When project cultivates reading, writing culture
PEN Malawi recently organised a public event at Blantyre Teacher’s College where a feast of poems, short stories and drama by primary school learners spiced up the commemoration called the Invisible Child. OUR CORRESPONDENT PETER CHIPANGA caught up with Pen Malawi president Alfred Msadala to share more information. Excerpts;
Q
: Briefly tell us something about PEN International
A
: Founded in 1921, PEN International connects an international community of writers from its secretariat in London and regional office in Nairobi. It is a forum where writers meet to discuss their work. It is also a voice speaking out for writers silenced in their own countries. Through centres in over 100 countries, PEN operates on five continents that include Africa. It is also in Malawi.
Q
: So, what is PEN Malawi?
A
: PEN Malawi is a national centre of PEN International. PEN International is an association of writers. It promotes literature and freedom of expression and is governed by the PEN Charter and the principles it embodies; unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations.
Q
: What is PEN Malawi membership like, then?
A
: Our members are writers and have teamed to work on voluntary basis. All our projects are towards the Malawian child. We may not go into statistical records, but we have an impeccable track record ever since we were established in 1994. We have actually been to Ntcheu, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Chiradzulu and Thyolo. We have also been running national writing competitions.
Q
: There is this issue of Invisible Child project. What is it all about?
A
: This is a project that was initiated in 2021. Several countries [centres] were engaged, including those from America and Africa. It is pleasing that the Malawi centre continues to be supported to move on with the project; this follows the successful execution of the first phase.
In the first phase, we at the Malawi centre engaged Naotcha, Kachanga, Chisenjere and Kapeni primary schools in Blantyre.
The project is centred on a story titled The Invisible Guest in Moomin Valley. But in Malawi, it was necessary to translate it into Chichewa which we did through writers Immulanie Makande and Egidio Mpanga, and titled it Mwana Wosaoneka. It is about the girl Ninny who decides to turn invisible because of the ill-treatment of her guardian.
Q
: What about the second phase?
A
: In the second phase, we added Manja, Nansengwe, Tsogolo and Ng’onga primary schools. So, with Naotcha, Kachanga, Chisenjere and Kapeni, the schools came to eight in total.
And in this (second) phase, we were challenged by our principals to come up with our own creativity along the theme of invisibility. We did exactly that. William Khalipwina Mpina was commissioned to draft the book and Evance Fungula, Theophany Nammelo and Margaret Bandason were engaged on the editorial desk. The book is on display in the space as Kamwala Kodabwitsa; the book is about a paralytic boy Simoko who, after being dejected, defy the odds of school success.
Q
: Any message for the schools?
A
: Well, while the project demanded competitions involving the schools incorporated, the most important thing is that all are winners as they have been able to not only embrace the culture of reading and writing, but also understand what an invisible child can be in a family, school or community and how to do away with that. It is also pleasing to note that all participating schools considered themselves lucky for being part of the project. It is indeed a rare opportunity, otherwise my advice is that all learners should work hard in school. They need to push, push and push so that they attain proper education.
Let me mention that I told my learners in these projects that they should be resilient. They should not succumb to peer pressure, but maintain their ego so that they become what they want to be. I told them that they have a future before them, hence; no need to think of dropping out or committing suicide when they have problems. I underscored the importance of talking to their superiors, parents, teachers, traditional or religious leaders or PEN when impinged. Otherwise, I am a role model.
