2026 Macondo & Literature Live! Turkana Cohort Announced

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The Macondo Book Society (Kenya) and Literature Live! (India) are pleased to announce the selection of four poets for the 2026 Turkana Nature Poetry Retreat, scheduled for May 2026 at the historic “Cradle of Humankind” in Northern Kenya. Frank Njugi and Evalyn Wanjiru Githina (Kenya) alongside Amulya Bhat and Mesak Takhelmayum (India), were selected from a pool of 162 applicants. The cohort will spend eight days at the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI) Turkwel Campus in Turkana County, immersed in a landscape that defines our shared origins. Upon return to Nairobi, the poets will present their works during a public event on May 23rd.

Anja Bengelstorff, Co-founder of the Macondo Book Society, traces the retreat’s origins to a conversation at the 4th Macondo Literary Festival, “Voices of Nature: Writing the Non-Human World,” led by Indian novelist Shubhangi Swarup and Kenyan entomologist Dr. Dino Martins, director at TBI. “Their discussion struck a deep chord. It raised the question: Could poetry and science, long seen as separate realms, co-create meaning in a way that neither could alone? It was the continuation of a bold idea: that science and poetry, far from being opposed, are both languages of wonder, each capable of revealing something essential about the world we live in,” says Bengelstorff.

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Now in its second year, the retreat has partnered with Literature Live!, which has hosted the Mumbai LitFest for the past 16 years. Quasar Thakore Padamsee, Co-Director of Literature Live!, says this project is more than a creative collaboration; it is a project that reflects the growing need to rethink humanity’s relationship with the natural world. “This is the only planet we've got. It's important for us to take care of it, and recognise our little bio-sphere as a living breathing entity. Poetry has the ability to capture the sublime, the unsaid, and talk about it with nuance. This is something that is greatly lacking in our everyday discourse. By encouraging poets to place the natural world at the centre of their work, hopefully we impact people to make the natural world the centre of their lives,” says Padamsee.

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As part of the  stay in Turkana, the selected poets will be guided by TBI researchers at the forefront of research on human prehistory and biological evolution, and modern human culture and diversity. Following the retreat, the four poets will travel to Nairobi for a public showcase hosted by the Macondo Book Society. This gathering will allow them to present their work and engage with poets from Kenya., This invitation is extended in particular to poets who work at the intersection of nature, science and history. Padamsee, who has been curating cross-cultural creative projects in India, notes that such partnerships are vital in helping writers find inspiration beyond their own local contexts. “Art and imagination is not governed by geographical boundaries. Cross-cultural partnerships are vital because they allow us to see how another culture dreams and behaves. It allows writers to transcend their own experiences and literary canons.

The Arts across the world are under-resourced, but have an incredibly positive energy. Cross cultural partnerships allow us to maximise this energy enabling writers and audiences alike to experience different narratives that they would otherwise not have had access to. Submissions were selected by a panel of four jurists: Anja Bengelstorff and Ngwatilo Mawiyoo for Kenya, and Reena Agrawal and Shubhangi Swarup for India. This is the second edition of the retreat, following a successful inaugural collaboration between the Macondo Book Society and the Scottish Poetry Library (Edinburgh, UK):

Meet the poets

‍ ‍Evalyn Wanjiru Githina (Kenya)

Evalyn Wanjiru Githina is a poet, writer and creative visionary passionate about storytelling in all its forms. She has worked as Editor for AIM Magazine Minnesota, Sauti Project under Al Jazeera and Pawa 254.Currently, she hosts the Diva On A Mission podcast, and has been featured by Mvua Press and Shumba Literary Magazine amongst others. She is the author of Timelines, a collection of poems that captures the essence of time, memory, and identity.

‍ ‍Frank Njugi (Kenya)

Frank Njugi is a writer, poet, and journalist from Naivasha, Kenya. His accolades include a nomination for the 2023 Pushcart Prize and recognition as a runner-up in the 2023 ILS–Fence Fellowship. He has also been awarded a Sevhage-Agema Founder’s Prize and the Jay Lit Prize for Nonfiction, and was shortlisted for the 2025 Rajat Neogy Editorial Fellowship. Njugi is an alumnus of the Nairobi Writing Academy, a 2024 African Writers Trust Residency Fellow, and a 2024 and 2025 International Literary Seminar Fellow. He is also the author of the poetry chapbook Ujana (INKSPIRED, 2024).

‍ ‍Amulya Bhat (India)

Amulya is a writer and translator based in Bengaluru, who works in both Kannada and English languages. She is the winner of ANK Memorial Prize for young Kannada Writers (2012), the Barbra Naidu Prize for the Personal Essay (2018) and the Toto Funds the Arts (TFA) Award for Creative Writing in both English and Kannada (2021). Her children’s play exploring themes of climate change and ecology, 'Remember, Remember', was published by Eklavya Books in 2022, as part of Think Arts’ Play/Write Residency.

‍ ‍Mesak Takhelmayum (India)

Mesak Takhelmayum is a poet, educator, translator and artist from the state of Manipur in Northeastern India. Their works have appeared in “On the Brink of Belief : Queer Writing from South Asia”, “The Penguin Book of Poems on the Indian City” and various magazines. Mesak is a mentor to young Queer-Trans poets in Manipur, and is currently running a healing through literature project with AMaNA Trust, a prominent Nupi Maanbi collective. Mesak is passionately working on a collection of poems based on each of the city of Imphal’s boroughs in an attempt to rekindle the valuable process of creation in a conflict torn landscape.

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Turkana Nature Poetry Retreat landscapes 2025

2026 Macondo & Literature Live! Turkana Applications Open

The Macondo Book Society (Kenya) and Literature Live! (India) are pleased to invite applications from Kenyan and Indian poets for a funded, week-long writing retreat at the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI), the third partner in this endeavor, in Northern Kenya, scheduled for May 2026. This immersive program is designed for poets whose work centers on the non-human world, seeking to expand poetic perspectives and deepen engagement with more-than-human ecology, including plants, animals, oceans, and landscapes.

‍ ‍As Anja Bengelstorff, Co-founder of the Macondo Book Society, explains, last year’s inaugural five-day event marked the beginning of this specialized nature poetry retreat series—a strategic expansion from the Society’s annual Macondo Literary Festival, which remains a premier gathering for African literature enthusiasts in Nairobi. Announcing the second call for applications, Bengelstorff noted: "We were fortunate to have four outstanding poets for our first nature poetry retreat who connected deeply and quickly. Their curiosity about the environment and each other as artists fostered a bond that lasted well beyond the retreat. Keeping the group small ensures the exchange and learning remain truly collaborative and intensive."

‍ ‍Following the success of the 2025 inaugural retreat, which featured poets from Kenya and Scotland, this second edition brings together four poets—two from Kenya and two from India—to immerse themselves in the unique environment of Turkana, famously known as the “cradle of humankind.” Based on feedback from the previous cohort, the program has been enhanced. "Last year was incredibly insightful thanks to the TBI team sharing their research and leading excursions," says Bengelstorff. "However, the poets expressed a desire for more time to reflect and write. In response, we have extended the retreat by several days. This year, we are pairing Kenyan poets with those from India, a country with deep historical links to East Africa. We are eager to see the creative material that emerges from their shared time in Turkana."

‍ ‍Representing the Indian partnership, Quasar Thakore Padamsee, Co-director of Literature Live!, emphasized the importance of building cross-cultural connections in a fragmented world. "When Anil Dharker formed Literature Live!, the core mission was to celebrate literature and provide accessible literary opportunities. This retreat is a direct continuation of those principles. In an increasingly divided world, cross-national connections made through the arts are essential. Turkana is an incredible landscape; for Indian poets to experience it alongside their Kenyan peers will undoubtedly enhance their understanding of the world and refine how they write about nature."

‍ ‍Poets from Kenya and India are welcome to apply till 20th February by submitting 2 poems in any style, and a 500-word proposal on how this opportunity will impact and develop their practice via the link mentioned below. Submissions will be selected from a panel of four jurists; Anja Bengelstorff (Macondo Literary Festival) and Ngwatilo Mawiyoo for Kenya, and Reena Agrawal (Literature Live!), Shubhangi Swarup for India. Selected poets will have their flights, accommodation and excursions in Turkana covered (more on the retreat offerings below). A modest honorarium will also be made available for the selected participants. Lastly, poets can present their work at a public event in Nairobi.

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Application Guidelines

‍ ‍Who can apply

Open to poets working in any style who:

‍ ‍●      Reside in Kenya or India

‍ ‍●      Are 18 years of age or older

‍ ‍●      Demonstrate a dedicated interest in the natural world

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What is included

Selected poets will receive:

‍ ‍●      Return flights to Turkana

‍ ‍●      Accommodation, retreat activities, and guided excursions

‍ ‍●      A modest honorarium

‍ ‍●      A featured performance at a public showcase in Nairobi, Kenya, following the retreat

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Important note for applicants

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Kenyan applicants:

‍ ‍●      Accommodation in Nairobi for Kenyan residents is not provided

‍ ‍●      For any questions, please contact hello@macondolitfest.org

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Indian applicants:

‍ ‍●      We expect selected participants to possess valid passports by the time of the visit and to ensure that they take necessary vaccinations and arrange travel insurance for visiting Kenya. 

‍ ‍●      Please note that Kenya is a visa-free country; however, an electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) must be obtained before traveling.

‍ ‍●      Applicants must be available to travel to Kenya in May 2026

‍ ‍●      All flights, visas, transfers, internal travel, accommodation, and excursions in Turkana are covered.

‍ ‍●      Indian participants will need to make their own way to the nearest metro city in order to catch the international flight. Visa and the flight to Kenya will be covered.

‍ ‍●      For questions, please contact ritik@litlive.in

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Submission requirements

Please submit the following via the linked Google Form:

‍ ‍●      Two Poems: Any style, published or unpublished. (Kenyan poets may submit in Swahili; Indian poets must submit in English)

‍ ‍●      Proposal: A maximum 500-word statement outlining how this opportunity will impact and develop your practice.

‍ ‍●      Please add your full name to each document you submit.

‍ ‍●      Format: Please include your full name on every document.

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Video submissions are welcome but must be accompanied by a written transcript.

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‍ ‍Deadline: Midnight EAT, Friday, 20th February, 2026

2025 Turkana Nature Poetry Retreat Inaugural Cohort.

Macondo Literary Festival 2025 : Chronicles & Currents

Nairobi, Kenya – The Macondo Literary Festival proudly returned for its fifth edition that September, under the evocative theme “Chronicles & Currents.” That year’s festival cast its net wide across the Atlantic, spotlighting the literary, historical, and cultural ties between Africa, South America, and the Caribbean—regions deeply intertwined by histories of migration, resistance, and cultural resilience.

Held in Nairobi, the 2025 edition took place from 19th to 21st September 2025 at the Kenya Cultural Centre and hosted a rich program of panels, masterclasses, book signings, baraza sessions, and children’s activities, offering a literary experience that was both local and global in spirit.

Macondo 2025 featured an impressive line-up of acclaimed writers from Kenya and across the globe, including:
● Itamar Vieira Junior (Brazil)
● Daniel Hahn (UK)
● José Eduardo Agualusa (Angola)
● Cristina Bendek (Colombia)
● Priya Hein (Mauritius)
● Marcia Douglas (Jamaica)
● Joaquim Arena (Cape Verde)
● Kevin Jared Hosein (Trinidad & Tobago)
● Yamen Manai (Tunisia)
● Yewande Omotoso (Nigeria/South Africa)
● Karen Lord (Barbados)

“Chronicles & Currents spoke to the flow of stories across borders and generations,” said the Macondo team. “That year, we asked: What was carried in the stories we inherited? What was erased, what resurfaced, and how could literature act as both a ritual of remembrance and a compass for the future?”

In addition to its main stage events, Macondo 2025 also featured:
● A Kids’ Corner and youth-led sessions that sparked literary love early
● Macondo Baraza sessions that merged literature with dialogue on Kiswahili, history, and identity
● Masterclasses hosted by writers and other creatives
● A renewed focus on Global Africa, amplifying voices that challenged colonial narratives and celebrated diasporic connections

Rooted in Nairobi and reaching across oceans, the Macondo Literary Festival continued to build a global literary home that was bold, inclusive, and deeply human.

19th to 21st September 2025