Mudiad Meithrin's AwDUra project
At the end of April last year Mudiad Meithrin launched ‘AwDUra’ – a new project aimed at encouraging Welsh-language voices from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities to write stories for young children in Welsh.
Two big names from the world of writing and publishing in Wales – Jessica Dunrod and Manon Steffan Ros have been working with the Mudiad on the project and have been mentoring the 10 successful candidates who were part of the project.
It is a real honour for me to be part of the AwDura project. Wales has always been home to a very broad cross section of people, but this is not reflected in our culture at all, and it is time to put this right and take positive and constructive steps to ensure fair representation in our literature.
I am delighted to collaborate with Mudiad Meithrin to embark on this project which addresses the lack of representation in Welsh language literature and the lack of real support and opportunities for Welsh writers.
During the project the 10 candidates received support to create stories for young children and the Mudiad has committed to publish the work of two of the new authors supporting all of them to continue creating children's literature after the project has come to an end. Each of the 10 candidates sent the text of their books to Manon, Jessica and Nia Gregory (Cylch Meithrin Llanypwll leader near Wrexham, who was on the judging panel) to select two books to publish. The two aspiring authors chosen to publish their children's books are Chantelle Moore and Mili Williams, with Sarah Younan writing a story in the form of a cartoon in WCW - a Welsh-language comic for young children.
I was so utterly excited to take part in this project and am over the moon to have been picked to be published!
Manon and Jessica have shared their valuable insight and knowledge over the months and it’s really helped me to believe that I can do this! I can’t wait for the next step in this magical journey and to see my book in print! Thank you Mudiad Meithrin!
What an unexpected, but wonderful surprise to have been chosen. I initially embarked on this journey simply to be part of a space created to champion grassroots stories of heritage and culture.
Now I am delighted that the journey will continue. I’m particularly pleased to be able to honour my grandfather, a Windrush generation migrant to Cardiff who recently passed aged 95, through the power of story. I am also hopeful that my future writing might contribute to a Wales where my children, of mixed heritage, can grow up seeing themselves in books, proud to be Welsh speaking, and rooted in all of the identities that they hold.
