The Intwasa Short Story Competition continues to grow. The competition was inaugurated in the first year of the festival and is an annual literary event seeking to promote original creative writing talent in English. In 2011 the award for the winner was named the Yvonne Vera Award, which carries a $500 cash prize.

The rules of the competition are as follows:
- There is no particular theme
- Entries must be written in English
- Entries should be previously unpublished
- Only one entry per person
- All work must be original
- Entries must be typed.
- Maximum 3,000 words
- The competition is open to all Zimbabwe citizens and residents
- Late entries will not be accepted
- Only the short-listed candidates will be personally notified

Writers can start submitting their stories from now on. The deadline is 30 June 2013. Email your stories to info@intwasa.org

Meanwhile you are invited to read an interesting post published by Zimbabwean writer Memory Chirere on his blog.

 The Xhosa community in Zimbabwe is appealing to their South African counterparts to provide them with Xhosa language reading materials amid revelation that there is a shortage of such books at schools.

Nkosazana Zulu, “Our children face critical shortage of Xhosa books and reading material and we are appealing to our colleagues in South Africa to assist us.”

Last year South African Xhosa King, Mpendulo Zwelonke Sigcawu promised to deliver Xhosa language books to Zimbabwe’s Xhosa communities. Most Xhosa are based in Mbembeswana area near Bulawayo.

The Xhosa community in Zimbabwe is well-established and arrived with Mzilikazi after fleeing from Shaka and established themselves and kept their language dialect intact, slightly distinct from original Zulu.

“There are so many Xhosa people all over the world who face problems, either spiritually or culturally. My responsibility is to visit them, hear their problems and see where I can offer help,” said King Zwelonke Sigcawu.

Here is a tentative program for the year:

1. The Main Book Fair – Harare – 29 July to 3 August 2013

· Indaba Dates: 29 July – 30 July

· Young Persons’ Indaba: 31 July

· Book Fair Dates: 31 July – 3 August

Ø 31 July – Open to Traders only

Ø 1 August – 3 August- Open to Schools and the Public

· Setting-Up Day: 30 July at 1430 hours to 1630 hours

· Writers’, Publishers’, Booksellers’, & Librarians’ Workshop: 3 August

2. The Bulawayo Book Fair – 15 March to 16 March 2013

· Book Fair Dates: 15 March – 16 March

· Writers’, Publishers’, Booksellers’, & Librarians’ Workshop: 15 March

· Setting-Up Day: 14 March at 1430 hours to 1630 hours

3. The Masvingo Book Fair – 31 May to 1 June 2013

· Book Fair Dates: 31 May – 1 June

· Writers’, Publishers’, Booksellers’, & Librarians’ Workshop: 31 May

· Setting-Up Day: 30 May at 1430 hours to 1630 hours

4. The Mutare Book Fair – 27 September to 28 September 2013

· Book Fair Dates: 27 September – 28 September

· Writers’, Publishers’, Booksellers’, & Librarians’ Workshop: 27 September

· Setting-Up Day: 26 September at 1430 hours to 1630 hours

5. All Stakeholders Workshop on piracy in Zimbabwe – 25 April to 26 April 2013

ZRSLT aims to help rural schools develop libraries and informaton resource centres that add value to the teaching and learning processes in the country’s rural areas. We are working closely with the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture in this initiative.

“Remember Your Roots/Ziva Midzi Yako/Yazi Odabuka Khona” seeks to raise awareness on how individuals or groups can give back to the communities that nurtured them.

14 February is the International Book-Giving Day.

We intend to invite 100 delegates who will include Government ministers, business executives, members of the diplomatic corps and other high profile personalities to the launch.

Should you have questions please feel free to contact: Matthew Chandavengerwa on Harare land telephone numbers 301724 or mobile numbers 0712215800 or 0772343600; Marshall Munetsi on mobile numbers 0772452051, 0773579454 r 0733 493021; or Joshua Chigorora on 0772920060

We look forward to your company.

Yours Sincerely,

Matthew Chandavengerwa
Chairman
Zimbabwe Rural Schools Library Trust

 Paruware Trust is a local organisation that promotes social entrepreneurship and nurtures leaders. They are starting a children’s reading club. It is designed for the discerning parents who want to develop a strong reading culture in their children and the avid young readers. They have a large library of children’s books, which range from beginners picture reading and phonics, fairy tales, bible stories and general storybooks.

Activities will include free reading, story-telling time, quizzes and games to stimulate your child’s imagination and love for books. This is done in a fun, innovative and creative environment in Zimre Park, Ruwa, Mashonaland East.

It will open Saturday mornings from 9am to 12pm beginning 9 February until 30 March 2013

You can register your interest in the children’s reading club by emailing paruware@yahoo.co.uk or sending a message or Whats App on 0777-468992.

 Luvimbi High School in Binga recently launched a Tonga stories, essays and poems writing competitions.

Twalumba Holdings Chief Executive Officer Dr Nkululeko Sibanda commended the University of Zimbabwe for introducing Tonga language course saying that Tonga literature is  an opportunity for the Batonga to tell their story without distortion.

Vice President Mujuru commended the University of Zimbabwe for introducing Tonga language at tertiary level saying government wants to be part of the programme to ensure its success.

The government of Zimbabwe officially declared that, starting from January 2002, it was to implement the use and teaching of the official minority languages, namely Venda, Tonga, Nambya, Kalanga, Sotho and Shangani, as the media of instruction and subjects in primary schools in areas where they are spoken.

 See related reading

Minority Languages Department to be opened in Gwanda

NoViolet Bulawayo is the author of We Need New Names which appears this year in May in the USA and in June in the UK. NoViolet won the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story Hitting Budapest. Her works have been widely published in anthologies such as New Writing From Africa (edited by JM Coetzee), Where to Now? (amaBooks, Bulawayo), Writing Free (Weaver Press, Harare), and 2011 African Roar (StoryTime, South Africa). She is also a gifted poet, with poems that appeared in State of the Nation (Conversation Press) among other poetry anthologies. Below is brief but clever chat which WIN recently had with NoViolet about her new book We Need New Names (WNNN).

WIN: NoViolet, what would you say if a new aspiring writer asked you generally how many drafts or re-writes you discard/put aside before you come up with a satisfying final draft?

NoViolet: You just do however many drafts the story demands, you know, it’s like being in a relationship with a selfish, attention-devouring lover and you have to please them any way they want. It was an unending gig with WNNN, rewriting and getting there and taking it apart, rewriting and getting there and taking it apart, rinse and repeat. But of course I grew to enjoy the ‘taking-it-apart’ aspect of it, which is perhaps why I stopped counting drafts. That’s how many drafts it takes I suppose, until you stop keeping track and it becomes a pursuit of pleasure and folks have to almost wrest the thing from your hands.

WIN: How long did it take you to write WNNN?

NoViolet: Long enough to have had at least two children; I started around the fall of ’08, finished in 2012.

WIN: Any official launches of WNNN planned in Zimbabwe or abroad this year?

NoViolet: Definitely, a launch in May in the US and in June in the UK, and then sometime in August in Zimbabwe. And I must say I’m especially excited to add to Zimbabwe’s bookshelf.

WIN: Excited we also are for you NoViolet, you make us proud. We look forward to reading WNNN. Thanks a lot for taking the time to chat with us.

The secretary for Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association, Mr Tshidzana Malaba, says following the sourcing of US$9 million by the government towards the production of books for minority languages, they have started scouting for young writers to write Kalanga books and literature.

“The Kalangas nowhere in the history books of the current education curriculum. It’s therefore our role as language speakers to document our history and culture with speed considering that the language has been marginalised before and during colonial era. We therefore have very few people remaining who can tell us about our past,” he said.

“Should it come it will be definitely a boost to all the languages in this country. We have been encouraging our writers over the years to write and more literature is coming up,” he said.

Magnus Carlquist, Chargé d´Affaires a.i. at the Embassy of Sweden in Harare, handing over the grant to Harare City Library Comittee Chaiperson, Mike Curling (Courtesy Culture Fund)

The Government of Sweden through the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust awarded the Harare City Library over USD 1 million. The library renovations will be initiated this year.

On Thursday December 6, 2012, the project was officially launched.

The event brought in over 60 children from different schools.

Speaking at the occasion Magnus Carlquist, Chargé d´Affaires a.i. at the Embassy of Sweden in Harare said, “Today, the library becomes more of a workshop, a laboratory than a silent room full of books. I believe the citizens of Harare have the right to a decent and modern library in the middle of the beautiful city of Harare. I hope personally that the renovation of the Harare City Library is the start of something bigger; we know that there is need for better libraries in many parts of Harare and other Zimbabwean cities and communities.

Young students from primary and high schools around the country provided entertainment on the day. Students from Marlbereign high school played  two  violin compositions,  3 students read an extract of the  famous Swedish children’s storyPippi Long Stocking  in English, Ndebele and Shona. Chipawo children provided backdrop entertainment showing of their multitalented dance and singing skills.

Culture Fund Executive Director Mr. Farai Mpfunya said, “We are here today because library services enhance our culture, one of the reasons why the Culture Fund takes a broader view of our culture; what we have done in the past, how we are living today and how we plan to live in the future. Today we have yet another opportunity to help connect the literary arts with many Zimbabweans. This is exciting in the looming era of peace and prosperity in our country.”

The funding for the Harare City Library Renovation project will be managed by the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, a long-standing partner of Sweden in Zimbabwe.

The Culture Fund provides financial and technical support to cultural practitioners, institutions, and activities with the ultimate aim of contributing to a dynamic, diversified and sustainable culture sector in Zimbabwe. In addition to the Harare City Library grant, Sweden has since 2006 been injecting approximately USD 1 million annually into the culture sector in Zimbabwe through the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust.

The Harare City Library is a Trust established by Act of Parliament for the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe. It has operated as a library since 1902. Its award-winning building in Rotten Row celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.

See related reading

Venetian-themed Harare City Library fund-raising dinner at the British Ambassador’s residence (March 29, 2012)

What Harare City Library needs to return to its former glory

Fundraising event for the Harare City Library in December