BY TENDAI SAUTA AWARD-WINNING South African poet and author Nontlantla Mthimkulu says she is in search of poems by Africans to be published in an African anthology titled My Mental Health Book 1 African Poetry Collection.
In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style, Mthimkulu, who is also a member of Art for Transformation and Civic Engagement said she believed there was healing between the lines of poetry.
“I am compiling an African anthology and I need poets from African countries to contribute to this anthology titled My Mental Health Book 1 African Poetry Collection which is about mental health awareness,” she said.
“I believe that African poets have voices that also need to be heard through their creation.”
A mental health advocate and founder of Feed A Mind Foundation, Mthimkulu said one has to stay authentic to own writing and not get confused.
“I used to face challenges of being authentic with my writings. As poets we get exposed to other poets and their writing styles, as there are styles of writing as a poet you will love that are different from yours,” she said.
Mthimkulu said artists should see art as it is, and respect it so that other people can also respect both the art and artist.
Her work has been featured in a global mental health awareness anthology titled Letting in the Light.
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She has also published a short story titled Blind But Not Blinded that is available on Amazon and her writings have been featured in a Ubuntu Poetry Collection compiled by African poets.
“I have been published on FunDza Literacy Trust and my Poem-on-Poem Hunters has received a four-star rating on Amazon,” she said.
“I am also the founder of My Mental Health Global Programme which got me nominated for the Global Start Up Awards 2021 and MAMA Best Movement Nominee 2021/22.”
Away from writing, Mthimkulu, who is a psychotherapist by profession, is involved in pageantry and she was recently crowned Miss Lejweleputswa 2021 finalist.
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