Local author Bridget Nwovhe has been using the art of poetry to heal broken hearts and souls through her poems.
She had a passion for reading poetry and stories, and that passion has since grown into a love of writing poetry and stories.
"Writing is a way of connecting heart to brains, you expose your heart or those who could relate to their brains," she said. "It's a way of opening an extra sense to humans."
Nwovhe won second prize in the Sol Plaatje European Union contest just eight months after she had revealed to the world that she had a talent in writing. "I was so excited about the award," she said. "It motivated me to stand firm as a poet, and it made me feel more confident to share my poetry with the world."
She had had some setbacks in life, but she had to get up and continue with the journey. "At some point I lost a bursary because my academic journey involved two universities," she said. "God showed up and I did not give up; so, I conquered."
She motivates the youths to work harder in life in order to achieve their dreams and realise the goals of their lives. "I think everyone, vitally the young, must just be determined, working harder to get what they believe in," she said. "Don't wait for people to validate or approve things for you. I think that as youths we are failing and falling because we want people to do things for us. We just have to stay connected to our dreams and goals, that's what matters."
She says youths should arrive at a stage where they are able to realise their dreams independently if needs be. "Funds or no funds, the goal is to keep the head above water," she said. "One day, nature will always find a way to nurture that goal."
She sees the coronavirus as a social pandemic that calls for all people to play their part. "I think people are panicking a lot rather than following the precautions," she said. "Let's all work remotely according to the WHO and DOH guidelines."
(This article was edited on 27/01/23 after some inaccuracies were pointed out. The original article referred to Ms Nwovhe as being a medical doctor, which was incorrect. – Ed)