Belinda Kulatau

RUNDU – Aspiring writer Magdalena Siremba Kandjimi says it is not easy pursuing dreams whilst coming from a previously disadvantaged family. 

Kandjimi lost her father at the tender age of five, which she said affected her family greatly, especially because relatives inherited her father’s possessions. 

Not having access to a psychologist to deal with her childhood traumas, she has now found peace and healing through writing. 

The outspoken 21-year-old started writing fictional and non-fictional stories five years ago, and she is determined to get her books published. 

Her first book, titled ‘The Wrong Inheritance’, is something she holds dearly because it is inspired by her own life experience.

Kandjimi highlighted how writing is a form of therapy for her, noting that this is how she communicates her feelings. 

She then encouraged her peers to not keep quiet about issues affecting them. 

“Keeping things inside is not healthy, and if you don’t have anyone to talk to, try writing your feelings down,” she urged.

With no access to a laptop, the youngster uses the traditional pen and paper method to write her stories whenever possible. 

She also depends on community libraries, such as the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology’s internet café to type her books.

Kavango East governor Bonifatius Wakudumo was the first person to assist Kandjimi by rendering her financial assistance, which made it possible for her to obtain a publishing licence from the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA).

Her biggest challenge is finding sponsors to help her publish her books. 

The aspiring writer, thus, hopes that someone will come on board in the near future, and mentor her into making her dreams of publishing her books a reality. 

“You never know when your breakthrough will happen, and giving up should not be an option,” she emphasised.

*Belinda Kulatau is an information officer for the MICT in Kavango East.