Mission to help people reclaim their stories, culture and knowledge

Odwa Bungu from Mdantsane is helping change lives in townships and rural areas through the power of reading, writing and creativity.

Bungu, 33, launched Afroglyphics Publishers, a private publishing company, in April 2018, and is also the founder of IMPACT — the Independent Movement of Practical and Creative Thinkers.

Being an author himself and brother of boxing legend Vuyani Bungu, he said his mission was deeply rooted in empowerment — to encourage African people to reclaim their stories, culture and knowledge.

“Waking up every day and seeing children smile while they read, draw or write gives me hope. I believe we are raising future leaders who will think for themselves.”

He believes that true progress begins when communities start creating, preserving and sharing their own narratives, from writing and publishing books to building libraries and learning spaces that reflect African heritage and identity.

“I realised that we, as African people, often depend too much on other nations.

“That is why we need to start writing our own books, building our own libraries, and creating our own spaces for learning so future generations can read about our history, traditions and knowledge systems.”

Through Afroglyphics and IMPACT, Bungu works with a team of 10 people which supports children between the ages of six and 14, helping them learn to read, write, draw, speak in public and express themselves through art.

The team visits schools to register pupils interested in the movement and book club, mainly on weekends and during school holidays. It also offers special programmes for older people.

Beyond education, Bungu teaches life skills like farming and basic business, helping people become more independent and creative.

What sets his work apart is the balance between theory and practice.

He is now helping more than 20 children from different schools in the area, children who were not convinced they would be able to learn to read and write.

“We don’t just teach from books. We also show them how to apply what they learn in real life as this helps them grow into people who are both book-smart and streetwise.”

Bungu is self-employed and is also completing a personal training programme, the details of which he will share only once finished.

He supports other community projects like Friends of the Library and Friends in Business, helping build a network of support and learning.

“Our biggest challenge is funding. While there are many strong programmes ready to run, limited resources sometimes make it hard to help as many people as we would like.”

With his passion and dedication, he is proving that real change can start with a book, a child, and a dream, right in the heart of Mdantsane.

He was nominated as a Local Hero by his brother, Vuyani, who said  Bungu was a source of inspiration for young authors, publishers and cultural producers from Mdantsane.

“His four published books have inspired many young local writers to share their own stories, and he is recognised as one of 14 trailblazers by Business and Arts SA.

“Odwa was also nominated for the 40 Under 40 SA Awards.”

Bungu has worked on projects like Change X and Book Dash to encourage children to read at least 10 books a year.

He is now mentoring children on writing, publishing and marketing their own books, and helps promote a strong reading culture in local communities.

Daily Dispatch