1. Introduction


The "HoldMy Hand: Hear Me Out" competition, organised by Hold My Hand, a campaignincubated by the DG Murray Trust in support of the National Strategy toAccelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), is a creative initiative aimed atamplifying the voices of South African children and teenagers. Participants areinvited to express their perspectives through various mediums, sharing insightson their experiences and aspirations, in order to bridge the gap betweenchildren and teens and their parents and other adults.

2. CompetitionObjectives

•                   Empower children and teens toshare their stories and viewpoints.

•                   Encourage creative expressionacross diverse formats.

•                   Foster intergenerational dialogueand understanding.

•                   Highlight the importance oflistening to young voices in shaping a better future.

3. Eligibility

•                   Open to all South Africanresidents aged 0 – 18 years.

•                  Participants under the age of 13must have entries submitted by a parent, guardian, or educator.

•                  Employees of the DG Murray Trust,their immediate family members, and contracted consultants and suppliers arenot eligible.

•                   Submissions featuring minors musthave parental or guardian consent.

4. SubmissionCategories

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Participantscan submit entries in the following formats:

•                   Visual Art: Drawings orpaintings.

•                   Written Work: Poems, shortstories, letters, or essays (max 500 words).

•                   Audio: Songs, raps,or voice notes (30 – 90 seconds).

•                   Video: Short videos(max 90 seconds).

5. SubmissionProcess

•                   WhatsApp: Send yourentry to 0600 411 111.

•                  Community Submissions: Schools,NGOs, and community centers may collect and submit entries on behalf ofchildren and teens.

•                  Social Media: Post usinghashtags #HearMeOut and #HoldMyHandSA, tagging official Hold My Hand pages.However, entries MUST still be submitted via WhatsApp to bevalid.

•                  The HMHComms Team will assist with this where WhatsApp access may be a challenge.

6. JudgingCriteria


Entries will beevaluated based on:

•                   Authenticity: Genuineexpression of personal experiences and thoughts (40%).

•                   Creativity: Originalityand artistic expression (30%).

•                   Clarity: Clearcommunication of ideas and messages (20%).

•                   Engagement: Ability toresonate with and inspire others (10%).

7. Prizes

•                  Weekly Winners: Threeparticipants will each receive R2,000. Totalling R36,000 over the six weekperiod.

•                  Prizes are non-transferable andcannot be exchanged for cash or other alternatives.

8. CompetitionTimeline

•                   General Entries: 1 July – 8August 2025

9. ContentGuidelines

•                   Submissions must be original andunpublished.

•                   No AI-generated content isallowed.

•                   Content should not revealsensitive personal details.

•                   Entries can be in any SouthAfrican language (English translation encouraged).

•                   Content must be respectful,inclusive, and child-friendly.

•                   Harmful, violent, ordiscriminatory content is prohibited.

10. Permissions& Rights

•                  Participants grant permission fortheir content to be used in campaigns, educational materials, and promotionalcontent.

•                  Participants retain intellectualproperty rights but grant Hold My Hand a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetuallicense to use, modify, and publish the content on their various communicationplatforms.

11.Disqualification


Submissions may be disqualified if:

•                   They contain plagiarised orAI-generated content.

•                   They violate content guidelines.

•                  Multiple entries from the sameperson are submitted after already being selected as a winner.

12. WinnerSelection & Prize Distribution

•                   Winners will be notified withinone week of the announcement.

•                  If a winner is unreachable withinthree working days, an alternative winner may be selected.

•                   Prizes are non-transferable andnon-refundable.

•                  Prize payment processing may takeup to two weeks and is dependent on documentation being received by DGMTtimelessly from winners.

13. Privacy& Data Protection

•                   The competition adheres to SouthAfrican data protection laws (POPIA).

•                   Personal data will be used solelyfor competition purposes.

•                   Participants can request accessto, or deletion of, their personal data.

14. Publicationof Winners

•                  By entering, participants consentto the publication of their names and likenesses on Hold My Hand platforms.

•                   Participants can opt out ofpromotional use by submitting a written request.

15. GeneralProvisions

•                   The organiser may amend or cancelthe competition at any time.

•                  The organiser’s decisions arefinal and binding in all matters related to the competition.

16. Schools/Community Edition

•                  Aschools and community edition will launch at a later stage that will allow forboth the learner and the school being awarded a prize.

•                  More information will follow.

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