FEMRITE rose from the unburdening of literary hardships by Ugandan
women writers. The Uganda Women Writers’ Association, FEMRITE,
was a small dream which began in 1996, and now serves as a support
network for editors and award-winning women writers in Ugandan
writing. Mary Karooro -Okurut, current Member of Parliament of
Bushenyi District in Uganda, and a published writer, dreamt of
a time when Ugandan women would flourish in Uganda’s literary
scene. Karooro-Okurut was determined to see that any gender stereotypes,
by which women writers were disadvantaged should be obliterated
from Uganda’s literary landscape. In 1996, Karooro-Okurut
gathered a few other literary female writers and discussed with
them how to make her dream come alive. Goretti Kyomuhendo, former
Coordinator of FEMRITE and published writer and Monica Chibita
were amongst the women who began what is now a writer’s
haven-FEMRITE.
With few resources to set up a small office, the three founder
members began testing their vision. Calling on some others, they
began to write articles for the daily newspapers bringing a fresh
outlook to the journalistic scene. They identified the values
of the organization: Sisterhood, Voluntarism, Love of books, Integrity
and Commitment to writing. From there, FEMRITE launched into publishing
a magazine called New Era, and New Era invited articles on all
aspects of life – domesticity, entrepreneurship, leisure,
travel and true life stories. These articles brought added value
to women’s’ literature in Uganda.
Having established itself by 1997 as an indigenous, non-governmental,
non-profit making women’s organization promoting Ugandan
women writers, FEMRITE began to publish novels, poetry and short
story collections. Amongst the short story anthologies are Women’s
Voices (a short story collection), Tears of Hope (creative non-fiction
based on marginalization against women in Uganda), Gifts of Harvest
(a collection of stories from Uganda’s prize-winning literary
achievers, Words from a Granary (contemporary women’s stories),
and most recently, I Dare Say (reflections from women living positively
with the HIV virus).
FEMRITE has opened up its membership to all Ugandan women above
the age of eighteen who have the desire to write. With a current
membership of about thirty-five members, many have found in FEMRITE
what their hearts were always yearning for. One of the more established
poets in Uganda, Susan Kiguli, is a member of FEMRITE. She won
the National literary award in 1999 for her poetry work, The African
Saga. Midred Kiconco, another member, won second prize in the
National awards in 2003 for her poetry collection, Men Love Chocolates
but They Don’t Say.
FEMRITE has not only professionalized women writing in Uganda
but also helped to develop friendships among the writers. A bond
of sisterhood, homeliness and camaraderie has grown through frequent
interaction and the growing activities. The founder member, Mary
Karooro-Okurut, consequently acquired the nickname, ‘Mother
Hen’. Mother Hen Mary has looked after many chicks of the
writing field.
Other award winners from FEMRITE credit the weekly Readers-Writers
evenings with their development as writers. These are an informal
gathering of writers, editors and lovers of literature, who meet
once a week to read and make useful comments on authors’
works. Such evenings have established a platform for new writers
to grow. Some members whose works were thoroughly reviewed these
FEMRITE evenings have gone on to win international awards. Glaydah
Namukasa won the 2005 Macmillan Writers’ Prize for Africa
for her book, Voice of a Dream. Monica Arac de Nyeko has been
shortlisted twice for the Caine Prize for African Writing. Jackee
Batanda won the 2003 African Regional Commonwealth Short Story
Prize. Other members continue to write and get published in well-established
international and literary journals.
FEMRITE, even with it strong focus on the provision of writing
opportunities for women, has also shared some writing opportunities
with male writers. Through its Readers and Writers evenings, FEMRITE
has received work from male writers, and some of them have gone
on to release works of excellence with other publishing houses.
FEMRITE also hosted the first ever PEN-Uganda meeting which has
since then grown into a multi-tasked organization. Every year,
since 2000, FEMRITE has held annual literary activities hosting
renowned writers like Professor Taban lo Liyong, Professor Okey
Ndibe, Professor John Ruganda and Ama Ata Aidoo. Each of these
visits culminated into writing workshops and creative writing
experiences that have nurtured the best writers of the country.
FEMRITE has published fourteen titles, all written by women, and
these titles have gone on to win both national and international
literary acclaim. When a publishing outfit that was gender-defined
was started many people doubted our abilities and commitment to
sustain it. It is gratifying to note that FEMRITE has proven them
wrong. For the future, FEMRITE plans to continue with and strengthen
its work of developing Ugandan women writers. There is still much
to do if FEMRITE is to surmount the many challenges that women
writers face globally, which include biased literary canons, self
censorship and other inhibitions, some of which are imposed by
mundane cultural practices, sexism, the politics of exclusion,
and such other obstacles which still hinder women from writing
themselves into excellence and prominence.
FEMRITE is also about the celebration of life, which is the most
important resource for writers. Motherhood, marriage, education,
everyday financial challenges and the joys of travel abroad are
important parts of the writer’s experience. With members
giving birth, others traveling continents to realize their higher
education dreams and still some finding solace in more challenging
roles in the employment sector, and FEMRITE getting involved in
all of that, it has become a holistic, powerful enterprise in
Ugandan literature.
