Pics by Shelley Kjonstad
Anthology of poems by young writers interrogating the notion of “Belonging” taking place on World Poetry Day: March 21, 2026
World Poetry Day, celebrated annually on March 21, will resonate personally with 70 young poets from four schools South of Durban this year, as they celebrate being published in a new anthology, Belonging, compiled and edited by Durban poet, Kemera Moodly.
(Above: Meadowlands Technical
High)
Four schools participated in the project which rolled out last year, and 70 poems were selected for publication: Grade ten learners from Meadowlands Technical High School, Apollo Secondary School, Protea Secondary School, and Southlands Secondary School submitted poems for consideration.
Moodly also gave cash prizes to the top three poems in each grade, in each school. “It was not a competition, but I did want to award excellence,” she explained. Every participating child received a complimentary copy of the printed anthology.
(Above: Protea Secondary)
The Chatsworth Poetry Project, as it was dubbed, was a project, funded and administered by Moodly. “I wanted to give young adults the freedom to use their voice, to encourage independent thinking and creative writing, to inspire self-reflection and to uplift participating learners by having their poetry formally published in a printed anthology,” she explained.
“From Chatsworth’s schoolyards, corridors and homes, these poems carry laughter, longing, loss, love, hope and everything in between,” continued Moodly. “These poems reminded me that Belonging isn’t just a place, it is the courage to speak, the power to listen and the will to build. I was impressed that the title resonated so much with the learners, and that they took time and care to write such extraordinary pieces. It gave me immense joy to be providing a platform for the young writers to be able to express themselves.”
The project participants will be encouraged to get involved in World Poetry Day – which is celebrated annually on March 21 to promote the reading, writing, and teaching of poetry worldwide. Proclaimed by UNESCO in 1999, this day honours poets and their work. As Durban is a formal UNESCO City of Literature, it is especially important to honour the UNESCO calendar days.
(Above: Southlands Secondary)
Kemera Moodly understands how important it is for young people to find their voice and express their emotions through poetry. She has herself published six anthologies of her work and has been writing poetry consistently since she was a young child, launching her first anthology, Words from my Heart, in 2013, and her most recent one, Paper Heart, last year.
Belonging is available in the libraries of the participating schools. Belonging can be purchased from Kemera, or from the four schools directly.
Moodly’s books can be purchased online: visit: www.kemeramoodly.com. Her work can also be found on Instagram and Facebook.
Profits from Kemera’s books and merchandise are donated to the Denis Hurley Centre.
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