In 2021, award-winning poet and author Ms Phathutshedzo Netshivhulana published her first book, titled Pfuramathupho, whose target audience were mostly Tshivenda-speaking people. As time went by, the persistence of readers of other nationalities to have the book in English prompted her to translate it into English. The book, with its English title At the Heart of Sorrow, was published towards the end of 2022, and has since catapulted the author to international status, with orders flooding in from most African countries and as far afield as Russia.
The novel by this 25-year-old girl from the rural Tshaulu village is based on a true-life story, giving an insight into student life and the dangers involved for young people.
As to why she had decided to translate it to English, Phathutshedzo was quick to point out that her book could help many university students and many of them do not understand Tshivenda. "We translated it to reach a broader reading audience, and received global critical acclamation," she said.
Phathutshedzo holds a bachelor's degree in urban and regional planning but says her journey towards obtaining her degree had not been an easy one. "In the book, I share with the readers how my expectations about university life turned into a series of traumatic experiences and how I overcame them. The book gives parents a flash of what some students get subjected to, as it addresses the issue of gender-based violence at higher-learning institutions. It identifies the different types of abuse, causes, and measures that can be taken to avoid it. My dream and wish is that the Department of Education prescribe it for the Grade 12 learners, as this will come in handy and prepare them for varsity life and how to conduct themselves during their tertiary years," she said.
She says that translating the book into English was the best decision she could have made. "The English version is making waves internationally. Since its release, sales have surged, and I can confidently say that I am starting to reap the fruits of my labour. I now have readers in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Russia, which is no mean feat for a rural-based young author."
For book orders and other information, Phathutshedzo can be contacted on 072 493 9114, or follow her on her Facebook page (Phathutshedzo Netshivhulana).