BY NELIWE NGUBANE
MBABANE-At just seven years old, Uviwe Kunene is already learning that sometimes the most powerful stories begin with the experiences closest to home.
A Grade 4 learner, Uviwe recently walked away with the Grand Author Award at the Nyangu Young Authors Competition after writing a story inspired by her experience of being told to straighten her naturally curly hair.
Speaking this morning on the Kusile Breakfast Show on Eswatini TV, co-hosted by Sifiso Nxumalo, Uviwe opened up about the story behind her winning book, her growing confidence as a young writer and what readers can expect from her future work.
FROM A HAIR SALON TO A STORY
Uviwe’s winning story, “My Beautiful Curly Hair,” was born from a personal experience.
She explained that the day before writing the story, she had visited a salon where a hairstylist told her that she needed to straighten her hair because it was “too kinky”.
Instead of simply accepting the comment, Uviwe turned the experience into a story.
The book follows a young brown girl who moves to a multiracial school where most of the learners are white and have straight hair. As the only girl with curly hair, she becomes the target of bullying.
The character eventually attempts to straighten her hair using her nanny’s flat iron, only for her mother to catch her.
Rather than allowing her daughter to feel ashamed, the mother reminds her that she is beautiful and smart and should be proud of who she is.
That message becomes a turning point.
FROM BULLYING TO CONFIDENCE
The story continues with the girl facing further insults from her bullies, who tell her that she is ugly and will never amount to anything.
But this time, she refuses to allow their words to define her.
Her confidence receives another boost when a new girl named Blake arrives at the school and becomes her friend.
When the school announces a talent show, the two girls decide to participate. Blake performs on the harmonica, while Uviwe’s character prepares a speech celebrating brown girls.
Although nervous when the big day arrives, she takes the stage and delivers her message.
She wins first place, while Blake takes second.
More importantly, her courage changes the environment at the school. From that point onwards, brown girls who joined the school no longer faced the same bullying.
For Uviwe, the story is therefore more than a tale about hair. It is about identity, confidence, friendship, courage and refusing to allow other people’s opinions to determine your worth.
“I FOUND MY CONFIDENCE”
Uviwe said writing the story changed how she viewed herself.
She revealed that she often felt people looked down on her, but putting her thoughts into writing helped her discover confidence.
Her message to readers is equally powerful: she wants people who read her work to know who they are, be proud of themselves and understand that they are worthy.
The young author believes writing becomes enjoyable when children use it to express what they feel, what they have experienced or what they imagine.
For aspiring young writers, she encourages honesty.
“Write about things that you’ve experienced,” she advised, while warning young storytellers against trying to copy someone else’s voice.
MORE STORIES ARE COMING
Winning the Grand Author Award has not marked the end of Uviwe’s writing journey.
Instead, the seven-year-old already has ideas for her next books.
She hinted at possible titles including “Spark Inside” and “This Is Me”, with both projects expected to explore themes close to her heart — particularly confidence and self-belief.
Uviwe said her future stories will continue encouraging readers who may feel overlooked or underestimated.
Her ambition is not simply to become a writer, but to use her writing to encourage others to take chances and believe in themselves.
A YOUNG VOICE WITH A BIG MESSAGE
Uviwe’s journey offers several lessons to other young stars who want to write.
Young writers can start by writing about their own lives. Everyday experiences — a conversation, a visit to a salon, a school experience, a friendship or even a difficult moment — can become powerful stories.
They should also write honestly, because authentic experiences can connect with readers more deeply.
Most importantly, young writers should not be afraid of making mistakes.
Uviwe’s success demonstrates that a young person does not need to wait until adulthood to have something meaningful to say.
At seven, and already in Grade 4, she has shown that age does not determine the size of a person’s imagination.
Her curly hair became the inspiration.
Her experience became the story.
And her story became a platform for confidence.
For Uviwe Kunene, this may only be the opening chapter.
#UviweKunene #NyanguYoungAuthors #YoungAuthor #YoungWriters #Literacy #Eswatini #Writing #EPN
(Courtesy Pic)
