Rising woman: Nahida’s true calling in the literary world

Writing is one of the fields that encompasses the intelligence quotient and the emotional quotient, history has often noted that more female writers, especially of stories have best brought out the necessary emotions in their works. The Citizen Rising Woman spoke to the renowned writer Nahida Esmail to learn more about her journey in this field and how the lack of enough children books by Tanzanian authors for Tanzanians made her embark on the literary path.

Prior to writing Nahida was busy trying to figure out what her calling in life was. She had studied psychology to become a counsellor, she had gotten a private pilot’s licence to become a pilot and she travelled to Egypt to study Arabic and did CELTA so she could teach it. She also did a short course in journalism to become a reporter. All these things finally led her to writing.

Nahida’s journey began when she started collecting books for her children to read before they were born. She was interested in collecting books written by Tanzanians for Tanzanians set in Tanzania but she was disappointed at the lack of material available. That’s when she decided to take matters into her own hands and start writing. Her focus was to write books for her children to read so she started with children’s books.

Nahida started writing for her first born who is now 13 years old the year before she was born, so she has been writing for 14 years now. She ensures that her books uphold social values because they are essential to her and so she strives to ensure that her books carry this message. Nahida gets encouraged when she comes across an article or review that talks about her works and the writer describes her works in similar light. She points out that recently, she came across a thesis that was written by Moikan Senyi titled ‘Social values in young adult’s novels: A study selected works by Nahida Esmail’.

According to the spirited author, writing in general is relevant, she says, “Writing stories from your perspective is voicing your opinions. We shouldn’t wait for our stories to be written by others. I want Tanzanians to become avid readers, so I am aiming to provide good storybooks for them. Give our children the possibility to dream and take on challenges after they have been discouraged from achieving and succeeding in their goals. We can never underestimate how reading can impact on a person’s life. Girls and women make up nearly half of the world’s population and are still discriminated because of their gender.”

She continues, “Girls need to see role models in this male-dominated world, besides being wives and daughters. Girls need to have the confidence that they can be whatever they aspire to be. They can be presidents, queens, warriors, scientists, astronauts, doctors, technicians, basically anything they want. Girls also need stories they can relate to and identify with.”

Nahida says that her award-winning title, ‘Living in the Shade: Aiming for the Summit,’ shows readers how it’s possible to dream and aim higher, and like the title suggests, it’s always possible to ‘Aim for the Summit’ despite the obstacles that stand in the way”. She also adds that for those who want to be writers, anyone’s writing journey starts with an intention to write followed by writing. She says that one just has to force themselves to sit and write without excuses.

Nahida also talked about girls’ challenge of limited access to reading material. “This is an ongoing challenge. One of my goals is to make my stories available to these very children. However, it is not something that can be completely achieved individually. The support of governments, organizations and civil society is paramount. It’s not impossible to become a nation of readers,” she says.

Despite the fact that Nahida is one of the best writers in Tanzania she also faces challenges especially when it comes to juggling with time when there is a deadline for a writing project. Contrary to what people may think, Nahida dots that motherhood and writing go very well together. Her girls give her feedback on the stories sometimes. She also works from home and has time for her girls.

Regarding her daughters following in her footsteps she said, “to be a good writer you also need to be a good reader and read a variety of books. This is what I am focusing on for now – making books available for them to read. I hope they realise their potential as I want to inculcate in them that they can reach for the sky and beyond if they want. One day, when the time is right, they will write.”

Nahida shared a brief summary of one of her two books, Aiming for the Summit, which she published in 2017. She says it’s about Ivory Stars, Tanzania’s first ever all-girls football team, but what makes this team even more unique is that it comprises of people with albinism. Disregarded by society, the team is determined to show the world that they won’t be held back. As International Albinism Awareness Day approaches, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro would defy stereotypes and prove that they are extraordinarily capable.

Aiming for the Summit is the first book in her ‘Living in the Shade’ series. The second book Karafu: A Freed Slave is a historical fiction book published in 2019.

As a teenager, Nahida loved Enid Blyton and she says her stories have inspired her in many ways. Her favourite readings have been: Lola Shoneyin’s ‘The secret lives of Baba Segi’s wives’, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist’, Jodi Picoult’s ‘Small Great Things’, Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Graveyard Book’, Arese Ugwu’s ‘The Smart Money Tribe’, Anthony Onugba’s ‘Darien’ and her favourite authors are Roald Dahl, Khaled Hooseini, Michael Morpurgo, Richard Mabala, Zukiswa Wanner, J.K Rowling, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Naima B Roberts. She also shares her favourate quote which says, “Travel the world by reading, when you can’t afford to physically.”

Writing is not predictable, Nahida says that in her literary journey there are novels that she has completed in a month because of a deadline and some have taken her over 4 years and some she still works on. What keeps her going is her goal of providing good quality stories for children. For aspiring writers she emphasises that determination is the bottom line, “There are many natural writers who don’t believe in themselves, who have a great fear or failure attitude. A writer has to grow thick skin because people out there can throw negative comments. If you take it personally you will stop writing forever,” she concludes.