The Mt Kenya Times 
Young Angolan writer, Selma Pires
By: Paula .O.M Otukile
Worth Noting:
- Selma Pires is a very intense person, when she puts her mind to something it has to come out. No matter how many bumps in the road, she manages to make it happen. She has a huge heart because she likes to welcome people and help in any way she can. She’s mum to three beautiful Negravilhosas, married and currently living in England.
- “I believe that art has always been part of my life, even indirectly and unconsciously, I’ve always liked what’s different or what’s not up to standard, and I liked and like to have meetings with myself like ya that makes sense… no that doesn’t.
Young Angolan writer, Selma Pires, has been gaining prominence in England, Portugal and Brazil with her literary works.
Selma Pires is a writer, businesswoman and psychologist currently based in England. A multifaceted woman, she divides her life between the roles of wife and mother of three. With a solid background in psychology, Selma has dedicated a large part of her career to mental well-being and is the mentor of the “Mesa das Poderosas” project. This project, which includes talks, lectures and events, aims to raise awareness about the mental health of women, men, couples and families.
Her passion for writing has led her to release two books, in which she explores deep and impactful themes, reflecting her experience and knowledge in the field of psychology. After living in Portugal for several years, Selma settled in England over a decade ago, where she continues to expand her horizons. She has recently ventured into the world of film production and is currently producing a series inspired by her latest book, combining her passion for writing with the audiovisual universe. Selma Pires continues to be an influential and inspiring voice, using her platform to promote the importance of mental health and strengthening interpersonal relationships.
Selma Pires is a very intense person, when she puts her mind to something it has to come out. No matter how many bumps in the road, she manages to make it happen. She has a huge heart because she likes to welcome people and help in any way she can. She’s mum to three beautiful Negravilhosas, married and currently living in England.
“I believe that art has always been part of my life, even indirectly and unconsciously, I’ve always liked what’s different or what’s not up to standard, and I liked and like to have meetings with myself like ya that makes sense… no that doesn’t.
But in 2015 that’s when this art bug made its name felt, when I already had my two daughters ahaha motherhood has this super power, it can show us paths that sometimes we think we’ll never enter. I was born in Angola at Ngangula Hospital, I’m from Maquela do Zombo, my mum from Uíge and my dad from Malanje. I currently live in England but I’ve lived in Portugal.
I’m 100 per cent at everything, at different times of course, because no one can give 100 per cent of themselves to every project at the same time. I separate the waters… there’s the psychologist moment, so I’m just the psychologist. I’m also a writer and an entrepreneur. This also helps me to concentrate better on each situation.
I say that Nzambi speaks to me, in fact my mum always said that you didn’t come into this world in vain, you came to raise an empire (I didn’t believe it until I was 27) and today I’m sure that you did. So I observe a lot and everywhere I go I always try to get something out of it. Whether it’s a conversation with friends, my husband, my mum. In the therapy appointments I give, I like to pay attention to every detail and then sit back and let myself be guided by the voice that lives inside me. I have a total of three books: “As Negravilhosas”, which talks about the importance of validating children’s self-esteem and teaching them to love what they see in the mirror and to understand that being different is normal and beautiful. When I say different, I mean in terms of colour/hair, because many children feel sad because their colour is different or because their hair isn’t the same as their classmate’s. My second book, “When I Look at Myself”, talks about the importance of validating children’s self-esteem and teaching them to love what they see in the mirror and to understand that being different is normal and beautiful. My second book “When I look at myself I see you” talks about the importance of dialogue between mothers and daughters and daughters understanding that behind a mother there is a person who also has and has had her traumas, it talks about sorority and the importance of learning to have difficult conversations with other women and that no one is anyone’s enemy.
My third novel, “If my silence could speak”, which will be released this year, is about the importance of looking at men with more respect and not putting them all in the same bag – men are all the same. I like to have the ability, even if someone does something wrong, to try to understand why they did it or what led them to behave in certain ways. I feel I’m welcomed everywhere I go. When I’m in England I’m very much appreciated, and in Portugal too. Last year when I arrived in Brazil I was very well received too. I believe that our energy introduces us even before we open our mouths.
The biggest event I’ve ever organised was the Mesa das Poderosas (an event I created at Quarantena and which today has become one of the best choices I’ve made in my career, it’s an event that helps women to realise the strength they have, where together we release certain stigmas in society, we talk about various subjects, such as marriage, motherhood, mental health and other topics that are still taboo for the society we live in). In October 2023 I held the 8th edition in Nottingham and we had 46 women,
I started with just 14 women at Zoom in 2020, it was magical and unique and this year I’ve already prepared the 9th edition and we’ve already closed the places and it will be in Portugal with 3 very intense days.
Firstly, my walk is my greatest inspiration because without it there wouldn’t be a Selma, then my husband, my daughters because they are so small but they live life so purely and because they are still small they can see beauty in places that we adults, because we know how the world is, often lose that vision. And the people I have around me, because we are the sum of the people we have around us who are our friends.
The first question is who is Selma, but even if I introduce myself, I believe that everyone sees you with the lens they have.” Said the Angolan writer living in England.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Diaspora Times Global Aug 29 – Sep 5, 2026
- When soldiers turn on the junta they helped create
- Educational empowerment: A non-negotiable investment in Kenya’s future
- What aging parents want their adult children to understand
- Zimbabwe to roll out emotional learning programme to all 72 districts
About the Author
