More love for albinos : Poets join hands against their killing

Malawian poets have added their voices in condemnation of the atrocities against the country’s albino community, Malawi24 has established.

The poets in partnership with Sapitwa poetry, are in a month-long campaign which is being called Sapitwa poetry 31 days against the killing of people with albinism.

The campaign, now in its third day involves exposing a poetic work on different media platforms on daily basis until the 31 days are reached. A number of poets have resoundingly contributed towards the project, thus producing two collections of poems.

According to information shared to this publication, a group of poets that predominantly consists of up and coming poets mobilised resources which facilitated production of two collections in Chichewa and English.

The former has 20 poems whereas the latter has 15 poems. Besides the already existing campaigns on the matter, indigenous poets feel the need to add the poetic voice that is missing, taking into consideration the influence poetry is having in the present.

“What inspired us is the continued killings of albinos despite many campaigns. We feel adding a poetic voice would help to the already existing campaigns considering the influence of poetry nowadays,” said one of the poets, Robert Chiwamba.

Some local radio stations have provided support to the project by providing airtime while www.sapitwapoetry.com will be accommodating a new poem every day. The campaign is mainly aimed at civic educating the audience.

“Our expectation is a more civic educated audience, a proactive rather than reactive audience on issues to do with the killings of albinos and a sensitised nation on the rights of people living with albinism,” Chiwamba added.

Some of the up and coming poets in the project are Phindu Banda who curtain raised Q Malewezi’s launch, Kennedy Kaula, Chimwemwe Leonard, Godfrey Mpunga, Chris Loka, Rodwell Lumbe, Mtisunge Botoman, Watipaso Nungu, and Sumeya Issa.