This year Facebook is partnering with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent to tackle the crisis of cholera on the continent.

Students are being challenged to create an impactful mobile-first campaign for Facebook and Instagram that educates at-risk communities around preventing the spread of cholera.

The Challenge is part of Facebook’s efforts to grow and promote young creative talent across the region. To assist all students in preparing winning work, Facebook’s Creative Shop provides ongoing support to students entering the category and, in the process, helps them understand how to create thumb-stopping mobile content.

“Facebook believes in growing and promoting young creative talent and we're excited to be working with the Loeries for the third year to shape young talent on the continent,” says Elizma Nolte, regional marketing manager at Facebook Africa.

“We like to say there is no challenge too big that creativity can't solve – the Red Cross and Red Crescent has identified a serious challenge that costs millions of unnecessary lives. We look forward to seeing how our students put their creativity to use to tackle it.”

“The creative economy across Africa and the Middle East is world-class and has great potential to offer employment to talented youth. We place a huge emphasis on education and development of bright young minds,” says Loeries CEO, Andrew Human.

“Young people are the backbone of the creative industry’s talent pipeline. They also have their finger on the pulse, or their thumbs on the screen, of popular culture. The Student Category of the Loeries rewards outstanding creativity among young people – and our partnership with Facebook converts creative talent into an outcome in support of a real-world challenge. We are very excited to see how young people interpret the brief and bring it to life on a mobile platform,” said Human.

The winning entry in the Facebook Challenge receives a Loerie award as well as an all-expenses paid trip for up to three students to Loeries Creative Week in August 2018. The winning work will also flight on Facebook and Instagram.

Entries close Tuesday, 15 May 2018. Entry fees for the Facebook Challenge are covered by Facebook – helping students to showcase their potential.

The full brief and all information about entry criteria, support workshops, tips and tricks can be found here.

Loeries Creative Week:  Monday, 13 August to Sunday, 19 August 2018

The creative festival is the biggest creative gathering in Africa and the Middle East, bringing together the best innovative minds from the industry for a week of recognition, reward and inspiration.

The 2018 programme has been adjusted to help delegates get the most from their time. With MasterClasses on Thursday, the DStv Seminar on Friday, and awards this year on Friday and Saturday, everyone can experience the best the Festival has to offer:
Creative Week tickets are now on sale, with a range of packages – including accommodation specials with Tsogo Sun.

It's recommended to arrive Wednesday and depart Sunday to get the most from Creative Week. 

For more information, visit loeries.com. You can also follow the Loeries on Facebook, Twitter on or Instagram.