Name: Frederick Yamusangie

Profile: Author - Novelist, Playwright, Essayist and Poet

My full name is Frederick Kambemba Yamusangie and I was born in Zaire now known as The Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. I am a 2003 Poetry Prize Winner. I studied Communication Engineering at the University of Kent at Canterbury in England. Many of my poems have been published in magazines and also anthologized around the world. I am the author of 'Full Circle' a novel set in Congo; 'Beneath the Blue Sky' a book of poetry; and ‘Varia’ a collection of my writing in different fields. My play 'A Letter from Home' had a successful and sold-out world premiere on the 24th and 25th of November 2006 at the Martin Harris studio theatre located at the University of Manchester in United Kingdom. I live in Essex, UK. And my second book of poetry 'Beyond the Horizon' is about to be published. I am currently involved in many projects such writing ‘Tales of Kivamva’ a collection of short stories, ‘Peace & tranquility’ a book of poetry, ‘High Treason’ a play, ‘Circle of Darkness’ a novel, ‘On the River’ a novella, ‘Bench’ a play, and many other writings in fiction and non-fiction format.

Education:

• I studied Communication Engineering at the University of Kent at Canterbury  in the United Kingdom.

• I did a great part of my primary and secondary studies in the Bandundu province in the west of Congo-Zaire. I did my Diplome D’Etat (Baccalaureate) in Section Scientifique - Option Math Physique at Institut Alingba in Kinshasa (Congo – Zaire).

Books:

• Full Circle (2003, iUniverse) a novel
• Still Smiling (2003, a private publication for friends) a booklet of poetry
• 32 Poems (2004, PoemHunter) an eBook of poetry
• Beneath the Blue Sky (2005, PublishAmerica) a book of poetry (http://www.congovision.com/livres_mputu.html)
• Varia (2005, Southern People Press) a collection of essays and other writings
• Beyond the Horizon (to be published this year) a book of poetry

Plays:

• Nela (1998, completed), it tells a story of a young lady who goes to village to visit her aunt. But she becomes a leader of young people’s rebellion against the older order. The play is set in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

• A Letter from Home (2006, a play commissioned and produced by the Drama Department of University of Manchester), it tells the story of Wana, a Congolese lady who fled Congo (Kivu province) to UK (Manchester) to seek asylum after the militia took control of a village where she was a volunteer teacher. But her time in United Kingdom (Manchester) turns out to be different that what she had in mind.  

• Mother, I’d be all right (2007, submitted to The National Theatre, London), it tells the story of mother and her only son living in town that is under a military occupation.

• About Ricky (2007, submitted to The National Theatre, London), it tells a story of a single mother struggling to raise two teenager boys. The play is set in a fictitious town in UK.

• The Bench (2007, work in progress), it tells the story of young people who facing social exclusion. The play is set in UK.

Public Lectures:

• Introduction To The Congo Question: The British Connection (March 2005, Africa Centre, London).

• Beyond Political and Military Solutions in the Crises in the DRC: Ethical Consumerism (July 2006, School of Orient and African Studies, University of London)

• DRC: The Continuation of History (September 2006, Bologna, Italy)

• And many others…

Academic Debates:

• I Chaired a debate on the role of women in Heart of Darkness (2004, The annual Joseph Conrad Society UK International Conference, London)

• And many others…

Literary Prize: 2003, Faber&Faber and Ottackar Poetry Prize Winner (Basildon, Essex, UK).

Other Publications:

Many articles and poems published around the world in the many literary magazines and anthologies.