A Zimbabwean Poetess Published Her First Poetry Book: Africa Hear My Cry
Prosperity Melinda Mpofu
By: Mulamuleli Tshitangano
Worth Noting:
- Apart from being an author, she is also a performing poetess, LLB student and a brand owner of Rise African Child clothing wear.
- As a youth who had always wished to be a published author and a recognized poetess since childhood, she has fulfilled half of her dreams when she became a published poet in 2022. “I want to inspire, I want to motivate, I want to lead. I want recognition. Once all that is fulfilled then my dream would be complete,” she added.
- One of her biggest wish is to work hand in hand with fellow African authors and Poets across Africa.
Prosperity Melinda Mpofu (23) is a Zimbabwean multi-award winner author, poetess and entrepreneur based in the Republic of South Africa. She is an African who fits in every puzzle of Africa. Growing up Melinda always had passion for writing. “I would always write about myself whenever I heard stories about certain people. I have always felt like people must know about Prosperity, her mother’s child and pride,” she explains. However, not only did Melinda have passion for writing, but reciting as well which later inspired her to start penning down her own poems. “From the age of 11 to 14,I used to recite what was written by other authors and even act in school dramas. At the age of 15 I felt like I could also write and I started writing and recite my own poems,” she further explained.
Throughout her literary career, the ambitious Melinda had always been motivated by her late primary school teacher back in Zimbabwe who always encouraged them to recite poems and also use it as a way of boosting their confidence in public speaking.
“Mr Moyo really believed in me even when I doubted myself. I felt like I was not enough. I even felt like good things were not meant for the orphans or the poor. However Mr Moyo’s confidence towards me made me believe in myself,” she said.
Melinda never abandoned her culture nor ethics when she migrated to South Africa. As a way of honoring her late teacher, she always carried the poems with her and recites them for crowds to see.
Apart from being an author, she is also a performing poetess, LLB student and a brand owner of Rise African Child clothing wear.
As a youth who had always wished to be a published author and a recognized poetess since childhood, she has fulfilled half of her dreams when she became a published poet in 2022. “I want to inspire, I want to motivate, I want to lead. I want recognition. Once all that is fulfilled then my dream would be complete,” she added.
One of her biggest wish is to work hand in hand with fellow African authors and Poets across Africa.
“I wish to meet and recite a special poem for Professor Patrick L.O. Lumumba, a vicar of truth and parity, and as a young entrepreneur who has a clothing brand, I would like to collaborate with Lawy Afrik of Amos Onyango(A very dedicated and talented humble brother) . A brand originally from Kenya,” Melinda says.
Like each and every industry that has its own pros and cons, Prosperity never had it easy in a silver platter. According to Prosperity, she had always been discouraged by negative comments from people around her which caused her to have low self-esteem. She also tried to reach to other great artists to mentor her with no luck, as well as as lack of funds to develop and improve her craft.Those has been some of great challenges she faced as a young artist.
“I had to remind myself of a dream of an orphan, a dream of an African Child that has to come to reality. I had to remember that there is a Creator who created me for a purpose. I had to keep on keeping on for the people that atleast believed that I had a potential and I was talented. I had to eradicate all the negativity and keep being optimistic. Life is not a bed of roses after all. NO PAIN NO GAIN NO HARD WORK, NO PROSPERITY!, ” she concluded.
A BOOK THE BOOK: AFRICA HEAR MY CRY
The Book AFRICA HEAR MY CRY is an anthology of 30 poems, all written by Prosperity Melinda MPOFU.
The book is dedicated to every African. It questions Africans as PEOPLE about their identity. It questions about the hate, discrimination and division amongst the people of the same distinct. The book additionally encourages and inspires love and unity amongst fellow Africans. In some poems, I praise the beauty of our rich and natural Africa because as much as Africa has her differences, she is still divinely blessed
The book is for the young and old.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Stop digging, start building
- ‘No one will touch Kylian’: Macron draws a line
- Three from three: City’s new era is up and running
- Love came home to Sheema
- When strength becomes silence
About the Author
