Ouagadougou: Journalist, columnist, and writer Alexis Pingdwend© Yam©ogo, known by his pen name Cl©ment Zongo, officially presented three literary works on Saturday, addressing social, educational, and civic themes.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the first work, entitled "The Girl with Brown Hair," is a novel about albinism. The author explained that the book aims to raise public awareness about the realities faced by people with albinism and to combat the prejudices they often encounter. "I wrote this work to contribute to raising awareness and to help everyone understand that people with albinism are simply human beings like us, with whom we must live and work," explained Cl©ment Zongo. The writer highlighted that the novel won second prize in the Grand Prix national des arts et des lettres (GPNAL) in the novel category during the 2023 National Culture Week (SNC).
The second publication, entitled "Les Chroniques de Cl©ment Zongo" (The Chronicles of Cl©ment Zongo), is a collection of 40 columns published in the daily newspaper Sidwaya and broadcast on Radio Pulsar. The work addresses various social issues related to health, childhood, women's rights, and vulnerable people. "Through these columns, I try to be the voice of the voiceless in order to remind the wealthiest of their duty of solidarity towards the most disadvantaged," he emphasized.
The third work, "Just a Stroke of the Pen," is a collection of 20 poems for children and adolescents. Winner of the SNC's first prize in 2014, the book addresses civic responsibility, citizenship, discipline, work, and children's rights. The author specified that the publication of this collection benefited from the support of the Ministry of Communication, Culture, Arts, and Tourism.
At the same ceremony, the writer presented a new edition of his novel, "Moah, the Madwoman's Son," winner of the GPNAL's first prize in the novel category at the 2018 SNC. The books are offered at the following prices: 5,000 FCFA for "The Girl with Brown Hair," 4,000 FCFA for "The Chronicles of Cl©ment Zongo," 3,000 FCFA for "Just a Stroke of the Pen," and 4,000 FCFA for "Moah, the Son of the Madwoman." The books are available at the Jeunesse d'Afrique bookstore, Mercury, or directly from the author.
The ceremony's patron and president of the Association of Women with Albinism in Burkina Faso, D©n© Mamouna, praised the writer's initiative, considering his novel an important awareness-raising tool. "Even those who don't enjoy reading can discover several realities about albinism through this novel. We consider Mr. Cl©ment Zongo an ally, because he has accurately portrayed the difficulties experienced by people with albinism," she said. According to her, despite progress made in addressing the concerns of people with albinism, many challenges remain regarding social inclusion and the fight against discrimination. She expressed her gratitude to the author for dedicating a work to this topic, thus contributing to strengthening public awareness efforts.