Lilongwe hosts storytelling session

For the first time, Lilongwe’s Story Club will host a storytelling session courtesy of two young writers from Blantyre, Ekari Mbvundula and Wonawaka Gondwe.

The two say the aim of the sessions is to promote the culture of story writing and telling in Malawi.

Six stories are set to be read out to an audience at Lilongwe Story Club, according to Mbvundula.

“We have six writers per session/event. So far, we have done three sessions in November, January and February, all in Blantyre. We thought it was time we took the idea to Lilongwe so March 17 it is.

“We do not have a theme this time around, so the stories can be about anything,” she said in an interview.

Mbvundula said the sessions will create a podium for writers to share ideas with the public as well as launch careers.

“We would like to bring awareness to local fiction writers and provide a platform for them to express themselves, get audiences to fall in love with stories again and let publishers see that there are active writers in Malawi who deserve to be published and promoted,” she said.

Mbvundula said there are many stories that ought to be told but what writers need is motivation.

Similar story telling sessions have been held in Blantyre where, according to the organisers, they are gathering momentum in terms of audience.

One of the budding writers, Sympathy Mandoloma, whose story was read during the last Blantyre session says the events are helpful to those who want to pursue a career in writing.

“The storytelling sessions are quite important to me because they have the potential to build my creative writing skills and profession by exposing me to other people’s unique and profound styles and skills,” she said.

Mandoloma said there is also a chance to meet publishers both within and outside Malawi during or after the sessions.