Photo Instagram / @artby.aiesha
South Africa – “For every woman, there’s always a reason to get out of bed in the morning. There’s always a reason to find your passion … [or] to reignite it irrespective of what you went through … It’s always [us] women that get the ball rolling.”
These are the thoughts expressed by Zakira Bhika, a Writer, Activist, and Talk show Host, highlighting the significance of women within their families, workplaces, and broader society.
Bhika is a renowned author with a diverse portfolio encompassing radio playwriting, novels, and short stories. Her works delve into the experiences, situations, and environments of her life and those around her.
Nevertheless, Bhika revealed her journey was not always centred around the written word. Initially, her aspirations leaned towards becoming an orator rather than a writer.
Through her mastery of the English language and the mentorship she received, Bhika’s affection for writing blossomed, proving beneficial across various disciplines throughout her career.
“As time progressed, I found that I became a more seasoned writer with pages containing more ink than blank spaces. As I began to write better … I became a better orator. I was able to speak better and do my interviews better, and this is all due to writing.”
Zakira Bhika, the Writing Activist
While writing had indeed assisted Bhika in specific aspects such as interviews and public speaking, she also harnessed her writing prowess to emphasise critical societal issues in her playwriting.
“I’ve written 12 drama series for international radio stations. The content is basically things that affect us as a community during a specific time.”
As a conscientious activist, Bhika leverages her narratives to shed light on people’s experiences, emotions, and circumstances within the broader societal context.
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Zakira Bhika, the Talk Show Host
In addition to her roles as a writer and activist, Bhika also assumes the role of host for the ‘In the Lab’ talk show. This show encompasses an expansive array of subjects. It features diverse guests who engage in political, civil, and domestic discussions.
Bhika revealed the show’s initial purpose was to serve as a platform for empowering women through dialogue. It was conceived as a space where women could congregate to exchange their narratives, confront challenges, and recount experiences.
However, as time passed, the show evolved into something beyond her original vision. It transformed into a space where Bhika gained valuable insights from others entrusting her with their stories.
“It was specifically a female empowerment talk show when I started. It was a place to give a platform for females that went through a lot of things in their life and needed to talk about it. Then it just got bigger and bigger. More people approached me, and they wanted to air their stories … I’ve learned a lot from this talk show. It’s been very insightful and very intriguing to hear people’s stories throughout the years.”
