Global Africa Translation Fellowship: Elevating African Voices in Global Knowledge
In an increasingly interconnected world, language should not be a barrier that confines powerful stories, ideas, and scholarship to particular regions or audiences. The Global Africa Translation Fellowship, an initiative of The Africa Institute, is helping to change that by supporting the translation of important works from Africa and its diasporas into globally accessible languages.
What Is the Global Africa Translation Fellowship?
The Global Africa Translation Fellowship is a non-residential grant program managed by The Africa Institute—a research and educational organization based at Global Studies University in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It operates under the Institute’s African Languages and Translation Program and is designed to support scholars, translators, and researcher-writers from across the Global South in expanding the reach of African intellectual, literary, and cultural works.
The fellowship primarily funds translation projects that make significant works originally written in African languages and from African and diaspora authors accessible to broader audiences, particularly through translations into English and Arabic. Translations into other languages are also considered—emphasizing inclusivity and global cultural exchange.
Why This Fellowship Matters
- Africa is home to one of the richest and most diverse linguistic and cultural heritages in the world. Yet many of its most important literary and scholarly texts are only available in languages not widely understood beyond local contexts. This makes translation a vital tool for knowledge access, cultural exchange, and global academic conversation. The Global Africa Translation Fellowship directly supports this work by:
- Supporting translations of previously untranslated works, including poetry, prose, and essays.
- Encouraging retranslations of classic texts that benefit from updated linguistic or cultural interpretation.
- Ensuring that works from African and diaspora writers reach global readers, students, and institutions.
- These translated texts often help shape discussions in African studies, comparative literature, and global cultural history—bringing perspectives from African scholarship to the world stage.
💰 Fellowship Funding & Support
The fellowship provides grants ranging from USD 1,000 to USD 5,000, with the exact amount depending on the proposed project’s scope, quality, and feasibility. Funding is released in two installments: one at the start of the project and the other upon completion. Fellows are also required to submit a final copy of the completed translation to The Africa Institute for archival purposes.
Who Can Apply?
The fellowship is open to individuals from the Global South—a term used broadly here to refer to scholars and translators in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and other historically underrepresented regions in global knowledge production. Applicants can be associated with academic institutions or working independently, but they must demonstrate a clear plan and ability to complete the proposed translation within the fellowship period.
✍️ How to Apply
Applications include:
A two-page CV or résumé highlighting academic background or translation experience.
A detailed project summary explaining the work to be translated and its significance.
A 4–5 page sample showing the original text next to translated excerpts.
Supporting documentation related to copyright status, if the material is not in the public domain.
The 2026 application cycle for this fellowship is currently open, with a deadline of 12 March 2026.
Apply using the link below 👇🏼
https://www.theafricainstitute.org/institute-program/global-africa-translation-fellowship/
🧠 Community & Fellowship Impact
Social media buzz and official fellowship posts on platforms like Facebook highlight the Fellowship’s mission and ongoing open calls—a sign of its wide visibility within international academic and literary communities. Posts from The Africa Institute’s official Facebook page and related global opportunity pages showcase the call for applications and the programme’s aims to elevate translators from the Global South.
Over the years, the Global Africa Translation Fellowship has helped bring critical works to global audiences, from traditional storytelling and poetry to scholarly writing in African languages, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and advancing a more inclusive world of ideas.
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