Word perfect Activist poet embracing essence of being African

After giving birth, Vanessa Chisakula started writing poetry as a way of processing the changes and struggles she was experiencing as a new mother.

- Sarah Johnson

"I was in my early 20s. I had just become a mum and didn't understand it," she says.

"I had all these questions. What is a woman? Is this it? I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing." With poetry, she adds, "you can say a lot of things and it's so therapeutic".

Just writing poems was not enough, however; Chisakula wanted to share her stories. She was inspired to write spoken-word poetry - a genre written to be read out loud and performed when she heard I Will Wait for You by Janette...ikz, an American spoken-word poet.

Now, she is spearheading efforts to expand the spoken-word scene in her homeland, Zambia. In 2017, she cofounded Word Smash Poetry, a movement for young creative activists across southern Africa.

In her own award-winning work, she uses poetry as a tool for activism, focusing on issues including women's rights, African identity and mental health.

"I believe in the beautiful persuasion that art brings to the table," she says. "Art is a form of protest that leaves no blood. It can be peacefully done but a strong message can be communicated artistically."