VIDEO: Inaugural book awards honour Dr Gcina Mhlophe
The renowned storyteller was recognised for her Nozincwadi Literacy Campaign and contribution to literacy.
eTHEKWINI’s Living Legend Dr Gcina Mhlophe received a lifetime achievement award at The Book Behind Awards on Saturday, October 2.
Hosted at eLangeni Hotel in Durban, Dr Mhlophe was acknowledged for the work done through the Nozincwadi Literacy Campaign and her contribution to literacy.
She was among many other authors, writers, editors, and publishers honoured at the ceremony. In her acceptance speech, the Bluff resident highlighted the importance of literacy and its role players in the world.
“Congratulations to all writers. Without writers, nothing moves forward. Without novels, poems, and stories, whether good or bad, nothing will move forward in our country.”
“Years would go by and all would be otherwise forgotten. We’re grateful for ceremonies as such that recognise these role players. Our authors write in different languages and genres and it is really an honour to be among them to celebrate everyone. Thank you for the lifetime achievement award in the city of literature, eThekwini,” she said.
Nozincwadi Literacy Campaign celebrated its 20-year milestone in April this year. It was established from Dr Mhlophe’s desire of founding a literacy campaign to help build a reading and writing nation.
The initiative started out as a reading roadshow, with a small team driving to remote parts of the country with boxes of books to many different schools.
Often, these schools did not even have a library and she would encourage them to choose a room to convert into a library using the Nozincwadi box as a starting point.
The first annual The Book Behind Awards ceremony celebrated and recognised the complexities of being an author, and honoured the role that authors play in society.
The non-profit company describes authorship as a road seldom smooth and easy. It believes that behind every successful book, is an even more intriguing story of determination, resilience, and sleepless nights, which comes with support, encouragement, and care.
