WHAT started as the love of writing stories at the tender age of eight for Gladman Madawaenda has grown into a passion which has led to the recent launch of his first creative book, The Independent Women.
Madawaenda, popularly known as MwanaWaGidza, says The Independent Women is a play that seeks to explore the themes women empowerment, feminism, toxic masculinity as well as gender equality.
The play is in English, Shona, Shangani and Ndebele.
“The title is about women, but the book is about both men and women. So the inspiration came from gender-related conflicts and the cry of equality by women which made me put all the issues in a play,” said MwanaWaGidza.
“While one appreciates the intensity of women’s rights and the profound call that has been made, one might consider the effect it has had on men.”
MwanaWaGidza, a law student, is a spoken word artist and playwright as well as a voice actor.
“It is by the grace of God that I am able to strike a balance. At times it is very difficult to balance but I find myself making it at the end,” MwanaWaGidza said.
He says he is currently working on a spoken word poem with a Nigerian poet.
He says as much as power outages are affecting big companies, they also have an effect on small projects like his. Power outages delayed the publication of the book. The project took seven months to complete.
“It is my wish to engage young people who wish to write and guide them. I want to motivate the young generation to venture into arts and develop,” he said.
“I also plan on making videos for my poetry.”
As a young artist, he says the youth should stay focused and know what they want to achieve in life.
“Nothing is impossible if you have a drive and passion for something,” MwanaWaGidza said.
MwanaWaGidza is the 2022 Ignite Youth Creative Arts Award Winner, a nominee of the 40 Africa Awards 2023, a runner-up of the Khanyanisa Poetry Slam 2021 and runner-up of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Fest Poetry Slam 2021.
He is the outstanding Page Poet for the Poetry Red Carpet.
MwanaWaGidza is a winner of the July 2022 Climate Friday Poetry Slam, winner of the Bring it On Northside Spoken Word 2022, Runner up of the Shoko Fest 2022 Poetry Slam, winner of the 2022 Harare Literature Festival Poetry Slam and nominee of the Trendsetting Youth Awards best Spoken Word Artist.