Getting to know Poppy Bhengu
Poppy Bhengu is a 31-year-old mother of three who just released the second edition of her book: Fit to be a Modern Makoti.
Poppy Bhengu is a 31-year-old author who just released the second edition of her hugely popular series, Fit to be a Modern Makoti.
Her latest book was launched virtually on Saturday afternoon, which was her and her husband Sihle’s engagement anniversary.
When she is not writing books, she is a mother of three and works for the City of Ekurhuleni.
What was the motivation behind this book?
I felt so frustrated by the expectations from society of what marriage should be like and what a makoti (wife) should be. So I reached out, did my research and found I was not the only one feeling this way. The challenges I faces were common among all women.
Is the book only applicable to black women?
Not at all. Women of all cultures can read the book and identify with the issues raised. What I have experienced and what others have experienced might not be the same but some things are common. The book can also be read by single women, as there are topics in the book they can identify with, such as money and abuse. With this book I also included the mother-in-law’s perspective and what expectations rest upon her and the makoti.
Also read: Getting to know Thabo Sekoaila
You collaborated with your husband on the book, what was that like?
My husband was my support structure. He would give his perspective and I would incorporate it into the book. We also stayed up late working on the book or sometimes he would wake me up so I can write.
Do you feel pressured now that you’ve put yourself out there as a married couple?
We feel like we’re the ambassadors of marriage. No marriage is perfect, we have challenges but these can be worked through. The medicine we give to other couples in the book is the same medicine we use.
Also read: Getting to know Karabo Mbonani
Where can people get the book?
The book is self-published, so people can contact me directly.
You have a full-time job and have three children, where did you find the time to write a book?
As a family, we sat down and talked about our goals and what is important to us. Writing this book was important to me; therefore, I allocated time to it and we had a schedule as a family. Everyone understood if I came home late from doing research, it is because this was important to me. The same goes for my son, for example, who loves drawing. We support him by buying him drawing supplies. We do it all as a family.
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