What began as a teenage hobby for Raheema Kananji when she was in Form Three has blossomed into a defining passion and creative pursuit.
Back at Mama Khadija Girls Private Secondary School, Kananji would fill notebooks with handwritten stories, fictional tales drawn from her vivid imagination, and pass them around to friends and classmates eager to read her next installment. What seemed like a teenage hobby at the time was, in fact, the beginning of a literary journey that would shape her identity as a writer.
“At the time, it was just for fun, and I was completely absorbed in it,” she recalls with a nostalgic smile. “After I changed schools, I stopped. But during my final year in college, I picked up the pen again and began writing poems.”
Although Kananji never stopped writing, this time she kept her work private, no longer sharing it with classmates as she once did.
She said: “When I went for teaching practice,” she says, “I started offering smart writing services—partly for the extra cash, but mostly because I still loved to write. I didn’t do much back then since I was only starting out, but it helped me reconnect with the craft.
“Later, I started contributing to Nation Publications Limited, and week after week I kept sending in my pieces until I eventually became a regular contributor.”
But Kananji admits that carving out space as a female writer in Malawi has not been easy. She believes that many people still hold limiting perceptions about women’s creative abilities.
“Being a woman writer in Malawi comes with its own challenges,” she said thoughtfully. “People often look at a woman and form all sort of opinions before even reading her work. Many still believe that women can’t match men creatively, but the truth is we can. The world, and especially Malawi’s creative community, needs to pay attention and change that mentality.”
As a member of the Malawi Writers Union (Mawu), Kananji has, over the years, honed her craft through continuous writing, peer review, and engagement with fellow creatives.
She also feels that creative works in Malawi—such as poetry, short stories, and novels—do not receive the recognition and support they deserve.
“Truth is these creative arts only have a handful of people interested in reading or appreciating them. So, it is very hard to establish oneself and be seen for the creative work you provide to society,” Kananji said.
The writer, who recently published her debut novel Borderlands of Identity: A Mosaic of Me, says she decided to bring the book to print so that people could see and appreciate her work.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind her novel, Kananji said the idea grew from her everyday encounters and observations. She often found herself moved by the stories unfolding around her—ordinary people navigating life’s quiet struggles and triumphs. Whenever a thought struck, she would quickly note it down on her phone to develop into part of the story later.
Kananji later partnered with Grandpen Africa, who guided her through the publishing process.
“The book is about different aspects of life that people battle quietly such as being caught between tradition and modernity, grief, inequality, societal pressure, loneliness and self-discovery journeys while celebrating strength and healing,” she said.
Commenting on the rise of female writers in Malawi and the challenges they continue to face, Mawu public relations officer Chifuniro Banda said the union deliberately introduced an initiative aimed at creating a platform for female writers to shine.
“We are excited to see more female writers publishing their work. We offer them the motivation and resources they need to achieve their goals,” he said.
According to Banda, Mawu continues to nurture emerging voices through structured mentorship and exposure opportunities.
“We offer mentorship programmes pairing experienced female writers with emerging talent to provide guidance and support.
“We also actively promote the work of female writers such as Raheema through our social media channels, events and publications,” he said.
Through such initiatives, Mawu hopes to create a literary community where women writers can thrive, share their stories without fear, and inspire others to follow in their footsteps—just as Raheema Kananji has done by turning her passion into purpose.
Banda added that Mawu also has a special Women Writers Desk, which creates opportunities for female writers to connect, share their work, and learn from one another.
“By providing these resources and support systems, we aim to empower female writers to reach their full potential and make a lasting impact in the literary world,” he said.
Kananji, whose biggest inspirations are her parents, holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Nalikule College of Education. Her book, Borderlands of Identity: A Mosaic of Me, can be accessed by directly contacting her.
