Kufinya mandimu, kukonza chakumwa

By Bhatupe Mhango, ©2011

Kufinya mandimu, kukonza chakumwa is the Chichewa translation of Bhatupe Mhango’s short story, Squeezing lemons, making lemonade, which forms part of Openly Positive’s English short story collection, Whisper not. Bhatupe’s life story takes you on a young girl’s voyage of discovery through Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia to her becoming a confident woman advocating for living positively with HIV for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

The Lessons and questions for discussion at the end of her story invite you to reflect on and take charge of your own life:

“This is the simple story of my life – a raw account of my vulnerability, how my life and body were attacked by a teeny-weeny virus, and how I got the courage to get up and keep on living.”
BHATUPE MHANGO

Our author, her story

This is Bhatupe’s story. Click on the links below to read more about her and the story she has chosen to tell.

Learn a little about Bhatupe
These Whisper not author details were current at the time of writing: September 2010.

Read an extract from Bhatupe's story
This extract is entitled Ndondomeko zoyamba kuwululira ndi kuvomereza and is from Bhatupe Mhango's story: Kufinya mandimu, kukonza chakumwa.

Kufinya mandimu, kukonza chakumwa is the Chichewa translation of her short story in Whisper not, called Squeezing lemons, making lemonade. You can read the English version of the above extract in English by clicking on the link.

Click here to watch an interview with Bhatupe.

Bhatupe's lessons and questions

Kufinya mandimu, kukonza chakumwa ends with a set of learning tools and reader aids:

Lessons and questions for discussion (in Chichewa)
A glossary of terms, abbreviations and acronyms
References and useful reading.

The idea is to use the lessons and questions for discussion, together with the positive language guidelines also available on the site, in awareness workshops or in support groups. Topics include dealing with abuse, stigma and relationships, as well as psychological and treatment issues. The writing tips will help you when you start writing for yourself and the glossary will aid understanding, particularly of medical and foreign words, while the references will help with further reading, information and getting help.

Where to buy?

From May 4th onwards, Kufinya mandimu, kukonza chakumwa is available nationally at a wide range of South African bookstores. Books will also become available at selected bookstores internationally. If you would like to buy Kufinya mandimu, kukonza chakumwa online, please visit kalahari.net to place your order and your book will be delivered to you.