Arrangements have been concluded for the kick off of the annual Treasured Writers Summer Writing Workshop in Abuja with ace writer and broadcaster Eugenia Abu.

The workshop for children aged seven to 15 will be holding at the Shehu Musa Yar'adua Centre from the 13 to 17 of August and the organisers are looking forward to having some 40 or so children learn how to write and illustrates, books among other life skills.

"Every year we have a different theme and this year we are having 'Get creative'," the project facilitator for the programme, Efua Odafem said.

"What we are doing this year is basically let the children get in touch with their creative side outside the cordial school setting. The whole idea is for a child to learn through play so they have this wholesome development because in the global sense they will need all this skills," she added.

The participants will also be learning about charity as they visit orphanages and are encouraged to donate books, clothes, and drinks. Participants adopt some of the children by proxy at the end of the camp and ensure that throughout the year, they visit their adopted wards thrice and continue to stay in touch to find out how they are faring.

"We also want to instil in them a sense of giving. We plan to take them to motherless babies' home so they can see how privileged they are to have parents and have them give back," Ms. Odafem explained.

The 2012 edition will have participants make their own individual books in an activity tagged 'Make a book a day' where they will work on the content, the cover and design with help from a graphic artist and a visiting author. They are expected to pick up a lot of life building skills including simple culinary skills, event management skills, and decorative skills amongst others. During the week they will be hosted by the FCT archives department to get some education on archiving. Africa Head of MacArthur Foundation, Dr Kole Shettima will educate the children on leadership and give them a talk titled 'Seven points of leadership'.

Lead facilitator Eugenia Abu along with other facilitators will be on hand throughout the week to give the kids a good time. Other facilitators will include Common Wealth literature prize winner and author of 'I Do Not Come to You by Chance', Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani , NLNG Shortlisted children's author, Chinyere Obi Obasi; NLNG shortlisted poet Diego Okonyedo; and Ashoka fellow and Abuja literary society slam master, Ken Ike Okere.

The 2012 TTW party and closing ceremony will hold at Maitama Amusement Park on Saturday the 18th for participants, their parents and their friends. It is at this closing ceremony that the newly elected TTW ambassador will be announced, and prizes will be awarded for best Essay, poetry, fiction and best behaved participant.