BY AGATHA CHUMA
CHITUNGWIZA-BASED novelist Obvious Dziwanyika has published his second Shona novel titled Shungu Dzemwoyo, which captures a plethora of issues that women face in society due to poverty.
Published by Progressive Publishers, the novel carries 22 chapters and narrates the story of a young girl who was born out of wedlock and had to face harsh treatment from her stepmother.
When the girl moves to Harare, she thinks luck has finally visited her, not knowing that she is going to be a victim of sexual abuse.
She is forced into a second marriage, where she is physically abused by her mother-in-law.
As a result of poverty, she later resorts to prostitution.
After all the misfortunes, she eventually gets married to a loving partner and starts an organisation that helps the girl child living in poverty as she believes poverty forces them to get into early marriages.
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Dziwanyika said poverty-stricken girls who drop out of school and get married at an early age inspired him to come up with such a novel.
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“The novel was inspired by the young girls who used to be bright in school, but failed to further their education because parents could not afford school fees. As a result, they ended up getting married and the marriage did not last,” he said.
“The novel also conveys an advice to men who dump ladies after impregnating them, that they must take their responsibility and not to run away. In a society, poverty can force people to venture into unplanned businesses because they want to survive.”
He added: “Some husbands are abusive, taking ladies for granted, so all in all, the novel is encouraging men not to salivate over sex with no intention of considering the aftermath on the part of the children and the mother.
“This can force the mothers to venture into undreamt situations to survive.”
Dziwanyika, who is also a musician, has been writing for the past seven years and some of his publications include Chomubako (currently an “A” Level Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council set book), Ramangwana (a short story), Chainga Chenduri and Dopiro Renhetembo.
- Follow Agatha on Twitter @AgathaChuma
