Girl, 15, authors novel ‘Healer of the Village’

The young girl commenced writing the true life story of a rural traditional healer at the age of thirteen (13) when she visited her grandparents at Basse, Upper River Region and completed the novel age 15. The novel encompass a poor family that uses traditional herbs to cure people for free.

In the novel, Edirisa inherited the herbal work from his father, Abdulraman, a traditional healer of the village. Edirisa later falls in love with a princess and they eventually got married.   

Speaking to The Point exclusively, Miss Jallow said, she was motivated to write such a novel when she traveled to rural Gambia and studied the lives of rural dwellers. “I get the passion of writing at my grade six (6).

The young writer added that she first developed her writing passion at Cardinal Academic School when teachers often force students to read extensively. “This is where I began the passion of writing and swiftly commenced the draft of my novel. Later on, I show it to my mentor. He was so pleased with the book and encouraged me to continue.” 

“During that time, anytime I feel lonely and stressed I focus on my book, write and compile,” she said. 

According to her, she had spent much time and energy on the novel but could not launch it owing to lack of finance to print more copies and do other logistics for the launching ceremony. 

In that regard, she called on all and sundry to support her financially to ensure she launches the novel and sends copies to the market for public use.

The young writer said the healer of the village is very interesting and educative. She justified that the novel encompassed the life style of traditional healers in a village.

Jallow, one of the youngest writers in The Gambia said the most interesting chapter of the novel is where the healer’s son and the princess fall in love.

 “This chapter is indeed very interesting. In fact, actors and actresses can use it to act fantastic movies in the content of African countries,” she said.