Article from 'The Comet Newspaper'
About the Author
Annette Willoughby was born in the West Riding of
Yorkshire, the eldest of five children. A Grammar School education led
her into the Civil Service. After gaining a Dip.Ed, she entered Primary
Education, then taught in a
Boys Public School in Hertford, specialising in remedial English. She
has
two children from her first marriage.
In 1996 her partner Barrie was contracted to work in Lesotho, Southern
Africa, on a hydro-electric construction project. She gave up a
teaching post in Croydon to join him. Her new life in 'The Mountain
Kingdom' inspired her to start writing. They were married in South
Africa in 1997. Her books capture the atmosphere of life in Africa.
Fascinated by traditional Basotho culture, their spontaneous displays
of singing and dancing, the country's historic past; dinosaur fossils,
San Bushmen, Sangomas....her spirit of
adventure has taken her on a new and different journey.
The success of her first book, 'Innocent in Africa' has brought her
into contact with other like-minded people who supported her ideals.
She has
campaigned for a small village in the Lowlands of Lesotho, which now
has
a fresh water supply and electricity. Currently, she arranges
sponsorship
enabling children to go to school. 'We cannot change their lives, but
we
can make a difference,' she says.
The people have built her a clay house with a tin roof and given her
a Basotho name, 'Malimakatso' which means 'Mother of Miracles'. She has
tnade three return visits to Lesotho and South Africa, adding yet more
miles of vivid and colourful memories.
Annette is now enjoying retirement in a Bedfordshire village and cares
for her disabled granddaughter, as well as working on her writing and
her garden. Giving talks to schools and professional groups, she raises
awareness of the plight of poorer families in the community, with whom
she has forged links over the past seven years.
Celtic Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind always be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your
fields,
And until we nieet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Born Singing
‘Born Singing’ conjures up throbbing images of voices, people and
events.A lively and sensitive writer, Annette Willoughby offers the
reader a feast of travel and humour.. for her there were no barriers.
She writes about
the Basotho people, whom she came to love and admire.
Skilfully, she transports her readers to the Karoo Desert, Gauteng,
Kimberley Diamond City, Cape Town and across Lake Kariba to Victoria
Falls in Zimbabwe. Vivid recollections of King Letsie’s Coronation in
1997, the news of Princess Diana’s death, President Mandela’s official
opening of Muela Dam in 1998, total immersion baptisms at Teyateyaneng
Festival ..and more.
Her ex-pat lifestyle as the wife of a professional engineer contrasts
strikingly with her involvement with the Basotho family at Ha Simone.
She feels pulled apart by the conflict of emotions. Walter becomes
desperately ill. Should she help to get him medical care in a hospital
or leave him to
die?
Radio Review Three Counties says ‘this author uses words like paints
on a palette’ and ‘you will feel as though you have been there.’
Foreword
The political upheaval and civil disturbances in
Lesotho, which took place in 1998 left Mascru, the capital, devastated.
Since then the country has recovered, the political climate is healthy
and the economy stable, though still fragile. Tourism numbers are
rising. King Letsie Ill, crowned in 1997 as a bachelor, has since
married. His Queen, Karabo, has become a very popular member of the
Royal Family and they now have two daughters. Lesotho has settled down
into a forward-thinking nation with a clear vision of its future,
though unemployment is still a severe problem. Sadly the
recent death of Mamohato, the Queen Mother, has been a great loss.
This new title, 'Born Singing' by Annette Willoughby, reflects the time
shortly before the political uprising. Every book has an historical
impact and 1 am privileged to have
, known the author personally, and have been privy to her many schemes
which have been for the benefit of her Basotho family/community in
particular and for the wider good of Lesotho as a whole
We first met in connection with the Lesotho Diocesan Association (LDA)
which meets every year at Partnership House in London, with the aim of
improving links with Lesotho. We also share a common interest in the
Lesotho
Durham Link, which she supports avidly. Her faith in the people of
Lesotho
has never wavered and she has made many changes in the quality of life
for
the people of Ha Simone.
Her books describe her observations of Basotho culture during her time
in Lesotho and the widespread poverty of ordinary people she
encountered in the Lowland villages. She saw through the poverty into
the hearts of
the people. Something special happens when people from two different
worlds
begin to understand one another. Through her books, 'Innocent in
Africa'
and 'Born Singing' eyes have been opened and a learning process has
begun.
Our hope for the future lies in continuing this process and our
traditional
strong links with Britain.
Lebohang Ramohlanka
High Commissioner for the Kingdom of Lesotho,
London 2000 - 2005
Copies
are available from annette.glenn@hotmail.com or on request
from
any good bookshop.
For more information on the book & Author
Following the publication of her second book, ‘Born Singing’, last
Autumn, Annette Willoughby has been working on furthering her links
with Ha Simone, a small village in the Lowlands of Lesotho, where she
is trying to help the small Community of St John’s Church, situated
near the Subeng River 4kms from the town of Leribe.
She gives talks to many professional groups and gatherings and the
demand is growing. ‘Born Singing’ is the catalyst for readers, who want
to do
something for Africa, but don’t know where to start.
‘Somehow people seem to find me’ she reports, ‘sponsors arrive out of
the blue at the most unexpected moments.’ Everyone thinks their
contribution cannot make a difference to the life of an African child
or an African village. A pupil from City School Sheffield, who spent
last year’s summer holiday
helping on a project in Malealea, Lesotho, wrote on her return, “If you
think
that you’re too small to make a difference, then you’ve obviously never
been
in bed with a mosquito”.
Royal Connections
HRH Prince Harry has put Lesotho on the map for
millions of people. He has a copy of both Annette’s books and has made
contact to say, ’Thank
you for your commitment to the Basotho people.’ His new Charity
Sentabale,
which he has recently set up in memory of Princess Diana is a generous
gesture
towards helping victims of HIVAIDS. His co-founder is HRH Prince Seeiso
,
whose mother, the late Queen Mamohato, was also concerned with the
hundreds
of cases of children who have been left to fend for themselves as a
result
of the virus. Together they have set up their charity to enable these
children
to have a future. HRH Prince Seeiso, is now the new High
Commissioner in London
Please contact Annette for further information.
HRH
Prince Seeiso
is brother to the King of Lesotho King Letsie lll and he is second in
line to the throne. He has started the Charity Sentabale with HRH
Prince Harry in memory of Princess Diana and his own mother,
Mamohato the Queen Mother of Lesotho.
There are 200,000 orphans in Lesotho now and few of these are in
orphanages. The Hospitals now report that most babies are born HIV
positive and there are not enough drugs to treat them. Life expectancy
in the UK is 78years whereas in Lesotho it is down to 34 and still
falling.
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