It was a no brainer to share our FunDza experience at the Franschhoek Literary Festival (FLF) this year with some of the students participating in the FunDza/Nal’ibali/False Bay College Reading for Enjoyment Campaign. It has been such a rewarding campaign to date as the book circulation at the campus’s Open Learning Centre have doubled since inception.
About to enter our first session!
False Bay College provided the transport on the day and FunDza had the honour of hosting ten students, three lecturers and one librarian. Each student attended two sessions. For the first session we all attended ‘Who Likes what Teens Read?’ facilitated by Samantha Page with YA writers Edyth Bulbring (The Mark), Mamle Kabu (The Kaya Girl – written under the name Mamle Wolo), SA Partridge (Sharp Edges) and of course our very own Zimkhitha Mlanzeli (Blood Ties – Harmony High series). They were asked who they write for, who is reading their books, and how they tailor their stories for their audience.
Next the group split up between two sessions. ‘A story to tell.’ Redi Tlhabi (CapeTalk/Talk Radio 702) asked three women to share the stories of their lives, each extraordinary in its own way. With Ruth Carneson (Girl on the Edge), Pamela Nomvete (Dancing to the Beat of the Drum) and Maria Phalime (Postmortem: The doctor who walked away).
The other option for session two was ‘R100 on the Road to Hope’ where Marianne Thamm (Here I Am) followed the quest for understanding and hope undertaken by another FunDzanian, Sonja Kruse (The uBuntu Girl) when she hit the roads of South Africa with a backpack, R100, her thumb, and a deep belief in the goodness of people.
Afterwards we enjoyed lunch with the students and lapped up all the excitement as each of us got to share our personal experience of attending the festival. For most this was a first. One of the highlights for those attending the ‘A story to tell’ was that they were amazed how their perception of someone like Pamela Nomvete and the reality of Pamela’s life, was so different. One student commented that they never thought that there would be so many similarities in her own life. Another student also said that he feels inspired to continue his passion of writing.
We hope to bring more young readers and writers to the Franschhoek Literary Festival in the future. In the audience and perhaps to see rising stars on the panels.
Thank you False Bay College.
A thank you card from the students!