What began as a moment of vulnerability during illness has blossomed into a powerful storytelling journey for Gladys Rakhadani. The 41-year-old aspiring author from Mafukani village recently published her debut Tshivenda novel, Lwendo lwa Vhutshilo (The Journey of Life).
Rakhadani says the idea was planted back in 2004, when she fell seriously ill. "I wanted to write about everything that was happening to me, but I just couldn't get going back then," she recalls. The thought lingered for years, until the December holidays in 2019. By January 2020, she had finally begun writing what would become her first book.
Raised in Mafukani, where she attended Mafukani Primary and Matavhela Secondary School, Rakhadani says she never imagined she would become a writer. "Growing up, I never saw any signs pointing to writing. It only started showing in 2004," she says.
Lwendo lwa Vhutshilo follows the life of a young woman named Blessing, who is born into poverty. Her father is a pensioner and part-time self-employed worker. Blessing battles her way through school and eventually completes matric, despite numerous setbacks. With no means to pursue further education, she moves from job to job, facing relentless challenges in the workplace and in relationships. Just when she believes she has found love and stability in marriage, another hardship surfaces — the struggle to conceive. The couple's unwavering faith sees them turning to various churches in search of a miracle, and in the end, their prayers are answered.
"This book speaks to perseverance and faith. It's about how life's journey, no matter how hard, still has purpose," says Rakhadani.
Now that her first novel has been published, she is setting her sights on bigger goals. "I want to write more books — especially ones that can be read in schools," she says. "My biggest achievement is seeing myself finally publish this story that's been inside me for years."