Tanzania’s former beauty queen produces literature for children

By Kizito Makoye

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AA) – Former beauty queen of the East African country of Tanzania is toiling hard to promote book reading culture among children in the era of gadgets and digital technology.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency coinciding with the World Children’s Book Week (Nov. 2-9), Nancy Sumari, winner of the 2005 Miss World Africa title, said she has taken to authoring and publishing children’s books to revive reading habits.

Disturbed at the lack of children’s content on Tanzania’s bookshelves, she took to authoring and publishing content for children.

Recently, she launched a new book for children named after Tanzania’s first female president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, in the local Kiswahili language.

“I have named this book after her because, I wanted to inspire young girls, and tell them despite barriers they can always achieve their future dreams,” Sumari said.

She said the reading habit sharpens critical faculties in children and they tend to emulate good characters in the stories such as Samia.

Sumari has already made her mark in children’s literature, with her two books titled Nyota Yako (Your Star) and Haki (Justice).

“We didn’t have enough stories that honor our history and allow these stories of our culture and our Kiswahili language to be told to children. I wanted to reach out to young girls and boys with stories about their mothers, grandmothers, and aunts to awaken and inspire and challenge them to reach their highest potential,” she said.

She is telling exciting stories in her books that paint a vivid portrait of the struggle children go through to discover and defend their rights.

“She has set the standard for other young writers. I think when kids read her books, they will be inspired to follow her good example,” said Walter Bgoya, a renowned book publisher in Tanzania.

She launched her new book at the Kizimkazi Secondary school in Tanzania’s semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago, where she distributed copies of her book to students.

- Advocate of girls' rights

“I am honored to launch this book at this school where the president was educated. I believe every girl who will read this book, will see herself traveling with her mother and will be motivated to defend and fulfill her future dreams,” she said.

The Samia book, which tells the story of a soft-spoken leader of the East African country, is aimed at teaching children to believe in themselves, be self-motivated, and live the life of example for others.

“As a staunch advocate for girls’ rights I have authored books that can inspire children and adults as well,” she said.

Husna Abdulmajid, a class two student at the school who got her copy of Samia said it will help her to understand the history and personality of the former Tanzania president.

Born in 1986 in Arusha, Sumari is an author, businesswoman, and social entrepreneur.

She grew up with her five siblings on a small farmhouse in the northern Mererani hills in the northern Arusha city.

Sumari was educated partly in Kenya and later in Tanzania where she graduated with a bachelor of business administration from the University of Dar es Salaam.