical narratives about Africa by supporting storytelling that reflects a dynamic continent of progress, innovation, and opportunity. To be eligible for this opportunity, storytellers must first be members of Africa No Filter’s African Narrative Collective.
The Kekere Storytellers Fund is Africa No Filter’s way of ensuring limited funding reaches artists, journalists, and content creators who share its passion for telling better stories about Africa and telling stories about Africa better.
The opportunity is open to Africans based anywhere in Africa or the Diaspora who are under 35 years old and can express themselves in English or French. Applicants must have a track record of producing ground-breaking work that challenges stereotypical narratives about their community, country, or the continent and must have at least two years of related work experience.
Applicants must also have a minimum of 5,000 followers across Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and must fall into at least one of the following categories: media or content creators, including journalists, bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, fiction and non-fiction writers, and photographers, or Artists, including poets, musicians, spoken word poets, dancers, painters, sculptors, illustrators, and animators.
The Fund will not consider applications from filmmakers, as related opportunities are available through the Last Mile Film Fund; it will also not consider storytellers who cannot provide evidence of producing work that shifts stereotypical narratives about Africa. The funding cannot be used to purchase equipment such as cameras or laptops, or to host or attend events such as workshops, festivals, and conferences.
The grant amount ranges from $500 to $3,000.
Applications are open until December 31, 2026, or until Africa No Filter has selected 12 to 14 storytellers for the fund, whichever comes first.
Africa No Filter is particularly interested in supporting storytellers who have an interesting and unique story about Africa, amplify unheard voices, challenge global perspectives, and introduce contemporary narratives. The Kekere Storytellers Fund allows for creativity and innovation, encouraging applicants to consider what they want readers or viewers to take away from their work and the impact they want to create locally and globally.
Funded projects are expected to be short-term and completed within three to six months from the date the funding is received.
Collectives and media organisations can also apply, but only one person should submit the application on behalf of the team; the person submitting the application will be responsible for the successful completion of the project.
Applicants who have a narrative-shifting idea but do not have an existing track record of producing unique, compelling content that tells better stories about Africa are not eligible to apply. Like all Africa No Filter grants, the Kekere Storytellers Fund is intended for artists and organisations that are already producing work that challenges stereotypical narratives and presents better stories about Africa.
Applications are assessed on a rolling basis. Applicants will receive notifications about the status of their applications through their portal on Africa No Filter’s grantmaking platform.
Applicants can read more about Africa No Filter’s various funding opportunities by clicking here.
Interested applicants can click here to learn more about the Kekere Storytellers Fund and access the application information.
