South Africa’s 12-Year-Old Stacey Fru Wins Global Child Prodigy Award 2020 for Multiple World Records

As many children around the world were celebrating the festive season, South Africa’s 12-year-old Stacey Fru was off to New Delhi where she made South Africa and Africa in general proud by receiving the Global Child Prodigy Awards in the category of Writing.

Stacey holds the quadruple record of writing her first book at age 7, Youngest African Writer of Chapter books, Youngest African Author of 5 Books and Youngest African (possibly world) Writer to get book translated into both audio and text Braille.

Speaking at the ceremony, Stacey extends her gratitude to the unknown person who nominated her for this prestigious award, adding that, “I feel proud for the organisers for such an initiative. I feel grateful to be representing myself, my family, my province, my country and my continent. This is big for me, for a girl child and for African children.”

Global Child Prodigy Awards (GCPA) is a unified platform that recognises extraordinary child prodigies who deserve to gain recognition at global level. This year’s inaugural grand event was held at the Ashok Hotel in New Delhi on the January 3rd, 2020, where 100 child prodigies from 18 countries were honoured. The Top 100 selected child prodigies chosen from 15, 000 entries from 45 countries, in different categories; dancing, music, arts, writing, acting, modelling, science, innovation, sports, etc. will also be featured in Global Child Prodigy Award Book set to be released on the 30th of January 2020.

Amongst the many who graced the event was Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Kailash Satyarthi, Dr. APJ Abdul of Kalam International Foundation, Oscar winning music director AR Rahman, Princesses, State Ministers, Member of Parliament, Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Celebrities and Media.

Why Stacey Fru? Stacey was the youngest writer on the continent, if not the world, who wrote her first book titled Smelly Cats at the age of 7 without her parents’ knowledge. Published in June 2015, Smelly Cats saw Stacey creating many records. Stacey is the youngest author whose book has been recommended as supplementary reading material for early childhood and primary schools by the South African Department of Basic Education.

Stacey is the youngest African (if not global) writer whose book has been translated to Braille in both audio and text. Stacey is also the youngest writer of the story of choice for Blind SA’s World Read-Aloud Day celebration for February 2020. Over the years, Stacey has positioned herself as the worlds’ only youngest bestselling international multiple award-winning author of chapter books, activist on literacy, safety and security, philanthropist, mentor/coach, public speaker, chair/facilitator, brands ambassador and public speaker. She runs a foundation called The Stacey Fru Foundation.

Through her foundation, Stacey gives to underprivileged and inaccessible children in forms of books, clothing, computers, food, learning sessions, etc. together with her many education projects, Stacey uses her online television channel @CTVSA to educate children and adults alike about the African continent and the world. As a recipient of over 18 recognitions and awards, this child prodigy hosts an Annual AfrICAN Children of The Year Awards every first Saturday of November in South Africa, where she joins UNICEF to celebrate World Children’s Day by awarding children ages 7 to 13 from across the African continent who are making a difference in the communities. Stacey is a guitarist and a ballerina.

Stacey continues to write. Her published books are; – Smelly Cats (Published in 2015), – Bob and the Snake (Published in 2016), – Smelly Cats on Vacation (Published in 2018), – Where is Tammy (Published in 2019), – Tim’s Answer (Published in 2019). We wish Stacey and other winners the best for 2020 and beyond. You can see more works and projects of both Stacey and her foundation on all social media @staceyfru.