Bulawayo-based master of ceremonies, poet and author Liberty “uMahlabayithwale” Ndaba will donate copies of his recently launched isiNdebele poetry manuscript, Umdlewadlewane, to schools and community institutions that played a pivotal role in shaping his literary journey.
Ndaba said the donations were his way of expressing gratitude to the communities and institutions that nurtured his talent from an early age.
“Mazhabazha Primary is my home area in Filabusi. That’s where I learnt from Grade One, Two, Four and Five,” he said.
“My primary socialisation in drama, theatre and poetry started there. I started doing poetry in Grade Two and I was already a poet for the school.”
Ndaba said although his time at Mpumelelo Primary School was brief, the school also contributed significantly to his development.
“That’s where some of my skills were kept. I’m simply saying thank you to them,” he said.
He described Bungwe High School as the institution that refined his writing abilities and helped shape the language and expression that define his work today.
“That’s where most of my story, my poetry, essay writing and drama were kept. That’s where most of the language I use today I learnt from,” Ndaba said.
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He said the donation initiative also extended beyond schools he attended.
“Gampu Library is helping the community. I have read works written by local authors there, so I’m saying, as a community member, here is what I’m doing to support you,” he said.
Ndaba added that he will also donate books to Nkanyezi primary, where his children attend school, as a gesture of appreciation for the role the institution continues to play in educating young people.
Reflecting on his tertiary education, Ndaba credited Hillside Teachers’ College and Lupane State University for deepening his passion for poetry.
“That’s where my love for poetry writing grew and where I was encouraged to do more. That’s what built me into the MC and poet you are looking at today,” he said.
He said the donation drive is ultimately about acknowledging the people and institutions that invested in his potential.
“I’m just giving back to where I came from,” he said.
