05 Nov 2023

The author of Understanding and navigating grief, Gaolapelwe Matsetse-Mpete, has scooped the African Influential Woman of the Year award.

Matsetse-Mpete, who is also a public speaker, received the international award during the African Influencer Awards ceremony held in Zimbabwe recently.

She told BOPA that her win was a tribute to her late brother, Gofamodimo Matsetse, who encouraged her to write the book sharing her personal journey of loss.

Shedding light on the book that has made her gain international recognition, she said she felt a profound need to share her traumatic journey and to bring awareness with deeper understanding of what grief was in a bid to help people who were struggling.

The book unpacks the different types of grief and its symptoms, both emotional and physical and how grief impacts different spheres of lives.

In the book, she said she had covered topics such as why personalities change during grief, family fallouts caused by heightened emotions and negative influences from outsiders, among others.

“This is a fully packed book, a safe space for anyone struggling or any shattered heart to lean on,” she said.

Matsetse-Mpete further said the book touched on how to deal with a grieving child, self-imposed isolation or withdrawal from society, loosing friends along the way and societal pressures.

“It also sheds light on how grief can drive you to substance and alcohol abuse, coping strategies, seeking psychological intervention and overcoming the harsh waves of grief,” she noted.

She said the experience of losing a loved one makes one’s heart to expand and accommodate other people.

The book, she said would help anyone

struggling with grief, post the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The book is very relevant and resonates well with millions across the world as almost every household suffered direct or indirect losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

She said the book had been reviewed and featured on numerous international publications like Dicas de Leitura newspaper in Brazil.

Also, it has been featured in Malawi newspapers, Maravi Post and The Africa Brief.

“It has also been reviewed by the writers, Warmth community in Norway and Africa writers roundtable in Zimbabwe,” she added.

The book was edited and published by Harry Tawiah-Ussher of Glory House Publishers.

She has also authored two other books, In her own voice and Overcoming.

She said her fourth offering titled, Finding self, which is dedicated for her birthday, is set to be released soon.  

All her books are available online bookshops, Gao-Badu Books and on Linktree.

Matsetse- Mpete also has had many public speaking engagements, including the Maame Koma Foundation Women Empowerment Clinic in Accra, Ghana and the Complete Woman Convention, which took place in September.

The Tlokweng-born wears many hats. She is also a humanitarian and the founder of Women Achievers award, a platform that celebrates and honours women and girl-child excelling in their respective fields.

She is also the chief executive officer of Bonton-Botswana Consultancy.

She is also a law graduate and now Masters of Law (LLM) Degree candidate with University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom.

She is also a certified neuro-linguistic practitioner dealing with grief awareness.

Matsetse-Mpete is also a co-founder of Literary Women Circle, a book club that reads and reviews books.

Born to David and Patricia Matsetse, she is mother of two boys, Thulani and Thokozani and married to William Mpete. Ends