Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute is pleased to announce Aya Daali as the 2024 Food Justice Writing Competition winner. The competition asked the youth living in Minnesota to submit short stories about increasing access to healthy food and building stronger communities.
Aya’s story, titled “The Hunger Savers Club,” captured the judges’ imagination with its heartwarming tale of children coming together to address hunger in their neighborhood. The story follows the main character, Emma, a young girl who learns that some people in her community are going hungry because they don’t have enough money for food. Determined to make a difference, Emma and her friends set out to collect donations, ultimately learning that everyone deserves access to nutritious food to stay healthy.
Judges were impressed with Aya’s ability to succinctly illustrate why food is essential for health and well-being while showing how ordinary children possess the power to create change. Aya’s gift for storytelling shone through with lively characters and a message of empowerment. Her work will now be transformed into an illustrated children’s book and distributed to libraries and classrooms across Minnesota, providing young readers with a powerful and uplifting narrative about the importance of addressing hunger and building a more just and equitable food system.
The Food Justice Writing Competition was spearheaded by Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to planting the seeds of social change for the better and committed to inspiring and equipping 10,000 leaders globally.
Made possible with support from the Minnesota State Arts Board, the competition aligns with Planting People Growing Justice’s mission of ensuring all community members can fulfill their basic right to nutritious, culturally appropriate food. Judges were moved by the entries highlighting compassion and solutions-focused approaches to solving hunger.
Just like the many children who became a part of this competition, Aya Daali also loves writing and wants the world to be a better place. She authors books like The Hunger Savers Club to help little kids grow into big minds with broader visions. Aya’s story stood out as an exemplar of these values and will undoubtedly spark meaningful discussion when shared.
For more information, please visit https://www.ppgjli.org
