MAKING LEMONADE FROM LEMONS

By Libuseng Nyaka

THABA-NCHU- As Covid-19 unrelentingly tightens its grip, forcing people to restrict their movements as they adapt to the new normal, Thaba Nchu-born author, Charmaine Mrwebi, saw an opportunity in the crisis and penned a book.

The book has been published in four different South African. The English version is titled Mama s little helper; Afrikaans: Mama se Klein Helper; Sesotho: Mothusi o monnye wa mme; and Setswana: Motshegetsi yo monnyee wa mme

The book targets children between five and 12 years old. It strives to encourage mothers and their children to do things for fun to keep themselves busy during this time of pandemic.

“There’s nothing more precious in life than to acquire knowledge. One can even say knowledge is power, the more you know the better a concept is well-understood than misinterpreted.

“The book teaches readers that there are many ways to pass those long dreadful hours without doing anything, more especially during this period of lockdown,” Mrhwebi said.

She also illustrates to viewers by means of writing, that this might not be an easy time in life but it can also be a chance where mothers and fathers bond with their children. Hence the story is about a mother and her son keeping themselves busy when there was nothing to do; these are few of many activities that families can participate in to keep themselves busy during this lockdown.

Mrwebi is an accomplished author, having written no less than 18 books – four anthologies, 12 children’s books, one drama book, and one memoir. She has also edited and compiled two books, namely Flaxman Qoopane – Father of Letters, and Grahamstown, Free State Poetry compilation. As a publisher under her independent small publishing house called Charmza Literary Club Publishing House, she has published over 20 authors all over Free State and has successfully launched their books, profiled them and sold them to over 300 libraries in the Free State and local book stores.