ALTHOUGH she is only nine years old, Michelle Nkamankeng has already made a name for herself as an author.
On Saturday she will be launching her second book, The Little Girl Who Believes in Herself at the Market Theatre in Joburg.
Speaking to Daily Sun yesterday, Michelle said: “I’m really excited about my book. It has finally been published. It has been waiting since I wrote it when I was six.
“It feels really special to be able to share it with other children three years later. I hope everyone leaves feeling really inspired and that other children can also make their dreams come true by believing in themselves.”
Michelle from Kensington, Joburg will be sharing her special day with 10-year-old Kenyan author Natalie Wambui.
They will be appearing together to inspire other children and to showcase the power of being literate and educated.
The event aims to give children positive, age-appropriate role models and to pass African literature on to the next generation.
Michelle is Africa’s youngest author. Her book, Waiting for the Waves ,was published in 2016 and she is among the top 10 youngest authors in the world.
Adults have described her as a pioneering child who does not believe that age should stand in the way of anyone following their passion. She has set up the Michelle Nkamankeng Foundation to promote literacy, education and children’s activism. Natalie wants to use her writing to fly Kenya’s flag high and proud.
She has published three books: Natalie’s Poems, Kenya: My Country, My Story and Extraordinary Kenyans Doing Extraordinary Things.
She has won the Read Africa Global Award and an award from the American Friends Service Committee.
