The Babishai Niwe (BN) Poetry Foundation, previously known as "The Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award," is an organization that organizes annual poetry competitions for African poets. It was created by Beverley Nambozo in 2008 as an award for Ugandan women. In 2014, the competition became open to men and poets from all across Africa. The first "Beverley Nambozo Poetry Award" took place in 2009.

Entry and prize

The BN poetry award started in 2009 as a prize for short, unpublished poems in English written by Ugandan women. Each year, entries must be based on a theme chosen for that year. In 2009, there was no theme. The theme for 2010 was "money and culture," for 2011 it was "hope," for 2012 it was "music," and for 2013 it was "Innovation." The top three poems each year received cash prizes of $250, $150, and $100. Over time, the prize amounts increased, with the winner in 2014 receiving $1000. The winning poems from 2009 to 2013 were published in an anthology titled A Thousand Voices Rising: An anthology of contemporary African poetry.