Executive bookshelf: South Africa-based writer wins the Africa Region of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Lisa-Anne Julien of South Africa is the winner of the Africa Regional Prize of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. The Commonwealth Foundation said she won for her entry “Me and Ma’am”. She will get a prize money of £2,500.

Other regional winners are
• Asia: Sharon Aruparayil (India) for “Mehendi Nights”
• Canada and Europe: John Edward DeMicoli (Malta) for “The Bastion’s Shadow”
• Caribbean: Jamir Nazir (Trinidad and Tobago) for “The Serpent in the Grove”
• Pacific: Holly Ann Miller (New Zealand) for “Second Skin”

The overall winner will emerge in June 2026. The winner will get £5000.

The Commonwealth Foundation said all regional winners are published online in Granta and in a print collection by Paper + Ink.
It further stated that “The stories explore universal themes of family tension, resistance, and the resilience of unheard voices.”

Lisa-Anne is a Freelance Writer/Editor on development issues, with a focus on women’s rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and education.

One account states, “Me and Ma’am’ by Lisa-Anne Julien (@lisaannejulien) is a day-in-the-life story about the tangled relationship between a domestic worker and her employer. Selected as the Africa regional winner for its rich balance of humour, introspection and humanity, the story offers a nuanced exploration of class, care and solidarity in contemporary South Africa”.

The story has been published on @granta_magazine: https://granta.com/me-and-maam/.

Reports say, “Me and Ma’am’ explores the complex relationship between a domestic worker and her employer, using a single day to delve into issues of class and human connection”.

Judges praised the story as a “richly complex story” that serves as a commentary on class, while also being “a story about women looking out for each other”

Inspiration: Julien said the idea for the story came from her fascination with the people who work in our homes, such as domestic workers and nannies.

She commented: “I’ve been sitting quietly with the news of the #CWprize, churning it over in my mind and heart. Really? Like, really, really? How? Why? Why THIS story, in THIS time, for THIS competition, with THESE judges? I have no idea how the universe works, but I’m beyond thrilled and deeply grateful that my story, “Me and Ma’am”, resonated with people who love the written word. For us writers, that’s all we ask – to arrange the words so they land well on the ear and reverberate somewhere around the heart. A huge THANK YOU to @cwfcreatives and @commonwealthorg for this opportunity and affirmation. Massive congrats to all my fellow shortlisted writers, those who made the longlist and those who powered through, polished their work within an inch of its life, and submitted.”

Background

Lisa-Anne Julien is a Trinidadian-born, Johannesburg-based writer whose work explores themes of connection and identity, often drawing from her own life lived across multiple continents.

Early Life & Education

Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, she began writing with long, descriptive letters to her mother during her travels. In her early twenties, she moved to New York to study dance at institutions such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Centre. She later shifted her focus, earning a Master’s degree in Social Policy from the London School of Economics before moving to So uth Africa to work as a development consultant. She also holds a BA (Hons) in Development Studies from the University of East London.

Writing Career & Debut Novel

Julien is a versatile writer of both fiction and non-fiction, with work appearing in various publications. She is also a writer in the non-profit sector focusing on gender equality, education, and health. Her debut novel, ***If You Save Me, was published by Kwela Books in July 2021. The story follows five characters across South Africa, England, and Trinidad and Tobago. The novel’s inspiration came from a Femrite Women’s Writing Fellowship in Uganda and a desire to explore the “sense of connectedness to all things, all people across time and place”.

Awards & Major Recognition

– University of Johannesburg’s 2022 Debut Prize for Fiction (joint winner) for If You Save Me
– Longlisted for the 2022 South Africa Sunday Times Fiction Award for If You Save Me.
– Longlisted for the Mslexia First Novel Competition for the manuscript.
– Highly Commended award in the 2008/2009 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for “Pulling Seine and Catching Souls”.

– At 55 years old, she was one of two regional winners whose stories passed AI-detection checks.
– This win places her in the running for the overall prize to be announced on June 30, 2026.