Blog Spotlight: Africa's Child by Maria Nhambu

SYNOPSIS:

From the Foreword by Marian Wright Edelman 

Africa’s Child is an unforgettable and searingly personal book….In the face of repeated obstacles and injustices, Nhambu continued to analyze the world around her with wit and a sharp sense of humor. Above all, as a very young child she decided one day that even if there was no other person in the world who loved and wanted her, she was going to love and care for herself—and that decision changed the course of her life. 


Africa’s Child is the story of a mixed-race girl growing up in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, East Africa. Raised in an orphanage with no knowledge of her origins or family, she endured abandonment, hardships, severe illnesses, and bullying. Her experiences as a child and teenager included physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, social stigma, and racial discrimination. 
Yet Nhambu tells her inspiring story with warmth and humor. Her questioning mind probes the African tribal realities and multi-cultural complexities that impacted her life both at the orphanage and schools run by German nuns as well as at an African high school with American nuns. 
Nhambu not only survived her childhood but triumphed. Her faith and resilience, along with a belief in learning and her tenacious pursuit of an education, sustained her through many challenges. Dance, especially African tribal dance, became the way she healed and nourished her spirit. 
Through the love and commitment of an American teacher she met in Africa, Nhambu was able to pursue her dream of education and a new life for herself. The first book in her three-part memoir ends as she is leaving Africa for university studies in America on a full scholarship. 
Maria Nhambu is the creator of Aerobics With Soul®, a fitness workout based on African dance. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maria Nhambu was raised by German catholic nuns at an orphanage for mixed race children in Tanzania, East Africa. Dancing Soul Trilogy, her Memoirs, begins with Africa's Child, which tells her dramatic story from birth to her departure from her homeland. America's Daughter continues her story when she arrived in America with her adoptive mother. In Drum Beats, Heart Beats the final volume of the trilogy, we join her as she traverses diverse cultures and continents and negotiates a complex and shifting web of mixed identities--African immigrant and African American.

She's the creator of Aerobics With Soul®, a popular fitness program based on African dance. Maria has made sharing her love of Africa and its culture and rhythms the focus of her life.

 MY REVIEW:

Africa's Child by Maria Nhambu
Starts with praise for the book and a bit about the book and how a child comes of age in Africa.
Frightening and terrifying moments as the child grows up guided by the German nuns. She is able to form some relationships with other girls and she has a special friend.
She learns many things about becoming a woman and she fears she will never have a child because she thinks nuns sewed her up. Moments of learning other intimate details are described.
Hate the bullying and all the diseases she gets in her childhood. Some things I can relate to but growing up in the US is so different. She goes through things I will never have to endure. She is so strong and brave.
Love how she thinks she was born along with other orphans. She hopes one day to meet up with her mother...
She really wants to continue her schooling so she can become a teacher herself.
Love choices she is given and the understanding of the ones not chosen. Like hearing of her other works after this book took place and about the author is also included at the end.
Very touching emotional story. Love how music and dance plays a huge part to her success.
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.