Samuel Asanga Mokom

Project participant in Cameroon

'English as I speak and write it today is a language I encountered for the first time in 1992 when I was 11. My only language of expression then was French. But being a native of North West Cameroon, my father felt it was important I learn English. Reading English story books became my favourite pastime. At 15 in form four, as coordinator of the English Club in my School, I started entertaining students by narrating to them the numerous stories I had read. Soon, I developed an interest in writing and I started writing and narrating my own stories. The breakthrough came in 1999, when as a high school student, I received an award from the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Commonwealth Essay Competition - Write Around the World. In 2004 as a postgraduate student, I was privileged to be one of the first 12 participants of the Crossing Borders Programme in Cameroon. I was fortunate to be retained the following year for a second participation. My second participation in the program was focused on the writing for young readers. By the end of the programme, I had gained insight to contemporary creative writing for children. I am presently working for the publication of my first book, a collection of fables for young readers which will be entitled My Book of Africa Fables.'

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