Written by  Benard Semen and edited by Lizana Kafwa Tanzania’s literary scene celebrated a triumphant moment as members of Writers Space Africa (Tanzania Chapter) showcased their talent at the prestigious 2nd Mwalimu Nyerere National Creative Writing Awards, held in Dar es Salaam on April 13, 2024. Organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology […] The post Writers Space Africa (Tanzania chapter) Shines Bright at the 2nd Mwalimu Nyerere National Creative Writing Award appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

“Wen, wen”, the baby cried out again. It’s 3:00 am in the morning and she had not closed her eyes for a second. She had fed him, cooed him and even sang for him but he won’t stop crying. The dangling of the keys brought her back to reality. Now, he is in front of […] The post From Midnight Wails to Morning Smiles – A Flash Fiction by Bilqees Olowu, Nigeria appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

My mother was a fighter. It was all she ever did. She spent three days in labour fighting to give birth to me and spent the rest of her life fighting for mine. All Mother ever did was struggle. I don’t remember a moment when her hands were not full. She was either cradling my […] The post Emancipation – A Flash Fiction by Isirima Grace, South Africa appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

“Look at your face,” they say. “Look how it holds lifetimes of people who loved each other. Their loving is nestled between the gaps of your teeth and cradled in the rooks of your ears. It swings across the tips of your lashes.” I look at my face. They say there’s love here? I claw […] The post Our Founding Mothers – A Flash Fiction by Kristen Harding, South Africa appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

I was five years old when I woke up to a flooded house. Cloudy water poured in through the door and then through the open windows. Bearing pieces of wood, grass, and whatever else could float. And a lot of things floated. Things like our trash, which we usually left in a brown carton outside […] The post Motherhood: A Lesson in Self-Denial – A Creative Nonfiction by Oluwakorede Obaditan, Nigeria appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

What gift surpasses the treasure of a mother? Over the years, my mother has remained a constant, treating me with the same tenderness she did when I was a child. Her daily calls to ensure I’ve eaten, inquire about my sleep, and delve into the minutiae of my life. Through her unwavering care, I’ve come […] The post The Unmatched Essence of Motherhood – A Creative Nonfiction by Herman Owuor, Kenya appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

Changing malodorous diapers. Extinguishing wild tantrums. Navigating your way through a minefield of sharp toys strewn across the carpet. Paying off titanosauric school fees. Tolerating cyclic teenage mood swings. Playing the role of the mediator in countless puerile sibling fights. And delivering hyperbolic speeches on why phone addicts are most likely to get hit by […] The post The Rudiments of Maternity – A Creative Nonfiction by Carmi Philander, South Africa appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

“Ni msichana, aah, wewe bado hujazaa,” the plump 30-something-year-old lady glances down at the baby in my arms. Her name, she says, is Ruth. We’ve just come back from the hospital because the baby has jaundice, a week after she lands in this crazy, strange, loud world. A thought: Kenya’s first President, Jomo Kenyatta, sought […] The post Is It a Girl? – A Creative Nonfiction by Verah Omwocha, Kenya appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

When the call from my brother came it was still unexpected. As always, he started the conversation with an offensive—that’s the nature of our relationship, it’s always been. “Since the surgery, she’s just been lying in bed,” he says curtly. “Surgery is traumatic, especially for older people,” I reply. “Maybe rest is not the worst […] The post Motherhood – A Creative Nonfiction by Louise Venter, South Africa appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more

The single-parent label clings to my childhood like a faded sticker on a half-peeling wall. It’s a term that attempts to define, to categorize, but fails utterly to capture the kaleidoscopic reality of growing up under the sun-drenched canopy of my mother’s love. She wasn’t just a single parent; she was a universe unto herself, […] The post Motherhood Through my Kaleidoscope – A Creative Nonfiction by Makia Lucy, Kenya appeared first on Writers Space Africa ..read more