25 Nov 2025

Grief and financial struggles were some of the dark shadows that trailed self-published children’s author Zwelihle Nsiiwa who recently made a breakthrough as the Artist Pan-African Award winner at The List Awards, held on November 7 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Her lifestory centres around  Xhumo, a small village in the Boteti District, remote, isolated and among the under-resourced places in Botswana. There, she lived with her older sister and her two children throughout her teenage and young adult years. But after her sister’s untimely passing, a young Nsiiwa suddenly found herself the guardian of two children and unemployed at just 22-years-old.

“That is when I started work as a house-helper to sustain myself and the children. I did this for close to a decade,” Nsiiwa shared in an interview. Yet, deep within her, a dream to return to school refused to be silenced. “I  then decided to pursue my studies. I started with a certificate in Public Relations, going as far as obtaining a Master’s Degree in International Business Management,” she said, her voice softening as she reflected on how far she has come.

Then came the year 2022. Four months in, her mother-in-law passed away. Another four months later, she faced an even deeper grief: the loss of her own mother, a heartbreak that tested every part of her resilience.

Her voice neither quivering nor quietening, but instead carrying the strength from God, Nsiiwa reflected on the year 2023. Everything had seemed steady in her world, and she had no way of knowing the months ahead would bring the kind of devastation that changes a person forever. Barely a year in, three of her brothers were killed in a case of manslaughter, a dark period that left her numb.

“I really didn’t know what to do with myself,” she recalled, admitting that she resorted to watching cartoons just to find a moment of peace and comfort.

For Nsiiwa’s husband, Samuel, the habit was worrying. It seemed unusual, yet one day, convinced it was a sign from above, he asked her:

“What if God has called you to write books for children?”

And so began Nsiiwa’s journey into book writing. Her first, and still her favourite, became a positive-affirmations book titled Happy Kids Pocket Guide, created to empower children by building their confidence, self-esteem, and sense of identity.

“Growing up with low self-esteem deeply shaped my themes,” said Nsiiwa, who explained that her books affirm the little girl inside her who never heard those empowering words. “As I write for children, I am also healing and reshaping myself.”

She went on to publish mathematics books, French literature, colouring books and more, all translated into seven languages- Setswana, Ikalanga, Shona, Ndebele, English, French, and Afrikaans. It is work that earned her an award she describes as a profound honour.

“I never attended preschool, so my books serve as a bridge for children to access quality education and strong foundations early.”

Nsiiwa’s books are officially listed at Alliance Française de Gaborone, used in learning centres across Botswana, and have also been adopted by some schools in South Africa. ENDS