Mtandao launches a new book prize

The Africa Social Work and Development Network (ASWDNet), known as Mtandao, has added a book prize to its annual awards. The prize will recognise four significant books in contributing to social development each round. All types of books are eligible. Books published in any year are eligible. Nominations are now open for the 2027 awards.

About the awards

The Africa Social Work and Development Awards recognise excellence in African social work and social development. The first awards were presented in 2022. In 2026, for the first time, the ceremony took place in person, at the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD 2026) at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Kenya, on 29 June 2026.

Past awardees include Professor Abye Tasse, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026, and Professor Rodreck Mupedziswa, who received the same award in 2024 to 2025. The awards now have 21 categories, from Social Worker of the Year to the Umvelo Maathai Award for environmental work. The book prize is the newest of these.

Why a book prize

Journal articles report studies. Books do different work. A book can set out a theory, share a story, trace a history, or build a model of practice across many chapters. Much of the theory and practice taught in African social work and social development programmes still comes from books written outside the continent. Recognising strong books, wherever they were published, helps lecturers, students and practitioners find and use them.

What the prize covers

The prize has three features:

• Number of books: Four books are recognised in each round.
• Types: All book types accepted but must have a significant contribution to social development.
• Year of publication: Books published in any year can be nominated.

The open publication year matters. It means older books that shaped the field, including work from the era of the Association of Social Work Education in Africa (ASWEA, 1965 to 1989), can be recognised alongside new titles.

Conditions of award

The general conditions for all Mtandao awards also apply to the book prize:

• All book types are eligible
• The work was done in Africa, or globally if stated.
• The work has had a positive effect on people, shown through testimonies, references, news articles, statistics or other evidence.
• There is varied evidence to support the nomination.
• The work does not colonise or continue the colonisation of humans, non-humans, practices or knowledge.

For a book, evidence could include reviews, citations, course adoption, and use in policy or practice.

How to nominate

Authors can nominate their own books, and anyone can nominate a book by someone else. Use the web form or the downloadable form on the awards page. Nominations close on 31 March 2027.

If the form is not working, email your nomination to asw@africasocialwork.net. Include the nominee’s name, email and mobile number, institution, country and qualifications, with a statement about the work and supporting evidence. For a book, it helps to add the title, publisher, year of publication and ISBN.

Selection committee

Nominations are reviewed by the selection committee:

• Dr Augustina Naami, Department of Social Work, University of Ghana
• Mbongiseni Samuel Mngomezulu, Mpumalanga Department of Social Development, Standerton Sub District Office, South Africa
• Thomas Simbeye, Regional Administration and Local Government, Social Welfare, Manyara Region, Mbulu District, Tanzania

What awardees receive

Awardees receive a certificate. They are also invited to give a speech at a Mtandao event or to share a written statement.