Hope amid hardship through writing
THE 20th Time of the Writer Festival takes place from tomorrow to March 18. This year’s edition will include a variety of round-table discussions, readings, seminars, book launches and developmental programmes such as workshops, master classes and motivational talks.
One of the participating writers is Dr Usha Roopnarain, who is passionate about social justice issues and wants to uplift and inspire women from deep rural areas to the metropolis.
After spending 14 years as a parliamentarian, she worked on the health portfolio committee, where she studied and witnessed the brutalities of HIV/ Aids ravaging Kwazulu-natal. She started writing so that she could tell people there is hope amid tragedy and there is a triumph.
Roopnarain has a PHD in political science and a master’s in human rights law from Essex. She believes that through a writing and reading revolution, South Africa can beat poverty and HIV/AIDS.
What inspired your love for politics and your passion for social justice? When did it first become something you realised you had to do something about?
I spent 14 years in government… politics became my natural habitat. I was also interested in women’s, children’s issues, so I served in these portfolios both on a national and provincial level.
During my oversight visits, I witnessed first-hand the abject poverty, disease and deprivation in society. Before this, I was almost “cocooned” from the decimating effects. I felt that someone needed to be a voice to this, I also wanted people to read about it.
Tell me about some of the field work you’ve done, stories you feel every one should know about, stories about women you feel cannot be ignored?
Our society is laced with luxury and poverty – almost paradoxical. During my hospital, clinics and morgue visits, I saw first-hand how people were suffering and dying, and yet this could be avoided by access to proper health care.
What does Time of the Writer mean to you?
The Time of the Writer means it’s time to be able to give a voice to my book, it is time writing becomes an art and not a commodity. It means that people can write, and express themselves in books. We hear too much noise in society... Books can be a tool, almost cathartic in nature. It means we all have a story to tell.
What do you do when nothing seems to work out?
I sit down, pause, contemplate, I pray, I focus on all the things that are going right in my life. I realise that God is in control.
If you looked back at your ten year old self, and compare her to you now, what has changed and what has remained the same?
At 10 years old, I never thought of being a politician... It was farthest thing on my mind. If you asked me the definition of politics, I would have said “poli” is many and “tics” are like those blood suckers! So it was a field I wanted to steer clear from, but you know in life we make plans and God has the ultimate say. A lot has changed. I’ve realised that with life, you learn to pick up the pieces and move on. But I’m glad I still possess my humility... That’s priceless.