“Albinism Won’t Limit Me,” Zack The Poet

Genre : Society news
Principal country concerned : Column : Poetry / story telling
Release/publication date : 2015
Published on : 14/01/2015
Source : http://zimbojam.com/articles/film-tv-theatre/theatrically-speaking/item/2199-albinism-won-t-limit-me-zack-the-poet 13 January 2015


In society, albinos are at times marginalized hence, some who live with it feel inferior to their colleagues, but for Zack The Poet aka Zachariah Mushawatu that is not the case.



Just like radio personality, Candice Mwakalyelye, Zack has decided to forget about biological factors he cannot change and focus more on using his gifts to impact society.



Zimbo Jam caught up with the poet after an exciting House of Hunger Poetry Slam session at the Book Café on Saturday January 10 in which he was voted as the first runner up, and he shared with us how his poetic journey begun.



"I fell in love with poetry when I was quite young. My grade seven teacher usually asked us to write rhymes and I always came out best in the class," said Zack.



"It was after this period that I realized the potential I had and I began to write poetry. My first performance was here at the Book Café and I want to thank the organisers of the poetry slam for providing us with this wonderful platform to showcase our talent," he added.



On why it took him so long to begin performing his poetry, Zack said, "In high school I never performed because at my school, Prince Edward, people did not have a full appreciation of the art. People used to read my poems and it would just end there."



Speaking on what he plans to do with his poems, Zack said, "I want to compile all my poems into a book. I have written three novels before but the two that I sent to publisher were both rejected. However, I will keep working hard and I believe one day I will have my novels and poetry book published."



"Albinism won't limit me," responded Zack when we asked him if albinism has had an impact on his life both as a poet and an entrepreneur.



"The key for someone living with albinism to be confident is for them not to feel they are different from everyone else.



"Fortunately, when I was growing up, people from my neighbourhood and those at the schools I learnt never treated me differently, they just saw me like every other child.



"Maybe if I had faced negativity then, would I have been a different person," revealed the poet.
After finishing his business at Prince Edward School, Mushawatu went on to study and graduated with an Honours Degree in Administration at the UZ. He is currently running a nonprofit making organization called Rural Schools Development Trust which he established last year.



He has also worked with organisations such Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) where he was the national spokesperson, Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT).

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