Malawi Writers Union (Mawu) has described its recent recognition by the National Writers’ Association of South Africa (Nwasa) as a milestone that could open new opportunities for writers in the country and strengthen Malawi’s presence on the global literary stage.
Mawu received the Friends of Nwasa Award during the association’s second Elective General Assembly held virtually from May 23 to 24.
The award recognises individuals and institutions that support the advancement, promotion and preservation of literature and literary culture through partnership, solidarity and collaboration.
The recognition has placed Mawu president Shadreck Chikoti and the union among literary organisations and representatives from countries such as China, Cuba and Brazil that were also honoured during the event.
Speaking in an interview, Chikoti said the award shows that the work by Malawian writers is gaining recognition beyond the country’s borders.
“We are honoured and encouraged to get this regional recognition. It means that our footprints are getting noticed across the borders. This will certainly bring more doors closer to writers in Malawi,” he said.
Chikoti said Mawu intends to use the partnership to create opportunities that directly benefit local writers through collaborations and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
“We hope to leverage this partnership to benefit the writers through book collaborations, sharing knowledge through workshops and exchange residencies and any other way available that will further the knowledge and skills of our writers,” he said.
Chikoti added that the recognition also sends a positive message about the state of writing in Malawi, noting that the country has many passionate writers who only need platforms and exposure to thrive.
“Malawians are writing enough and have passion for writing. What we need are platforms like these. So, this will go a long way,” he said.
Chikoti said Mawu is expanding initiatives aimed at supporting writers, including strengthening online publishing opportunities and introducing more literary activities.
He said the union is also planning book fairs, literary talks and its annual short story competition before the end of the year.
In a separate interview, Nwasa secretary general Lebogang Lance Nawa said the recognition reflects the organisation’s objective of building international literary cooperation in a “global village” of writers.
He said the award is part of a broader recognition framework introduced in 2021 to acknowledge individuals and institutions contributing to the advancement of literature across different countries.
“It’s not a mistake that we give people awards. We live in a global village. It is important in our cultural diplomacy to recognise individuals. Chikoti’s determination stood out and we are pleased we have this relationship which was sealed by a MoU [memorandam of understanding],” he said.
Nawa said the recognition is not only about individuals, but also strengthening institutional and diplomatic ties across southern African countries.
“We are indirectly building networks and relationships among countries that we also believe our government can leverage on and be a point of collaboration,” he said.
