By Khanyisa Khenese
After being mugged, losing her voice due to over-screaming and spending 2 years not being able to sing, as a budding artist Yvonne Sewele worked tirelessly to overcome these setbacks.
Against all odds Sewelo bagged two prestigious Literary Arts awards for her song titled “Uhlulwa yini” at the Eastern Cape Literary Awards. The award ceremony was hosted on the 7th December at Amazwi South African Museum of Literature in Makhanda. The event aimed to recognize and celebrate artists, journalists, poets, researchers and young people who write essays in English, IsiXhosa, Sesotho and Afrikaans in the Eastern Cape.
Sewela said winning the award for the best song was the opportunity for a new season, a season to spread a message of hope and strength. She hopes, through her songs to grow her reputation beyond SA.
“The contribution to Literary Arts Award is a reminder that our work is not just about achieving success but about capturing and documenting the stories of our community. My voice represents many voices that are not able to write their story” she said.
She added that her heart is greatly touched by the love they received from the founder of the awards.
“She is a warrior whose story moved us to tears. Her story was our greatest award”.
Sewelo was born and raised in a village called Emagqagqeni in Mount Frere, Eastern Cape. However, after completing her matric at Arefadineng Secondary School in North West she pursued a degree in music at North West University. In 2011 she was awarded a scholarship to go and study in Europe at the University of Jyvaskyla.
In the same year she went on a tour in Germany and Finland and shared a stage with the Yale University woodwind ensemble from the United States through North West University woodwind ensemble where she played the saxophone.
After completing her studies, she returned home and ventured into teaching. In 2012 she was mugged and the fear caused her to over scream producing vocal nodules which affected her voice and led to an operation.
In nursing the scars of the operation, Sewelo spent 2014 mourning her voice as she could not sing but the joy of becoming a mother and joining a church Christ Embassy were her weapon to regain her voice.
“My pastor encouraged me to join the church choir and not give up singing. The prayers helped me to learn to fall in love with my new anointed voice” she said.
The misfortune did not tear her down but rather lifted to better herself and she is currently serves as a church coordinator for BLW Makhanda.
